Video of the day

You may have heard about the proposed NBC Universal/Comcast merger that would make them one of the largest entertainment/content/cable/internet companies in the world and further shrink the number of people in this country who control what we watch and how we access information.

Amidst the House and Senate committees tasked with judging whether or not this merger is legal and should be allowed, there were many statements from our elected betters about how media monopolies are great and boy isn't in wonderful when competition is strangled and we have fewer and fewer sources with which to get an unbiased look at things. However there was one Senator who decided that maybe it isn't such a good idea to rubber stamp this merger and that maybe large media conglomerates are a bad idea. That man? Al Franken.



I know it's confusing to see, but that's an actual sitting US Senator standing up for what he believes is the common good, questioning the intelligence of media consolidation, and not trusting what he is told by the CEO's who are pushing for the merger. Baffling.

So another in a long line of thanks to Al Franken for, yet again, being an elected official that is doing something commendable that he doesn't seem to gain any personal benefit from. He even went after the White House this week for their poor leadership on health care reform. And thank you Minnesota for electing... oh Christ, Michelle Bachmann is out talking about health care opponents being put on secret lists and denied care. You know what, Minnesota? We'll call this a wash.

Video of the day

I know you've probably seen this, but doesn't this just make the sun shine a little brighter?



Sure, Lieberman still killed two separately effective parts of he health care bill that would have lowered costs for Americans and seemed to do it purely out of spite, and all that happened here was that Al Franken politely told him to shut his fucking mouth during something that was completely unimportant, but doesn't this make it all a little better? Well, as long as you're healthy and get your health care from work it should make you feel better.

How about Al Franken though? Between this, the anti-rape bill, schooling people on medical bankruptcies, his various and sundry fights on the Senate floor over health care, his correspondence with John Ashcroft, and this Supply Side Jesus cartoon he wrote, he's quickly become one of my favorite Senators. Shame that other Senators aren't this entertaining, it would at least make all the inaction and failing more palatable.

Awwwwwwww

Citizens, several GOP Senators are steaming mad about something. No, it's not that we didn't escalate the war in Afghanistan enough or the fact that our health care system is about become socialist, far from it. It's that they're mad at Sen. Al Franken, because they voted against his little "rape is bad, people should be allowed to file charges over it" bill and some nasty people have used that to imply that they don't have sufficient consciences or functioning human souls. Also: that they love rape. So they've pushed back as best they can, crying as hard they can that mean Mr. Franken is hurting their feelings with his rape legislation.

The Republicans are steamed at Franken because partisans on the left are using a measure he sponsored to paint them as rapist sympathizers — and because Franken isn’t doing much to stop them.

“Trying to tap into the natural sympathy that we have for this victim of this rape —and use that as a justification to frankly misrepresent and embarrass his colleagues, I don’t think it’s a very constructive thing,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said in an interview.
...
In a chamber where relationship-building is seen as critical, some GOP senators question whether Franken’s handling of the amendment could damage his ability to work across the aisle.

Yeah, John, I know how it is. I feel for you. I mean I would feel pretty bent out of shape if people thought I was for rape just because I voted against a law that made it so that people who were raped while serving for a government contractor could sue to prosecute it in civil court. I mean rape is bad, but we can't go around allowing people to attempt to receive legal justice for it just because it happened. How anyone could try to turn your opposition into a view that you're somehow callous and uncaring towards rape victims is beyond me. It's like Franken took that bill and violated you with it against your will. There should be a law against something like that.

Really though, I just want to chastise all of you who think that this is just a bunch of petty, crybaby whining from the GOP. Clearly Franken is responsible for the court of public opinion deeming them scumbags just because they're trying to defend the indefensible. He should do what they want: apologize for trying to further criminalize rape and come out vigorously defending the 30 Senators who think prosecuting rape is a bridge too far. It's really the only logical solution.

