"a major setback for the GOP incumbent" - Coleman is no longer the incumbent, his term expired on Saturday.

"Chief Justice Alan Page ( a member of the Purple People Eaters)"

That might cause some confusion to readers unfamiliar with certain Minnesota traditions....

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said this morning that winning more votes and being declared the winner does not give Franken "a legal right" to claim victory.

It's time for pounding on the table.

That might cause some confusion

What? Doesn't everyone know about the cannibals who hate people who don't vote straight party lines?

Does anyone remember the day or so after the election when Coleman told Franken he should drop out? Wonder if he didn't have an inkling that further counting wouldn't go his way.

Many Sunday afternoons spent watching those four chew up the opposition. Of course, that was when before I put away childish things!

I remember when Page went on the court and how it helped changed my thinking about "dumb" jocks.

And I lived in Arkansas!

The GOP obviously can't stand the notion of a Senator Franken--and they are justifiably concerned. Franken is everything that Harry Reid isn't. And to Republicans, Franken is the liberal Limbaugh, but smarter and funnier. And more honest. A real nightmare for Repubs.

Franken is the liberal Limbaugh,

Rush Limbaugh is a big fat idiot. I read that somewhere. :)

Oh, man. This isn't as big as the Supreme Court handing the presidency to George W. Bush, but it is sure sweet to see all the wingnut pundits who cheered Bush's appointment in 2000 get their panties in a bunch over Franken's victory. Awesome.

The republican sewer is backing up. Hopefully Reid and the plumbers can clear the blockage before it reaches the Senate chamber.

Franken is the liberal Limbaugh, but smarter and funnier. -Allan Snyder

One of them is a cum laude Harvard grad, the other a Southeast Missouri State dropout. Can you figure out which is which?

Cokie was on my radio this morning lamenting that this situation is just so sadly complicated, that it could become a very big problem. She had talked to Mitch McConnell, and he really really wants to be bipartisan, but he just can't allow Norm Coleman's senate seat to be stolen in such an outrageous manner. If the democrats were smart, they'd file a lawsuit in Kentucky contesting McConnell's election results and refusing to seat him tomorrow. Of course, they're thick and dull and will manage to get rolled on this once again.

The gist of the MN supreme court decision is that there's nothing wrong with the law and there's nothing wrong with the process--so let it play out.

Coleman probably does have sufficient grounds to argue for counting more rejected ballots in any contest proceedings. However, to make up the difference, he's going to have to get some of Franken's votes tossed out and that will be very hard to accomplish.

Damn activist judges! Why don't they do what the people clearly intended, which is to have activist judges select Republicans.

Unanimous opinion from the Minnesota Supreme Court? Hummmm, I wonder if they are sending a message? I have a hunch they will dispose of anything Coleman throws at them in record time.

As to the Senate Republicans this is the time to use the nuclear option, or at least take the Senate to the matresses. Harry, if you won't stand up for an elected Democratic Senator, what will you stand for?

Coleman knows he's toast, so he's working on his lasting legacy. Given the corruption charges looming against him, sore loser has a nicer ring than than convicted felon.

"a wildly misleading editorial in today's Wall Street Journal"--you are being redundant. All you need say is "an editorial in the WSJ." Any person of intelligence and discernment will supply the "wildly misleading" on her or his own.

I was hoping "Purple People Eaters" was a reference to a political movement devoted to empurpling previously Red states. But maybe it is after all.

I was hoping "Purple People Eaters" was a reference to a political movement devoted to empurpling previously Red states.

Not exactly . . .

http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=171

Coleman will be indicted soon on corruption charges so this outcome is simply best for the fine people of Minnesota.

I like the idea of putting some sort of legal action contesting McConnell's reelection and then making him sweat to keep his seat. And who knows? Maybe something will turn up showing that he in fact lost.

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the Minnesota legal precedents at this point favor Franken. However I think that if Coleman does contest then it goes into a factual court process... as oppposed to a procedural one up till now. I think the MN Supreme Court will eventually rule in Frankens favor, and since a Senate seat is a state electoral matter the SCOTUS should also keep out of it... but then...

Nate Silver rightfully disemboweled the WSJ editorial on his blog ...

Finally as Minnesotan... this is Paul Wellstone's seat and it is justice that it now will be held by another fighting Democrat.

Nate Silver also gave a great summary of Coleman's political career.
"in his career running for statewide office, Coleman has lost to a professional wrestler, beaten a dead guy, and then tied a comedian."

Those old enough to remember the PPE, might wish to note that Robert R. Thomas --- yeah,that Bob Thomas, is a member of the Illinois Supreme Court, and a former Chief Justice.

Of course, he didn't do a lot of tackling in his day, but still . . .