That’s right, according to AP tonight, following the just released final ruling [PDF] from the 3-judge election contest court in Minnesota, Senator-elect Al Franken (D-MN) is not the “winner” of the election. Rather, he’s merely the “leading vote-getter.”
Are they kidding?! “Leading vote-getter”?! Apparently not.
Will that be how AP reports the results of elections on Election Nights from now on? The one with the most votes counted in the unofficial results will be the “leading vote-getter”? Somehow, we’ve got the feeling that AP’s headline refers only to this race, and only since it’s Franken, not Coleman, who actually won.
As The BRAD BLOG pointed out late last week, Franken isn’t “leading” as the New York Times, MSNBC and others reported it last week after the court’s final tally of all lawfully cast ballots concluded. And he certainly isn’t the “leading vote-getter.” Franken won. After one of the most painstaking and transparent hand counts, and then one of the longest election contests in U.S. history, it has been determined that Franken received more lawfully cast votes than anybody else in the race. Period. Furthermore, he has no legal leg to stand on in his likely appeal(s), as we detailed last week. All of that makes Franken the winner of the election, and former Sen. Norm Coleman the loser.
If Coleman wishes to try to overturn Franken’s win — and he’s promised an appeal to the MN Supreme Court at the very least — that’s up to him. But Franken won the election. Got that AP? New York Times, et al?! Is that so difficult to report accurately?!
UPDATE 5:41pm PT: The rest of the media, other than AP, appear to be doing better in reporting on Franken’s win tonight…
UPDATE 7:13pm PT: NY Times’ headline: “In Minnesota, Another Blow to Coleman”. Apparently “the paper of record” continues it’s allergy to the word “win,” along with AP. Downplaying the facts of the matter, Adam Nagourney writes tonight:
“Further diminishes his hopes of holding onto his seat“?! That, despite the rather clear pronouncement in the MN court’s ruling today [PDF]:
Is that unclear?! In most worlds, other than the Times’ and AP’s in 2009, that would mean Franken has won. But the Times, like AP, just can’t seem to say it. Now why would that be?
UPDATE 7:53pm PT: A commenter at DU notes wryly:
Pittsburgh Steelers Leading Touchdown-Scorer
UNC Tarheels Leading Basket-Maker
Get over it repugnuts, let it go….coleman, YOUR man, LOST!!!
It’s the “liberal media”!
Riddle me this: If Coleman was ahead, would the headline in the “liberal media” be: “Coleman Winner!”? I say YES!
Recap: All votes counted, everything’s over…but Franken’s “leading”…do I have it?
THEN…this just in: Obama’s “leading” McCain…
George Washington is leading the first election ever, technically they’re right!
This just in from AP: George Washington is “leading”…
Harry? Harry? Harry Reid are you ready for WWWIII?
The ball is in your court and you have the country behind you. Seat Al Franken before the end of the week!
You think that’s bad? Check out what Minnesota “Public” Radio has done:
Note that no quotation marks appear in the above paragraph, and that while the second sentence clearly describes Ginsberg’s statement, the first sentence is stated directly as a “fact” by the journalist. Compare that with the following news report from The Hill (among many others I could cite, such as CNN):
In other words, MPR (the Minnesota wing of NPR) took Ginsberg’s talking point and used it, VERBATIM, as what amounts to an editorial statement in the middle of a news story.
It’s conceivable this happened by accident–that it was supposed to be a quotation and the quotation marks somehow got deleted–but it certainly looks very fishy. The whole paragraph would have been written differently if it were a quotation. At the very least, it calls for explanation.
…and I suppose that if/when SCOTUS rules in favor of Franken, that ass-Cole-man will seek to have Franken recalled.
Can’t happen! Scalia already said an election can’t ever be decided in that court again. It’s over now.
Gotta hand it to Franken: We’ve been critical of his inability to realize the danger of the voting machines, but we’ve also been waiting for any Democrat to hang in there to the end, and he delivered! Finally!
Will give ’em heck Harry give ’em HELL?
Probably not.
Sigh.
Vote-Getter. Priceless!
Yep, after the SCOTUS enabled the theft the 2000 election the ‘cons don’t want an electoral equal rights case anywhere near the SCOTUS. It would be denied cert and DOA.
But… Teddy Partridge over at FDL did speculate that since Alito is assigned as the 8th Circuit, which includes Minnesota, that he might issue a stay on Pawlenty signing Franken’s certificate of election until the after SCOTUS cert is officially denied.
That would be so mind-bogglingly stupid of Alito that it’s tempting to think it might be possible 🙂
… skeptic94514 said…
Don’t get your hopes up. So far Reid hasn’t even proved ready for the Battle of Agincourt.
Nope. The final state process needs to play itself out. That’s the inevitable MN Supreme Court denial of Coleman’s appeal. And Coleman will stretch that out as long as possible on behalf of the RNC.
Afterwards, if Coleman goes federal and appeals to the SCOTUS, then it would be right and proper for Reid to seat Franken come hell or high water… and since would be the right and proper thing to do what do you think the chances of Reid doing it are?
I personally love Al Franken. He got me interested in politics, when I read the book: “Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them”. That got me interested in politics.
Coleman is making a FOOL of himself! But the media isn’t pointing out that he’s making a fool of himself. They’re saying, “Franken has more votes”. The story should be: “The biggest embarrassment of all time: Coleman won’t concede”.
Now, if he somehow (and there’s a 1% chance) SOMEHOW gets this overturned, this will never end! He must concede. It went far enough! If he stretches it out anymore, he’ll be ruining what little we have left of our democracy.