Stewart's on it

Jon Stewart on that whole taxpayer-funded gang rape thing:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Rape-Nuts
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

FACE~!

Even as the health reform debate rages on ever stupidly, there are still people out there trying to make the case for why good reform is necessary. And wouldn't you know it, some of them are in the Senate. They're intelligent and informed on the subject, so you probably haven't heard them get to speak in a "debate" that only seeks to give time to the most ill informed and politically craven of our elected betters.

But even as we speak there are hearings going on in the Senate Judiciary Committee entitled Medical Debt: Can Bankruptcy Reform Facilitate a Fresh Start. In the hearing a conservative analyst, Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Diana Furchtgott-Roth, was trying to explain (read: lie) that moving towards a more European style health system that covered everyone would actually increase medical bankruptcies, currently responsible for 62% of all bankruptcies. Al Franken had a few questions regarding that assertion.

FRANKEN: I think we disagree on whether health care reform, the health care reform that we’re talking about in Congress now should pass. You said that the way we’re going will increase bankruptcies. I want to ask you, how many medical bankruptcies because of medical crises were there last year in Switzerland?

FURCHTGOTT-ROTT: I don’t have that number in front of me, but I can find out and get back to you.

FRANKEN: I can tell you how many it was. It’s zero. Do you know how many medical bankruptcies there were last year in France?

FURCHTGOTT-ROTT: I don’t have that number, but I can get back to you if I like.

FRANKEN: Yeah, the number is zero. Do you know how many were in Germany?

FURCHTGOTT-ROTT: From the trend of your questions, I’m assuming the number is zero. But I don’t know the precise number and would have to get back to you.

FRANKEN: Well, you’re very good. Very fast. The point is, I think we need to go in that direction, not the opposite direction.

It was at this point that Chairman Pat Leahy had it officially entered into the record that Furchtgott-Rott had "totally gotten her ass served." Russ Feingold was seen to put his hand over his mouth and scream out "Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn" while Herb Kohl stood up with his arms out, barking "Health care reform! What? Health care reform! What?"

One question: are there any other comedy writers out there that want to run for office? This Franken thing is certainly working out better and more substantively than just electing business leaders, career politicians, rich boys, and small state governors. Well done, Minnesota. This still doesn't forgive you for Bachmann.

Cheap Blogging Crutch 10.20

Stumping With Mayor, Giuliani Stirs Old Fears
While earlier we were marveling at Glenn Beck's ability to weave conspiracy out of nothing, sometimes you have to show a little respect for the masters of the old arts. Like engendering fear of anyone with darker skin than the Irish. So please, a little respect for Nounverb9/11 Giuliani, who hit the stage for NY Mayor Bloomberg to remind people of the fear they used to fear walking the streets at night, pausing then intoning You know exactly what I’m talking about.” He then paused again, scanned the room and said "You know....BLACKS!!!" He then left to go dig up the corpse of a 9/11 victim so he could rummage through the pockets for any loose change or paper money.

Barnes & Noble’s Kindle Killing, Dual Screen ‘Nook’ E-Reader Leaked
Hey, can you hear that sound? It's Amazon shitting its pants over a new e-reader that is not only designed well, but is going to be linked to a Barnes & Noble operation that will sell e-books cheaper, be able to use books from the Google books project, and will let you lend e-books to friends. Lend them. That's it, game over Amazon, game over. If this thing can show porn, they can lure the lucrative 18-54 high tech pervert market. Which is to say, Sean and myself. He's been hankering for a well designed way to watch hardcore porn on the subway for years. Those nuns he sits next to won't know what hit them.

Wall St. Giants Reluctant to Donate to Democrats
Awww, and after they've done so much for the Wall Street community. Actually, this states that they aren't so much as reluctant to donate to Democrats, but to donate to them in public. Which shows they've learned something. Shame they haven't learned anything about banking, financial markets, or sanity. Still only half a dozen Goldman-Sachs execs are going to be at a Democratic Party fundraiser with President Obama. That sounds low, but you have to remember that most Goldman execs already have jobs working in the administration.

