Franken Makes Gains, Palin Makes a Gaffe, Dingell Makes an Exit

Posted By: Stonecipher

Nov. 21, 2008

Some quick notes from around the nation this Friday afternoon:

The Minnesota Recount

So far, the recount in Minnesota has been good to Al Franken.  With 46% of the vote now recounted, Norm Coleman's razor-thin lead has shrunk from 215 votes to 136 votes.

Minnesota Public Radio has posted pictures of many of the contested ballots along with explanations for why they were contested and with polls allowing you to decide who the ballot should count for. 

It is amazing, funny and terrifying to see just how difficult it was for some voters to simply fill in a bubble...yet another case to eliminate low-information voters from the equation.  What may be even more frightening however, are the some of the arguments that both campaigns made in their contesting of the ballots. 

For the record The Stonecipher Prediction is that when all the recounting is finally done, all the legal challenges are over and we finally have a winner, it will be Al Franken.

Palin Being Palin

Honestly, this woman can't do anything right.  To her credit, Sarah Palin actually gets through this brief interview without saying anything extraordinarily stupid - which is quite an accomplishment for the Governor of Alaska, but, well...just watch the video:

Yikes. 

Is there ever a moment when this woman is aware of her surroundings?  It's a good thing there aren't too many traffic signals up there in Wasilla.

Dingell Loses His Chairmanship

The Detroit Free Press has said "By any conservative estimate, Dingell's power has likely been worth billions of dollars in projects, programs and aid to the state."

Rep. John Dingell, the Democrat from Ford, GM and Chrysler...I mean from Michigan, has been a key ally to the Big Three Automakers in Detroit and his position as chairman of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee has helped enable the Big Three to continue their disastrous, greedy and short-sighted policies.

In a somewhat surprising move, however, Democrats voted 137 - 122 to strip John Dingell of his chairmanship and replace him with California Congressman and key Nancy Pelosi ally, Henry Waxman.

The loss of Dingell is yet another blow to the Big Three, but it's a win for people who enjoy breathing.

Comments

[ger979]

That guy is laughing in the background! Another prank on Palin?

[ger979]

Oh, and the MN ballot mess? I can't really come up with a valid explanation but I suppose if I were forced to reside in Minnesota, I'd write in the "Lizard People" too.