Yes, “Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them”, was pivotal for me too in lunging into the political knowledge arena. He really laid it out as it should be, the despicable dishonesty used by the GOP. I just hope he keeps exposing the corruption, especially since he’s got the attention of the US now, and watching him on C-SPAN will be amazing. Hope he unscrupulously riddles them, showing their slimy M.O.’s. Boy, the Reptiles should be, shivering in their shorts now.
Hell!
Coleman is tar and feathering HIMSELF for the good of absolutely nobody, including himself! Why would anybody do that!
My opinion of Brian Bakst.
Currently a young adult, well groomed, political reporter who doesn’t take things too serious. Doubtful he’d ever take on a serious important topic like the War, US Constitution, Electronic Vote Tabulation, Civil Rights, or Banking Fraud. (I didn’t find anything at least, and I sure the fuck ain’t paying money to read his work) His politics appear focused on local St. Paul and greater Minnesota area. While he likely has a basic understanding of how to dig for answers, I wouldn’t consider him a Shining American Star of the Fourth Estate. I mean after all in 2007 the guy was talking about Bass Fishing. Can any of you think of something more important in 2007 than fishing? I was unable to find ANY un copyrighted or free work by him. I do not consider tpt stuff PUBLIC ACCESS, it’s CORPORATE for profit PBS and copyrighted. (pisses me off more people don’t understand this–yeah I lump PBS in with ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX–all corporate) I doubt he worries about the future much beyond getting paid for his work. From videos I was able to find, he appears uneasy in a stage presence atmosphere, or large media operations, I doubt he’s a “just do it” leadership oozing man. I couldn’t find a personal website, therefore I doubt he has any tcpip/code/database/IT skills, I doubt he served the military, he doesn’t seem the rough type at all. — Then again, I could be wrong..it’s just a wild guess.
He probably just slipped up with that horrid “vote-getter” description. -IMO
I ain’t saying I am any better! (remember this is an opinion, I am just passing time now while the country I know in my heart is dieing from about 65-70 trillion cuts.)
Or…
Maybe an AP (webmaster)/ editor / (person with access) PUBLISHED AND CHANGED the title for him?
Who knows. Who cares anymore, I only hope Minnesota get’s some representation for the people. The whole thing “feels” like a DoS (Denial of Service) attack on our (broken)Constitutional Republic as opposed to the California / San Diego hop on the jet fly and fast track the swearing in of the representative before all votes were counted.)
UPDATE: While I was editing the typo’s in this opinion post, I found a “NEW POST” from Brian…
Latest round in Minn. Senate race goes to Franken
http://ap-1445.newsvine.com/
… Larry Bergan inquired…
Because the ‘cons are paying.
Why?
To keep Franken out of the Senate for as long as frickin’ possible.
In return Norm gets political and some financial debts repaid and winds up a ‘con icon, maybe promised the RNC chair if Steele is ousted, and Coleman will be duly rewarded way down the road should the ‘cons again ascend to power.
The good news is that this time around Democracy Now got it right.
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/4/14/headlines#14
How many Soldiers have died in Iraq since Obama was sworn in? You used to keep the running total here, but havent mentioned it since his election. Can we expect that tally back on the front page?
i went back to dbl check i was remembering how this all started
Republican Sen. Norm Coleman finished ahead of Democrat Al Franken early Wednesday in the final vote count, but his 571-vote margin falls within the state’s mandatory recount law. That law requires a recount any time the margin between the top two candidates is less than one-half of one percent.
The AP called the race prematurely.
Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said the recount won’t begin until mid-November at the earliest and will probably stretch into December.
Franken has, wisely, not conceded. More from Brad on all of this, no doubt, when he’s able to get caught back up from out of the prevailing whirlwinds…
diebolds gave the victory to coleman and a hand count has overturned that result,so the next time some election peop tries to tell u,”there may be a few anomolies but they dont change the result”,remind them,they did in minnosota!!
franken should be seated,the people of mn have been denied their constitutional right of representation long enough
Lay it on us: How many major newspapers had “Franken” and “WIN/WINNER” in their headline?
ZERO???
Coleman lost, but plans to appeal ad-infunitum until all his legal resources are exhausted, which should be some time in late 2012.
Even ‘Morning Joe’ says norm should throw in the towel.
Scarborough To Coleman: “You Lost… It Is Over” (VIDEO)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/14/scarborough-to-coleman-yo_n_186568.html
“COMMENT #12 [Permalink]
… the zapkitty said
Nope. The final state process needs to play itself out. That’s the inevitable MN Supreme Court denial of Coleman’s appeal. And Coleman will stretch that out as long as possible on behalf of the RNC.
Afterwards, if Coleman goes federal and appeals to the SCOTUS, then it would be right and proper for Reid to seat Franken come hell or high water… and since would be the right and proper thing to do what do you think the chances of Reid doing it are?”
Right, It looks like he is the top vote-getter until this step is cleared. After that, he’s the winner and he better be certified and Harry Ried better seat him. Thank’s for the help in clarifying the timeline.
Franken’s lead atty. is on Olberman tonight, in a couple of minutes- finally someone in the MSM has noticed.
Poll says Minnesotans want Franken seated
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/04/15/Poll-says-Minnesotans-want-Franken-seated/UPI-54731239839630
“Norm, you lost. It’s over. Quit.”
Watch the video here
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/4/16/720732/-MN-Sen:-Coleman-Has-No-Friends-Any-More
Do you think Norm is getting ‘the message’?
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/senate/43113612.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUnciaec8O7EyUsl
here are 80 more comments
http://ww2.startribune.com/user_comments/comments.php?d=asset_comments&asset_id=43113612§ion=/politics/national/senate