Secret Service strained as leaders face more threats
I guess we expected this when we elected a black guy, but it's always nice to see your predictions that American racist extremists would show themselves in great numbers come horrifyingly true. In fact the Secret Service is so strained at investigating racists that there's talk of them abandoning their counterfeiting and financial crimes work to concentrate on the freaks. That's always good to hear that a protective agency is so overworked from an overwhelming number of crazies. America! America! God shed his grace on thee. And crown thy good with brotherhood. From sea to shining sea!

Defense Department Opposed Franken's Anti-Rape Amendment
Charming. As if it wasn't enough that 30 white conservative men thought that allowing people to prosecute rape and sexual abuse as, you know, crimes, was too onerous a burden to the field of contract law, we need the Defense Department to second that motion. Oh, they swear they're totally against rape, it's just that enforcing Franken's law would be totally hard. Well then, if that's the case let's just keep contractor rape legal. We wouldn't want to inconvenience anyone.

Adult correspondence

via Letters of Note comes a sarcastic 2003 letter from Al Franken to then Attorney General John Ashcroft asking for abstinence stories for a fake book he's writing. He wrote the letter while he was a fellow at the Kennedy School of Government. Now he's a Senator. Isn't life great? Maybe I need to reconsider my Bachmann based hatred of Minnesota and move to a Franken based like.

Cheap Blogging Crutch 10.08

Approval of U.S. Congress Falls to 21%, Driven by Democrats
Approval of Congress has fallen from 39% to 21%. I know what you're saying: "There was a point in time where 39% of the people liked Congress?" Yes, it was the mythical era known as "March." The drop in popularity is fueled by one thing: Democrats. Both the spinelessness and ineffectiveness of the elected kind and the general disgust of the voting kind who put them there. I'm sure this will all be improved by a few more months dicking around on health care before making minor incremental changes.

Franken Wins Bipartisan Support For Legislation Reining In KBR’s Treatment Of Rape
Sen. Al Franken (psst, he used to be a comedian) has a vision for America. One that states that people who get raped, sexually assaulted, abused, or discriminated against while working for a government contractor overseas should be able to, I don't know, go to court over it. And he decided to write this law just because there were a few times where that didn't happen. Seems pretty cut and dried, right? No, apparently this was too controversial for 30 Senators who voted against prosecuting rape. And people wonder why I have no hope for any issue being voted on in the Senate. They can't even come to a consensus on rape being bad.

Pakistan's Military Rejects US Aid Bill
I don't understand. Why would Pakistan, struggling from internal strife and in desperate need of some money, consider turning down billions in American aid? Oh, because it's tied to clauses stating that we actually get to monitor whether or not they're fulfilling their end of our anti-terrorism "partnership." Makes sense. It's much easier to have success when you don't actually have to prove it in any way. I'm so glad we send them billions.

Left claims 218 in sight
It's time for me to irrationally get your hopes up. The House is approaching a majority for a health care bill that is really, really leftist and includes a "robust" public option. It's even more leftist than other leftist House bills. So everyone get excited about actual progressive change of the health care system. Just don't think about the part where it has to be reconciled with a Senate version and then pass the Senate. Still, robust public option! Hey! I can still see you thinking about the Senate. Don't. Delude yourself into thinking this will be the final bill.

Chamber To Apple: You Don’t Understand Our ’21st Century Approach To Climate Change’
In an effort to explain why Nike and Apple have recently taken public stands against the Chamber of Commerce's stance on climate change and have left the organization, the CoC has instead claimed the the two companies just don't want to be involved in a 21st Century approach to climate change. Which is to say, they don't want to deny that it exists. I don't know who to trust here: one of the most progressive corporations on earth that is committed to believing science...or the group that called for a Scopes monkey trial on climate change and thinks the best way to improve the environment is to not do anything and ignore the eggheads. Choices, choices.

