OK, perhaps just one. It seems that, after all was said and done, Minnesotans did not find Al Franken good enough or smart enough. Doggone it, they just didn't like him! Good to have gotten that of my system.
Enough with the joking. This is serous business. So serious, in fact, that it looks like Franken is going to appeal his (seemingly inevitable) defeat to the powers that be: the Senate itself. And Harry Reid seems in an accommodating mood:
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called the Board of Canvassers' decision to not count the absentee ballots "a cause for great concern," fueling speculation that the Senate would explore the legality of the Minnesota recount's results.
This could be a big opportunity for the GOP. Way back in 1980s, Indiana was home to a particularly volatile congressional district nicknamed the "Bloody Eighth," for reasons which will become apparent.
The Eights was particularly bloody in 1984. After a long, long, long, grueling, and long recount, it appeared the Republican had eked out a close victory. But then the House intervened. They put together an "election review" board consisting of two Dems and one Republican. Lo and behold: the two Democrats thought the Democratic incumbent had one. The Republican not-so-politely disagreed. In the end, the Democrat was judged the winner by the landslide margin of...4 votes.
The GOP lost that battle. But the setback in the Bloody Eighth helped them win, if not the war, then the bigger battle down the road. This case of petty larceny stiffened Republicans' spine and invigorated rebellious conservatives led by Newt Gingrich. It became a cause celebre for the right and helped to fire up the conservative movement.
Could we see something like that happen again? If the Senate steps in and crowns Franken the winner, the GOP would be smart to make it a BIG THING. They could rightfully point to it as an example of the potential abuses of united government.
Of course, the GOP didn't get to where it is today by being smart. So stay tuned.
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