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POLITICAL AGENDA

Coleman-Franken recount: While we wait, some folks vent

By Jay Weiner | Published Mon, Mar 23 2009 10:08 am

It seems to be trendy to complain about how long the Al Franken-Norm Coleman recount/election contest process has dragged on.

But WCCO-TV's Esme Murphy really struck a nerve with a question she asked on her blog Sunday. She reacted to Coleman lawyer Joe Friedberg's comments on KFAN last week that Coleman was positioning himself for an appeal because it looked as if Coleman was headed for defeat before the three-judge panel.

"If Friedberg is correct and Coleman loses, should he appeal or should he concede?" Murphy asked on her blog.

It’s triggered, so far, a whopping 109 comments, most calling for Coleman to concede.

It's not scientific, and web comments aren't always articulate, but it's got to reflect a certain mass of public sentiment, no?

Election '08 | Mon, Mar 23 2009 10:08 am | 6 Comments

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6 Comments: Hide/Show Comments

(#1) On March 23, 2009, Greg Kapphahn says:

Like our WONDERFUL governor, Mr. Pawlenty, Mr. Coleman is clearly someone else's "yes man." He will continue to appeal and delay this process, and Gov. Pawlenty will likely delay issuing an election certificate as long as it suits the people calling the shots (not themselves). Now, if we could only discover to whom these "gentleman" are saying "yes."

(#2) On March 23, 2009, Robb Mitchell says:

Concede already.

Clearly, Esme Murphy is not the first person to strike this nerve. There is even a Facebook group asking Coleman to act with dignity and concede he lost.

(#3) On March 23, 2009, Thomas Swift says:

http://looktruenorth.com

"There is even a Facebook group.."

Oh, well, that's it then.

(#4) On March 23, 2009, Brian Simon says:

Sen Coleman is likely to do what the party bosses want. They want to postpone Franken being added to the Senate, so they will fund his ongoing court challenges - to the MN Supremes & SCOTUS. I seriously doubt Coleman has any interest in running for Governor again, he already lost once, to Ventura, and will now have lost another statewide election. He is far more likely to pursue the rumored RNC job (replacing Steele) or performing some other duty at the nat'l party level, or slipping into a comfortable job as a lobbyist somewhere.

(#5) On March 23, 2009, Robb Mitchell says:

As reported here, there are 109 comments on Esme's blog but well over 2,000 members of the FB group and the comments dwarf her little cache. Clearly, Coleman is an egotistical island of one without concern for Minnesota or any election results. I'm sure Coleman and his lawyers know he has lost and is only looking for a way to weasel out of the ethical charges against him of using his office improperly.

(#6) On March 26, 2009, Don Medal says:

to hold out til the bitter end in a court case you know you are losing may be understandable when the two parties involved are the only persons affected. But in a case where the right of the people of our good state to be represented in the Senate it strikes me as petty and as others have stated, more in line with the needs of the RNC and less in line with the needs of Coleman (who has been damaged by this process) and the people.

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