Pleasant surprise of the day

Not to burst anyone's bubble but there actually is measured, rational discourse taking place in the current health care debate. Thanks, Al.



[via BoingBoing]

Questions

• Does Al Franken realize that now he's a Senator in the Democratic Party using the phrase "I'm ready to get to work" constitutes the biggest joke he's told in years? Don't worry if you don't get it, Al. I'm sure either Harry Reid will explain it to you or it'll slowly dawn on you over the next few months.


• Are we almost done with articles on Al Franken using the phrase "no joke", "getting serious", some other humor pun, or otherwise making reference to the fact that he used to be a comedian? We get it: he used to be a joke writer. No need to start off every article amazed by the fact that he didn't throw a banana cream pie or pile out of a clown car.


• How long is Sarah Palin allowed to use the Twitter handle AKGovSarahPalin? Are ExAKGovSarahPalin and QuitterSarahPalin already taken? I just want to know which handle to follow so I won't be deprived of her 140 character wisdom.

I guess it's not a hoax

Well, here we are one day later and it seems that everyone is still under the impression that after a challenge phase that lasted a couple of decades, Al Franken actually gets to take the senate seat he won. Apparently Norm Coleman just gave up after the Minnesota State Supreme Court ruled against him 5-0. Did no one tell him about the US Supreme Court, the plaintive pleas to God, the sacrifices on the black altar that he could use to drag this out for another thousand years? Al Franken is a Senator and there have been no take backsies, cries of "do over", and barring a certification ceremony where the wind blows the certificate away while a weeping Governor Pawlenty cries out "It's gonna take weeks to get another one of those!" Al will actually be allowed in the US Senate without having to have paid for the tour.

"I don't know if it has really sunk in," said Franken, appearing at his home in Minneapolis shortly after receiving a congratulatory call from Coleman, a Republican. "He said it was a very hard-fought campaign. I said, 'Norm, it couldn't have been closer.'

"It was a nice way to end this."

Franken's arrival in the Senate could give Democrats a 60th vote on many issues, a filibuster-proof majority that could help advance President Obama's agenda.

Uh-oh, a filibuster proof majority. Harry Reid and Senate Democrats are going to have to work double time to fuck that up. Actually there shouldn't be that much work. They're always be a Ben Nelson or Evan Bayh out there making sure they get their names in the press for "bucking their own party" and McCain-esque Maverickitude by hamstringing some type of Democratic plan that is broadly supported by the American public. It's how they do.

Finally Minnesota gets its second senator. No longer will Amy Klobuchar be down a man for the Senate tag team wrestling and 2-on-2 b-ball tournaments. More importantly the Minnesota Congressional Delegation will finally have enough members to stage that intervention with Michelle Bachmann to get her to stop the drinking, paint huffing, gasoline drinking, or whatever it is she does that makes her act and think the way she does. Congrats Al, just remember to keep bringin' the funny.

The obvious happens again

Judges rule Franken winner; Coleman to appeal

Three judges soundly rejected Norm Coleman's attempt to reverse Al Franken's lead in the U.S. Senate election late Monday, sweeping away the Republican's claims in a blunt ruling Coleman promised to appeal.

After a trial spanning nearly three months, the judicial panel dismissed Coleman's central argument that the election and its aftermath were fraught with systemic errors that made the results invalid.

"The overwhelming weight of the evidence indicates that the Nov. 4, 2008, election was conducted fairly, impartially and accurately," the panel said in its unanimous decision.

Not only does a three judge panel recognize Franken as the winner, not only does a three judge panel declare that Franken should be certified, not only does a three judge panel openly laugh at the merits of Coleman's case, not only does the three judge panel mock the "evidence" Coleman offers up, but then this same three judge panel goes ahead and uses the decision to start knocking out pillars from any supposed appeal Coleman would make to the Minnesota and US Supreme Courts. The result? Minnesota gets it's time wasted for another month or so as Coleman valiantly charges forward in his fruitless appeals and search for justice any way to keep Democrats from getting a 59th Senator.

