With what logic …

"Minnesotans will not stand for this obvious effort to win through a legal system what the Franken campaign could not win through the ballot box.”"

if they are excluding valid votes … how is that not winning through the ballot box … ?

if every legal vote is not counted, who would stand by and idly allow someone to procure an election, that is supposedly by the people and for our own representative governance.

… oh right … they would be called right wind conservatives

it would be so nice to be unencumbered by the facts …

Wow, straight out of the GOP playbook. Accuse your opponent of attempting to win the election using the very strong arming, litigation tactics that you're at the very moment attempting to use to excess. Does Coleman have no shame to drip with such hypocrisy after attempting to make a court stop the recount through litigation? At least this way, Coleman has now committed himself to the recount process so that he will have no avenue but the 'bitter sore loser' route should he lose in the recount.

Coleman needs to go back east where he came from. He's one of those career politicians that needs to go. He's been around too long. He is the one who would like to stop the recount. I wonder if he's worried about someone finding out more behind the bushes dealings of his. He is a flip-flopper anyway. MN

> "Elias gave the example of an elderly woman who's absentee ballot was rejected because, "

Wow, CNN should learn the difference between "whose" and "who's."

Chris Welsh must be a Republican. Why else would he editorialize on one of the challenged ballots in this manner.

"That story turned out to be inaccurate, and its taken the campaign four days to offer any other reasons as to why, in their minds, a rejected ballot should ever be counted."

What part is inaccurate. I presume it wasn't the part about the voter being elderly. Was the affliction arthritus or the shakes rather than a stroke and why would it matter. There are a lot of reasons a signature changes over a period of years. Also, Franken is not claiming that a rejected ballot should ever be counted. He is claiming that this rejection is invalid and that the ballot should be declared valid and counted.

Franken is a crazed freak, i am sorry to say.
A guy like that in Congress?
Thats almost as bad as Limbaugh.

Is that so the democrats can find more votes left in cars, closets, or empty voting boxes? We already have enough left wing zealots in the Senate.

A.F. BETTER PRAY THAT JESSIE V. DO NOT HAVE TO MUCH INPUT ON THE RECOUNT. WE WILL NEVER FORGET SOME OF HIS COMMENTS ABOUT OBAMA'S RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT A PRO WRESTLER WITH A STEROID BRAIN COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON A SHIFT IN POWER IN THE US SENATE. ONLY IN THE U. S. OF A.. "GOD HELP US"!!!!!!!!!. HIS CHANGE IS SOLELY BASED ON THE "DANABALL GENERATION" MENTALITY.

Franken is right. It's absurb how local county government determine absentee ballot eligibility.

Signature, permanent address vs mailing address and all the details obscure voter rights.

An open and transparent voting process is the very basis of defending the freedoms with which this country has been endowed. I am aware that vote suppression has long been an honored dodge offered up by candidates who fear that a free and open vote counting process will somehow reduce their chances of winning. Sadly this has been the GOP mantra for decades. Each of those rejected ballots should be enumerated on a list with the reason for rejection appended for each name, and the list published in the major newspapers of the state. The panel established to monitor the recount should rule on each rejection. Then, and only then, will this recount have any validity. I wish that we would follow the example of the rest of the world and mandate a run-off election decided by less than .5% of the votes cast. That would probably solve the problem.

Al Franken is a joker and a thief. No need to report anything about him. Democrats shelter such people

The story turned out to be inaccurate? I think this is what CNN meant to write:

"Franken's Campaign lied and fabricated the story to get commonly rejected absentee votes counted."

I voted for Obama, and I have no problem saying that if this was a Republican, the word "inaccurate" would have been replaced with "lies and fabricated" instantaniously.

Seriously, Franken owes taxes in 17 states. I would be in jail.

Why do Coleman's responses always sound SO much more desperate if they're sure they've won?

This a joke, Franken — right? Better yet, Franken is a joke, right?

"When first laid out last Thursday, Elias gave the example of an elderly woman who's absentee ballot was rejected because, according to the Franken campaign, her signature did not match the one on file merely because she had had a stroke. It was the only example given to reporters after numerous prodding."

This is not an EXAMPLE, it is a HYPOTHETICAL.

That is, unless the Franken campaign somehow has access to abesentee ballots, right?

Franken is too Karl Rove for me. Send him back to SNL.

No wait, SNL has been funnier since he left.

Search "Franken" and "homphobia" on google. This guy has "issues" as we say….

Dunno, but this whole idea of "rejecting ballots" is really screwy to me. We need a common system throughout the country that ensures that every vote that is cast, after verifying ID, is counted…..period.

I know that goes counter to some folks' ideas, but I think it's pretty important for a democracy, huh?

GO FRANKEN!!

Because I'm good enough…I'm smart enough…and doggone it, people like me.

Give it up Franken…..

It's still strange – and sad – to me that Al Franken is a couple hundred votes away from being a Senator. Is this the best the dems can do? I know things are bad right now, but that does not justify the knee-jerk near election of an unreasonable former celebrity. Put a viable candidate on the ballot next time…someone with a shred of decency and objectivity!

Coleman needs to appear holding up the Citizen Kane newspaper headline, "Fraud at the Polls". Coleman was a Democrat in 2000, you'd think he'd show a bit more sensitivity but such events always reveal the character of the man. Gore cared enough for the country to finally concede; the fact that Bush (or his handlers) were completely ruthless laid out how they would govern – had Gore won (officially) Bush would have torn the country apart to cripple him, just as he did as president. Coleman setting up the predicate of 'fraud' in case he loses shows how little he cares what will happen if he does.

More typical CNN corporate media bias. Al Franken, United States Senator. Sounds fantastic.

