Gore –Bush Saga, Now Franken- Coleman: Will Minnesota Increase Power for Dems?

It’s even possible that the Minnesota Supreme Court will get involved in the fray. The outcome of the race could strengthen the Democratic lead in Congress. But how will it ever end?

As Minnesota clenches its teeth in cold that has reached below zero in recent days, the public there has high drama in its politics. There must be something in that Minnesota culture that keeps people country fixated on its politics. It was, after all, Jesse Ventura, a former wrestler, who took the nation by surprise by being elected Governor of Minnesota over Norm Coleman and a popular opponent, Hubert Humphrey, Jr., whose father was a great Senator and Vice President of the United States in Minnesota.

Now it’s a comedian, Al Franken, challenging the incumbent, Norm Coleman for the Senate seat Coleman has had held since 2003.

Coleman has an impressive political record, having served as Solicitor General of Minnesota, for 17 years, then Mayor of St. Paul, and now Senator. He’s also a smart guy, having graduated with highest honors from Hofstra University. This is, however, the year of Obama and change; and it looks like another change might take place in Minnesota with a potential Coleman loss. Right now, however, it appears a toss-up between Coleman and Franken.

Al_Franken,a 57-year-old comedian-turned politician, has been entertaining folks for years, beginning with the Saturday Night Show on television where he began as a writer in 1975. He continued on to become one of the entertainers on the show. Franken established a controversial reputation when he made remarks about Fred Silverman in his"A Limo for the Lame-O", a commentary delivered by Franken four years after he started with Saturday Night Live. He took on Silverman in a comedic diatribe that got him near the end of the 1979–80 season. Franken mocked controversial NBC president Fred Silverman, maintaining that Silverman didn’t deserve the popular Saturday Night Show. Franken was left the show soon afterwards to return in 1985 where he remained until 1995.

Wikipedia Franken has been declared winner of the contest for Senator for the State of Minnesota, a win by 225 votes now challenged by Norm Coleman whose term expired two days before the official announcement by Minnesota's Canvassing Board. image:45558:4::0

That Franken fellow has been controversial in politics as well as entertainment, taking on radio commentator, Rush Limbaugh, admitting to having used cocaine, and making high profile protests against conservative politics. Still Franken is a radical leftie, according to those who don’t like him who don’t like Al Franken’s philosophies and style. Like Coleman, Franken is a smart guy, a graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a writer with remarkable credits that include co-writing When a Man Loves a Woman.

Coleman led, not by much, in the November election. Franken challenged the vote count and demanded its review. Now Coleman’s lead has dwindled to the point where some say Franken might win. In fact, Franken’s attorney, who has advocated for Franken in the recount, said that Franken’s challenges are being upheld more than Coleman. The attorney was quoted by the Minnesota Tribune as saying: "When the recount is over and all the votes that were legally cast are counted, Al Franken will have won this election and will be declared the winner."

Although this won’t take away the Republican’s ability to filibuster over bills they don’t like, a Franken win will strengthen the Democratic Party lead at a time when Barack Obama can use that extra power to get his policies adopted after he takes office in January. But the Weekly Standard maintains that it’s too early to tell and that there are thousands of votes left to be counted. Until then the Dems are hoping that Franken won’t be just funny and entertaining, but ready and able to take over as Senator from Minnesota and help in the fight for the change Obama has promised.