How bad is it for Norm? Even Joe Scarborough is trying to talk sense into him. What's that old saying? "When you've lost Joe Scarborough, you probably lost most of rational America five months ago. Now you're just starting to piss off crazies."

For Senator Franken, he just gets to live out another day in what has become his own sequel to Groundhog Day. He keeps reliving a day where august legal bodies tell him he's the senator, but he never actually gets to that day where he is a senator. It's OK Al, Norm can only appeal his loss to two more places. Surely that can't take 5+ years.

This changes nothing

You hear that sound earlier emanating from Minnesota? It was God laughing. No, not over Michelle Bachmann thinking that public service and socialist re-education camps are exactly the same thing, but over the latest development in Minnesota's endless Senate race.

Democrat Al Franken's lead in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race widened Tuesday to 312 votes after previously rejected absentee ballots were added to the counting.

Franken did better than Republican Norm Coleman by a nearly 2-to-1 margin as the ballots were opened and counted as part of a lawsuit brought by Coleman over the statewide recount. A three-judge panel ruled earlier that 351 ballots had been improperly rejected during the election and should be restored.

Franken led by 225 votes going into Tuesday's count of those ballots.

I'm sure this is all a wonderful precursor to several more lawsuits that will change nothing. That's the beauty of our judicial system: you can gum up the works with lawsuits no matter how meritless they are. Someone from the Minnesota Supreme Court want to step in? No? One Senator is all right with you? Fine.

Quote of the day

John Cornyn on why Minnesota will never have a second senator:

Texas Sen. John Cornyn is threatening “World War III” if Democrats try to seat Al Franken in the Senate before Norm Coleman can pursue his case through the federal courts.

Cornyn, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, acknowledges that a federal challenge to November’s elections could take “years” to resolve. But he’s adamant that Coleman deserves that chance — even if it means Minnesota is short a senator for the duration.

Sorry Minnesota, doesn't matter how many times Al Franken wins this thing or how many courts rule on his side, you don't get another Senator. Why? Because John Cornyn will get all pissy if Norm Coleman isn't able to file a million fruitless lawsuits. I'd say I sympathize, but you inflicted Michelle Bachmann and her tenure as America's dumbest elected representative ever, so I guess God is punishing you.

Sorry Al, looks like you'll be the only guy ever running for re-election that never got to take his seat.

DO OVER!!!!!

The recount in Minnesota goes ever on. If I recall it has lasted longer than the Civil War and the Hundred Years War put together. Guess what? It's still going to go on forever, because God has removed Minnesota from His sight. You see Norm Coleman has recognized that there is one critical flaw in this whole recount process: he lost and by any other count he will still lose. So to remedy this situation he has suggested the adult thing to do is a do-over, or he's gonna start doing some serious breath holding and foot stomping.

For more than a month, Norm Coleman stressed flaws in Minnesota's election system.

And on Monday, Coleman lawyer Jim Langdon wrote the three-judge panel to suggest the problems are so serious they may not be able to declare a winner.

"Some courts have held that when the number of illegal votes exceeds the margin between the candidates -- and it cannot be determined for which candidate those illegal votes were cast -- the most appropriate remedy is to set aside the election," Langdon wrote in a letter to the court.

His concern is touching. I even bet that if he was winning right now he'd admit the need for a do-over because he wouldn't be able to take the seat under such circumstances. He's just that honest.

However stupid old Minnesota law is standing in the way of Norm's solution. See apparently Franken was certified as the winner and there this whole burden of proof thing for Coleman to prove he got more votes. Also, Minnesota doesn't have any provision for do-over elections, even if the guy who lost really really wants one. Minnesota is still stuck on this whole 'most votes wins' malarkey. How backwards. Too bad for Norm the state founders and the lousy laws they wrote didn't realize his inalienable right to keep that seat or stall indefinitely to keep a Democrat out of it. Our loss really. And Minnesota's. Though if this works can we get it retroactively applied to the 2000 election?

