What's Good for the Goose: Minnesota Election Fiasco

So, the election in Minnesota isn't such as big of a fiasco as the 2000 election in which the Supreme Court appointed G.W. Bush to the Presidency of the United States, but it is a fiasco nevertheless on a smaller scale. As you well know, if you've read my prior posts, I'm on Conservative Republican mailing lists. It makes for amusing reading, most of the time. Tonight I get a letter from Orrin Hatch and John Cornyn (my Senator as a matter of fact), pleading with me to donate to the National Republic Senatorial Committee (like hell) for the support of Norm Coleman in the contested election in Minnesota. Now, perhaps that in and of itself isn't so crazy. What is crazy is what Orrin Hatch and John Cornyn, or whoever wrote this for the two of them, says:

"...Unbelievably, the very basic right to have a legal vote counted and ballot weighted evenly against another is under assault in Minnesota.

Norm was ahead on Election Day, he was ahead when the canvassing concluded, and then, instead of recounting votes, different standards were applied to ballots with some counting twice and non-existent ballots being added to the count.

To make matters worse, a three-judge panel issued rulings inconsistent with previous standards resulting in the disenfranchisement of more than 4,000 Minnesotans...

Just the other day, former Congressman Vin Weber wrote in the Star Tribune, "The decision by Norm Coleman to appeal the ruling by the three-judge panel in the U.S. Senate election contest ought to be viewed as a courageous step in the long-term interests of all Minnesotans.

"While political analysts, Democratic stalwarts, Al Franken and a bored popular media want to call an end to what has become the longest election contest in Minnesota history, it should be noted that Coleman's courage and conviction will serve him well whatever the final outcome.

"Let's be clear. The issues here are not about expediency. That's not how Minnesotans view civic life. On the contrary, Minnesota is the place where we value the legitimacy of our elections and the equal opportunity of all citizens to cast a legal ballot and have it counted."

I couldn't agree more. I know I speak for my colleagues when I say we remain completely and wholly committed to supporting Senator Coleman in his effort to achieve fairness in the election contest in Minnesota. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Senator Orrin Hatch
Vice Chairman
National Republican Senatorial Committee

Really? Not about expediency? Everyone should have an equal opportunity to cast a legal ballot and have it counted? Really? What about all those blacks in Florida? You remember, the hanging chads in 2000. The Supreme Court making the decision to crown G.W. Bush dictator... I mean President. Surely Orrin Hatch must have agreed in 2000 that Al Gore had the right to challenge the results in court and a fair recount. Right? That's not what you told CNN...

Wolf Blitzer asks Orrin Hatch if it's fair to move the deadline from 5pm to 9pm so they can finish counting the ballots by hand. Orrin responds, "I'm not sure that it is under the circumstances, because we're now -- remember, this was all supposed to be certified by the 14th."

What was that about expediency? Or is that only when it favors your candidate?

"I think when a court gives an order, then you abide by the order," when asked by Blitzer about extending the recount beyond what the court had approved of.

Really? But you just said now the court shouldn't decide, you're decrying the fact that three judges made a decision you didn't like. What a bloody hypocrite.

You see the thing is, and I'm not in Minnesota so I haven't been following this very closely, so correct me if I'm wrong, but they did a recount, and Al Franken came out three hundred and some odd votes ahead. The Republicans are just mad they lost and accusing the election commission and the court of fraud, doesn't make you look very good. It doesn't matter if the man was ahead on election night, he wasn't ahead by very much. It was a close race, but in the end, it looks like Al Franken has more votes. Do the honorable thing and give a concession speech.

BTW, what is it with these Al's having so many problem with elections?