You've got to admire his tenacity.

CNN! Lap-top per Child… You had better not, Try to Spy; on Toto's of the World…

Al Franken even if he manages to steal this election will be the biggest loser that he is in D.C. You in the land of 10K lakes must be so pround of the moron.

Here we go…The Dems will now try to "steal" this election just like Bush supposedly did in 2000. They want it both ways. Franken is a joke and a troll. I can't believe anyone took him seriously. I hope he loses.

Funny, usually instructions on a ballot are pretty clear. Also very clear on an absentee ballot as to warning not to follow will result in not counting the ballot.

But I am surprised a candidate would demand to count all rejected ballots as well!

Whatever happened to "Rules are Rules" Obama fans?

Al Franken- Always the comedian.

name a winner already

Franken needs to give it up and accept he lost. He is lucky he ever made it as far as he did.

Oh Brother,

Al's turning out to be quite a whinner, I think this is really funny Al, what a comedian .The whole thing is a joke,and you're a funny guy.

Minnesotans will not stand for this obvious effort to win through a legal system what the Franken campaign could not win through the ballot box.

Oh, the irony!

Franken…………..thought you deserved to win because the other lefties did?? Think again. The electorate is ignorant, but stupidity would have crowned the "win" if you had won. Go back to wrestling. That's what you're good for. Sure isn't comedy. You're to vulgar. James

All votes should be counted.

As much as would like Franken to win, I don't think he will. He should be gracious when he has to concede.

Whatcha lookin' for Al? Hanging chads?

"Minnesotans will not stand for this obvious effort to win through a legal system what the Franken campaign could not win through the ballot box.”

Yeah, because the United States is known for it's fair and honest elections.

I've given up watching Desperate Housewives–this is a much better drama: "Desperate Candidates." What will happen in the next "episode"? Will Al be successful in getting to see the doomed ballots? Will Norm get another check from his friend? Will Al write more episodes for SNL? Will the winner invite the loser to a meeting in Chicago? Tune in tomorrow for the next excciting episode of "Desperate Candidates."

Ballots were rejected because the didn't follow the rules. Wasn't that the same argument made by Obama for not counting MI and FL primary votes? I guess the rules are only the rules when they benefit the right people.

I wondered if this election would ever be over. I guess not. Senators get convicted of felonies and still run. A presidential candidate gets accused of being a terrorist. A VP candidate has a ceremony performed to protect her from witches. A House candidate wants to start McCarthy style hearings on "un-american candidates and sitting representatives. Stories float that a candidate isn't even an American. We get subjected to a "story" of who is or isn't wearing a flag pin. Bless our dysfunctional electorate and their prescription meds.

Give it up Franken. You did not win the election and you are not qualified to be a U.S. Senator. You will not be able to steal the election with all your fradualent vote counts….
Go back to telling bad jokes.

This is seriously becoming a joke. Yesterday I heard something on TV that makes more sense than this entire Minnesota vote counting fiasco. Why is it that American Idol manages to tally millions of votes in an hour.. but our election system takes a weeks to count votes?

This is just becoming pathetic. If I was running.. I'd already be resigning.. stating the reason as not wanting to represent a state of morons who don't seem to know how to count.

Yeah, postpone it for six years…

let the chips fall where they may Al Franken. I like your politics, but if the recount has Coleman winning again then we must hold to that final result. this is not a best-of-five, -seven, or nineteen.

I TRULY support and appreciate Al Franken's attempts in this recount….but this needs to get done soon…..otherwise whatever prize is at stake here will have a permanent scar on it and a taint to it, no matter WHO becomes the 'Honorable' Senator from MN!

Who is Knaak? A Coleman spokesperson? Whoever the writer of this CNN.com piece should maybe give a first name and a title for Knaak.

I am soooo tired of these Republican tactics. Everyone should want EVERY valid vote counted.

Every vote MUST be counted…No matter what. There must be no rejected ballots for any reason. No excuses….Remember Florida???

Ok, I'm pretty prominently in favor of democrats this election. But I'm worried about this comedian and his antics. If this is how he takes care of business…by post poning everything, I hope to god he doesn't win.

We can't afford to have senators in office that fight tooth and nail to ensure no progress is made. He's getting a recount…he needs to shut up and let it happen and quit his crying! It's not funny!

Why would anyone have vote for this fruit loop frankenstien?

"The Coleman campaign fired back with a press release saying the Franken campaign "intends to stop recount vote.""

'Stop' and 'postpone' are 2 different things. Not saying I agree with Franken's campaign attempts – just saying perhaps the Coleman campaign needs to get out a dictionary or thesaurus. Incendiary comments like that don't do anyone any good. Don't believe that? Just ask Jon Porter or Elizabeth Dole how well incendiary remarks work. They both lost thier bids for reelection.

Typos abound.

Al Frankin should have stuck with comedy years ago. As it is now he's just one of the pervayors of hate that exist on both sides of the aisle. Spewing their garbage on the radio waves.

Al Franken becoming a US senator is about as ridiculous as Rush Limbaugh becoming a US senator. Both of them are hateful partisans on their respective lunatic fringes. One HATES liberals and the other HATES conservatives. They both deserve each other.

Frankly, Franken is comic at best.

Has Minnesota gone whacko or what? The Coleman-Franken saga continues. Pawlenty's "strutting" tike a Presidential candidate — Heaven forbid! And, just for the record, can anyone please explain to me how in the world Michelle Bachmann was re-elected to serve in the US House of Representatives from Minnesota?

If what he's asking for is legal, no problem.

The repubs are afraid other people try to steal elections because the repubs have been SOOOOOOOOOO guilty of stealing elections for decades. It's time to stopdisenfranchising voters for ANY reason.