Al Franken ascendant

So the Minnesota recount is finally over and done in a speed that makes Russia's withdrawal out of Georgia seem swift. Funnyman Al Franken will be certified as the winner of the election by a massive landslide of 225 votes, cuing up the imminent Scanner-style exploding of Bill O'Reilly's melon. This of course means that Franken will be able to take his place in the Senate around...oh...say never.

The state Canvassing Board was poised to certify the results of the recount in Minnesota's grueling Senate election in Al Franken's favor _ but that doesn't mean the race is definitely over.

The board was to meet Monday and was expected to declare which candidate received the most overall votes from nearly 3 million ballots cast. The latest numbers showed Franken, a Democrat, with a 225-vote lead over Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, who led Franken on election night.

But after the announcement, there will be a seven-day waiting period before an election certificate is completed. If any lawsuits are filed during that waiting period, certification is conditional until the issue is settled in court.

That's right, Coleman still has to file countless numbers of lawsuits and drag this out to the bitter end. Of course the major lawsuit he wants to file is over the matter of a number of ballots that Coleman claims were double counted but no one else seems to agree with. The number of ballots he says were counted twice? 150. Meaning that if he's right, he still loses.

In the Senate, Chuck Schumer has said that they should honor the results of Minnesota's election and seat Franken. Republican Senator John Cornyn finds that legally seating the certified winner of an election to be "troubling" and has vowed to filibuster any attempt to seat Franken until Norm Coleman is able to jack his lawyer's billable hours into the millions. Of note is the fact that Franken is Democratic Senator number 59. John Cornyn is a man of rules and laws, but also making sure he'll be able to stall shit with impunity. So as we see Minnesota will never legally have two Senators, they get one from now on.

Probably gonna be a Senator Smalley

Well it's almost over, with the counting of about 5,000 ballots left, Norm Coleman is now behind by 52 votes and the Star Tribune is predicting that Al Franken will be Minnesota's next Senator by a margin of 89 votes.(Eat it Nate Silver) So Al will be able to declare victory and start pimp strutting around St. Paul any day now, right? No, this thing will drag on into 2009, possibly 2014, while more challenges continue.

With Republican incumbent Norm Coleman's lead shrinking to just two votes, the state board examining disputed ballots in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race is close to wrapping up its decisions on challenges.

However a key court ruling has practically guaranteed that the recount will drag into the new year.
...
But the final outcome of the recount will also depend on some 5,000 withdrawn challenges that have not yet been allocated to the candidates. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said those wouldn't be allocated until next week at the earliest.

So the road goes ever on. Frankly at this point I think Norm will concede for a quick $75,000 funneled into his wife's account. The man doesn't have time to focus on a recount, he has to concentrate on a trial now.

Probable congrats to Senator Franken, Democrats now will control 59 seats.

Cheap Blogging Crutch 12.5

The recount is (almost) complete; Franken camp claims four-vote lead
As the Minnesota recount crawls mercifully to a close and primes for the circus sideshow that is the challenge process, Al Franken is claiming a 4 vote lead. No one else is though, soooo yeah. The key metric Franken is using is that he is counting all the challenged ballots by their ruling recounters made before the ballot was challenged and is assuming that those will be upheld by the canvassing board. Norm Coleman on the other hand, picked a random number out of a hat a claimed he lead by that number. Good news for Nate Silver, it doesn't look like Franken will win by 27 and I won't have to burn him as a witch. Matt Taibbi has a nice little article on the recount as well.

