Originally Posted By ecdc <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/30/franken.ruling/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITI...dex.html</a> Tim Pawlenty has said he'll sign Franken off as the state's senator. In theory, it gives the Democrats a filibuster proof majority. But they've been a divided bunch lately. Does anyone know what happens if Pawlenty signs the certificate making Franken a senator but Coleman appeals to SCOTUS? Would Franken still be a senator during the appeal or would it be delayed once again?
Originally Posted By alexbook >>Does anyone know what happens if Pawlenty signs the certificate making Franken a senator but Coleman appeals to SCOTUS? Would Franken still be a senator during the appeal or would it be delayed once again?<< I'm pretty sure that'd be up to the Senate. I think they've gone either way on that sort of thing in the past. It seems like that'd mean that Franken would get to serve, pending the outcome of the case, but that assumes the Democrats have a collective spine.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan LOL, by the time this thing is settled once and for all, it'll be time to start their re-election campaigns.
Originally Posted By Ursula I wasn't even aware this was still going on! You poor people! (Who is senator now, anyway?)
Originally Posted By Dabob2 If Coleman wants any sort of political future at all, he needs to give up the ghost at long last. Besides, Franken's good enough, he's smart enough...
Originally Posted By alexbook >>(Who is senator now, anyway?)<< Nobody. The office under dispute has been vacant since January. MN's only got one Senator (Amy Klobuchar). Pointless trivia: Right now, Klobuchar is the "senior senator" from Minnesota. If Coleman had won the court case, he'd have become the senior senator and Klobuchar would have gone back to being the junior senator.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Coleman conceded. 'Bout time. <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31667236/ns/politics-capitol_hill" target="_blank">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31...tol_hill</a>
Originally Posted By alexbook ...and Coleman's conceded: >>"I join all Minnesotans in congratulating our newest United States senator, Al Franken," Coleman said. "I have never believed that my service is irreplaceable. We have reached the point where further litigation damages the unity of our state, which is also fundamental. In these tough times, we all need to focus on the future. And the future today is we have a new United States senator."<< <a href="http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2009/06/coleman-conceedes.html" target="_blank">http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpo...des.html</a>
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Coleman didn't concede because he is a decent guy or anything. He conceded because he knew he HAD TO if he were going to have any kind of a political future in Minnesota. Look for him to run for Minnesota Governor in 2010. Pray that he loses.
Originally Posted By SuperDry So, when you you suppose that Bill O'Reilly will start packing for his promised move to Ireland should Franken win the election?
Originally Posted By planodisney Political parties aside, I can't believe a guy with the type of attitude and disposition of franken prior to his run for the senate could be elected to a national office. Does CLASS not have ANY importance in this country anymore?
Originally Posted By SuperDry ^^^ It's especially interesting that Franken won running against an incumbent. People must have really been disgusted with Coleman and/or the Republicans in general in order to elect a sometimes-crass comedian running against a sitting US Senator.
Originally Posted By rhodri <<<<<does class not have any importance in this country anymore?>>>>> after 8 years of "Bush" and the current GOP shenanigans you can still ask that????
Originally Posted By BlueDevilSF >>Does CLASS not have ANY importance in this country anymore?<< Ask Sarah Palin.
Originally Posted By alexbook >>>>Does CLASS not have ANY importance in this country anymore?<< Ask Sarah Palin.<< Or Jesse Ventura.
Originally Posted By EdisYoda Just what we need, another joker in Congress. Thank you... I'll be here all week and don't forget to tip your waitress.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I'm not a huge Franken fan, but I think holding his career as a comedian against him is a cheap shot. The man graduated from The Blake School, which is a highly respected private school in the Twin Cities. He attended Harvard and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He has served as a Fellow with Harvard's Kennedy School of Government at the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy. Franken has served as a volunteer with the USO for ten years, recently receiving the USO Merit Award. I think he is well qualified to be a Senator and to mention him in the same sentence as Winky is an unwarranted insult. Information from wikipedia.com: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Franken" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Franken</a>
