The Moderate Voice - Latest Comments in Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

ChrisWWW — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:27:48 -0000

However what I find most interesting is the voter reaction I’ve been able to glean from the media. Most voters do not seem particularly thrilled with the outcome

I guess "most voters" shouldn&#39t have voted for Franken then.

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

surakmn — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:12:58 -0000

The swing was closer to 400 votes, and out of nearly 3 million cast it&#39s a trivial number. Simply demographics - machines aren&#39t allowed to make judgment calls and there are cases where voter intent is clear but the ballot isn&#39t machine readable. The recount sorts those out. The only controversy here stems from Coleman&#39s failed attempts to change the rules midstream - attempts which were slapped down by a conservative leaning canvassing board, and a conservative leaning supreme court.

Yes, Franken isn&#39t exactly a prize, neither was Wellstone. But this is a state that has a history of electing colorful figures, after all. Given the strong third party presence in Minnesota it&#39s impossible to know who is really the stronger candidate in a head to head match.

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

roro80 — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:09:25 -0000

That site where you can look at all the contested ballots was a great time-suck, totally fascinating. It did seem very much to favor Franken after going through quite a few of them, likely for the same reasons you suggested, Jcavhs. From an outsider point-of-view, not knowing how the ballots came to be on the "contested" list, it just looked like Coleman&#39s side had contested many more ballots where the voter intent was obviously toward Franken, whereas Franken&#39s camp only contested those ballots where there was serious doubt. Your explanations seem just as plausable, and perhaps I was just being cynical.

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

GeorgeSorwell — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:47:48 -0000

From what I have read of past recounts in states with machines like Minnesota, the swing is usually 100 or so, at the most.

I have never heard of this. What&#39s your source?

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

kritt11 — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:45:54 -0000

Jcavhs-

I have heard that Minnesota is a model of fairness and bipartisanship-- and believe there was no misconduct. Just wish a different Democrat had won.

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

ChrisWWW — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:27:48 -0000

However what I find most interesting is the voter reaction I’ve been able to glean from the media. Most voters do not seem particularly thrilled with the outcome

I guess "most voters" shouldn't have voted for Franken then.

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

Jcavhs — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:15:43 -0000

I take it you haven&#39t been following the recount at all closely. I live in MN so it&#39s been something I&#39ve followed. And I ended up very impressed at it. The Canvanssing Board was very bi-partisan and most decisions were unanimous. The whole process was very transparent, up to the point where you could look at contested ballots.

Yes, the swing in votes was a lot but most of that came from wrongfully rejected absentee ballots. Those ballots were identified by the counties and agreed to by both campaigns. Nor is it a mistake that most favored Franken. The Obama campaign pushed early and absentee voting which would favor any Democratic candidate. Democratic candidates this year were also more likely to be new or lapsed voters who are more likely to make a mistake on a ballot which a recount would catch but not a machine.

There is really no evidence of misconduct or that this result isn&#39t accurate. And most people I&#39ve talked to are fairly happy with the result. Coleman was never overly popular and I think a lot of people are happy to see him go.

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

kritt11 — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:10:33 -0000

Al Franken could never fill Paul Wellstone&#39s shoes. NEITHER the loudmouth Franken or the corrupt and nasty Coleman deserve Wellstone&#39s seat.

Isn&#39t there a better candidate in Minnesota than either of these boobs???

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

elrod — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:30:11 -0000

Actually, the core of Franken&#39s argument was that he was the successor to Wellstone. Franken argued forcefully that Coleman and the national GOP unfairly mocked Wellstone&#39s funeral and turned it into something it wasn&#39t. That event convinced Franken to run as the real successor to Wellstone (not Mondale, who stood in and got beaten by Coleman).

Also, the movement of recount ballots was so one-sided because whole sets of absentee ballots from Democratic strongholds were improperly rejected. It wasn&#39t just scattered ballots around the state that just so happened to end up in Franken&#39s favor.

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

surakmn — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:12:58 -0000

The swing was closer to 400 votes, and out of nearly 3 million cast it's a trivial number. Simply demographics - machines aren't allowed to make judgment calls and there are cases where voter intent is clear but the ballot isn't machine readable. The recount sorts those out. The only controversy here stems from Coleman's failed attempts to change the rules midstream - attempts which were slapped down by a conservative leaning canvassing board, and a conservative leaning supreme court.

Yes, Franken isn't exactly a prize, neither was Wellstone. But this is a state that has a history of electing colorful figures, after all. Given the strong third party presence in Minnesota it's impossible to know who is really the stronger candidate in a head to head match.

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

roro80 — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:09:25 -0000

That site where you can look at all the contested ballots was a great time-suck, totally fascinating. It did seem very much to favor Franken after going through quite a few of them, likely for the same reasons you suggested, Jcavhs. From an outsider point-of-view, not knowing how the ballots came to be on the "contested" list, it just looked like Coleman's side had contested many more ballots where the voter intent was obviously toward Franken, whereas Franken's camp only contested those ballots where there was serious doubt. Your explanations seem just as plausable, and perhaps I was just being cynical.

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

GeorgeSorwell — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:47:48 -0000

From what I have read of past recounts in states with machines like Minnesota, the swing is usually 100 or so, at the most.

I have never heard of this. What's your source?

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

kritt11 — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:45:54 -0000

Jcavhs-

I have heard that Minnesota is a model of fairness and bipartisanship-- and believe there was no misconduct. Just wish a different Democrat had won.

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

Jcavhs — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:15:43 -0000

I take it you haven't been following the recount at all closely. I live in MN so it's been something I've followed. And I ended up very impressed at it. The Canvanssing Board was very bi-partisan and most decisions were unanimous. The whole process was very transparent, up to the point where you could look at contested ballots.

Yes, the swing in votes was a lot but most of that came from wrongfully rejected absentee ballots. Those ballots were identified by the counties and agreed to by both campaigns. Nor is it a mistake that most favored Franken. The Obama campaign pushed early and absentee voting which would favor any Democratic candidate. Democratic candidates this year were also more likely to be new or lapsed voters who are more likely to make a mistake on a ballot which a recount would catch but not a machine.

There is really no evidence of misconduct or that this result isn't accurate. And most people I've talked to are fairly happy with the result. Coleman was never overly popular and I think a lot of people are happy to see him go.

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

kritt11 — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:10:33 -0000

Al Franken could never fill Paul Wellstone's shoes. NEITHER the loudmouth Franken or the corrupt and nasty Coleman deserve Wellstone's seat.

Isn't there a better candidate in Minnesota than either of these boobs???

Re: Franken Wins, Maybe... Most Voters Less Than Thrilled

elrod — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:30:11 -0000

Actually, the core of Franken's argument was that he was the successor to Wellstone. Franken argued forcefully that Coleman and the national GOP unfairly mocked Wellstone's funeral and turned it into something it wasn't. That event convinced Franken to run as the real successor to Wellstone (not Mondale, who stood in and got beaten by Coleman).

Also, the movement of recount ballots was so one-sided because whole sets of absentee ballots from Democratic strongholds were improperly rejected. It wasn't just scattered ballots around the state that just so happened to end up in Franken's favor.