Analyst: Use Lasers on Pirates (and Everyone Else)
James Jay Carafano, PhD and homeland security analyst has a solution for the pirate problem: shoot the shit out of them with lasers. If shooting lasers at pirates (which was probably the childhood fantasy of 75% of boys) doesn't put the juice in your shorts he also wants to shoot lasers at Russia and Hezbollah. And sharks and bigfoots and sharkfoots. Shoot lasers at everything. Laser based defense. We need to listen to this man, we need to develop the necessary technology, and then we need to use it to shoot pirates.

Obama: "I Can't Grow Facial Hair"
Any hopes you had of P-E Obama growing some sort of Castro-esque beard, or perhaps going for a sartorial scholar look like Cornell West, or perhaps the hipster-indie follicles of Kyp Malone are going to see those hopes dashed on the rocks of despair. See, Obama says he can't grow a beard, not even a saucy mustache. Unless he changes this policy, Benjamin Harrison in 1888 will have been the last US President with a ballin' chin warmer. No bearded man has run since 1916, no mustacioed man since 1948.

Robbers in drag steal $100M in jewel heist
Four robbers, fully armed with weapons yet also disguised as women, jacked Harry Winston for €80 million (U.S. $101 million) in under 15 minutes. You had the fully automatic weapons and you still went with cross dressing for a 15 minute heist? Doesn't really sound like the cross dressing was too integral to the heist. There were no barons to be charmed, critical information need to be gleaned from a randy guard, and no sexytime shenanigans, it was a simple smash and grab. Someone just wanted to dress like a pretty lady.

Mexico Under Siege: The drug war at our doorstep.
Probably the biggest story you haven't heard about. If you want to read up on the massive Mexican drug war, the LA Times has a phenomenal series covering it. Essentially the President declared war on the cartels, the cartels declared war back, and it's like the heist scene from Heat 24/7. Bodies dumped at schools, gun battles, kidnapping, brutal killing and torture, gun fights in hospitals, pretty much open street warfare between rival gangs and battles with the cops and Feds. Nearly 7,000 drug-war related deaths since last year, and it's all taking place in Baja California and Chihuahua, sometimes spilling over the border. Both completely horrifying and worth your time.

Nate Silver brings the math

With Coleman's margin cut to 180 votes and most, if not all, of the Franken heavy areas of the state to come in, some would say that Al has a pretty good chance of locking this big damn race up. Those people are amateur guesswankers, flogging their limp notions in shame. Nate Silver, he of 538.com and a man who personally has more book deals than you've had hot meals, has decided to end all debate with math. Maths + English. Nate ran the numbers, created some math algorithms, and punched those numbers, plus/minus signs, fractions, an cosines into his computron and popped out a number: 27 votes.

franken_net = t * 8.922 - 3.622

Now, we can attempt to solve this equation at the statewide level. When we plug in a t of .499956 -- Franken was picked on just slightly very less than half of the ballots during the initial count -- we get a value for franken_net of .837. That is, Franken will gain a net of .837 votes for every 10,000 cast. With a total of 2,885,555 ballots having been recorded in the initial count, this works out to a projected gain of 242 votes for Franken statewide. Since Norm Coleman led by 215 votes in the initial count, this suggests that Franken will win by 27 votes once the recount process is complete (including specifically the adjudication of all challenged ballots).

Of course he says, it's all subject to blah blah blah and might not be accurate blah blah, but the man has charts and equations. It's over. Franken wins by 27. Nate Silver is the math Gandalf.

And if Franken does win by 27, I'm burning Nate Silver as a witch. Fair warning.

Your Minnestoa electorate

The recount continues. As of now Coleman's lead has been cut to 136 and Franken is jazzed because the votes came from big Coleman areas and sees a Senate seat in his future when the Frankenophile areas come in. Minnesota Public Radio has an interesting feature on the ballots that are being challenged and the challenge process, like the Lizard People vote above. Apparently the vote was deemed an overvote for both Franken and Lizard People and thusly thrown out. Franken has challenged it.

Lizard People.