The Minnesota Senate race between Republican senator Norm Coleman and challenger Al Franken has reached the point of exasperation, but now the Minnesota courts have determined that many of the Coleman challenges have no basis and the likelihood of a Coleman overturn of Franken’s tiny lead is miniscule.
It is time for Senator Coleman to show some grace and dignity and statesmanship and concede the race, since his challenge has denied his state the services of one of its senators for six weeks at a time of crucial issues, including the Economic Stimulus plan just passed by Congress yesterday. As important as it is that Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Senator Ted Kennedy participate in the vote, had Al Franken been able to participate in the final and original Senate vote on the legislation, Senator Brown would not have been required to use a government plane at taxpayers’ expense to return to vote after a wake for his mother in Ohio, and Senator Kennedy, recuperating from a brain tumor in Florida, would not have been required to return to DC in order to guarantee the avoidance of a Republican filibuster.
This situation has gotten out of hand and it is time for Al Franken to be declared the victor and for Senator Coleman to accept reality!