'Sore Loser' Norm Coleman's getting a pass from the media. Why is that? UPDATED
Norm Coleman is doing everything he can to screw the Minnesota population by not throwing in the towel and giving the good voters of Minnesota a representative in the Senate and that man is Al Franken. But in all this legal rigamarole and hocus pocus they are using, why are the media ignoring this story? It's unfathomable. It's as if there was no election and one is not needed. The only conclusion I can draw from this is that they uninterested because it's a Republican obstructing the issue.
Traditionally, candidates who lost and cried foul had a rather short window to prove their case before the media lost patience and started calling the candidate out as petulant and self-involved. Just ask Al Gore, who was hounded in the press by the specter of the "sore loser" label practically from the moment he withdrew his concession in the early morning hours following Election Day. I doubt a day went by during the Florida recount when there wasn't a "sore loser" reference to Gore in the press. (In Nexis, I found nearly 900 "sore loser" press mentions in Gore articles between November and December 2000.)
For some reason, Coleman has been able to mostly avoid the dreaded "sore loser" label, one that can be a career-killer for any politician. Instead, the press has largely given Coleman and his Republican supporters an open canvas on which to operate. (A Nexis search finds just a handful of "sore loser" media mentions regarding Coleman since November.) As Coleman and his attorneys look over their recount legal options, they in no way have to be concerned about or factor into play the potential "sore loser" meme that could do real damage to his effort. They can play hardball with impunity because they're getting a free pass from the press.
The strange part is that Coleman's getting that press pass even though some members of the Republican Party have been brazenly open in discussing the Minnesota case in terms of a blatant stall campaign specifically designed to thwart Democrats from securing the critical 59th seat in the U.S. Senate. (A quirk in Minnesota election law means Franken, the state's winner to date, cannot be seated in the Senate while Coleman's appeals process plays out in Minnesota courts.)
"The battle in Washington is real. Every day in the Senate without Al Franken is a great day," Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) recently told a Tulsa audience. Politico reported that Republicans back the idea of Coleman appealing his case indefinitely because "a long fight is worth it if it keeps Franken from becoming the 59th Senate Democrat, which would give President Barack Obama a huge advantage over the next two years." Even when Republicans cast the litigation marathon as a way to simply freeze out Franken, the press and its army of commentators remain distant, reluctant to cast aspersions on Coleman's rope-a-dope campaign
Even ABC's Jake Tapper is shocked by Coleman's tactics. Memo to the media: Please wake up and start reporting on this story. Why is it acceptable for Republicans to block this election to the media when the people of Minnesota have spoken? I'm working on an action alert to take effect after the court rules this week in Franken's favor.
UPDATE 1: Norm Coleman was dealt another blow when the court ruled against him today.
Norm Coleman appears to have lost his initial court challenge to Al Franken’s victory in the Minnesota Senate race, after a three-judge panel ruled Tuesday that just 400 absentee ballots would be considered for adding to the current count.
“We are very pleased with the court’s order,” said Franken lawyer Marc Elias, emphasizing that many of the 400 ballots could still be excluded.
Coleman trails the Democrat by 225 votes, which means it is nearly impossible for 400 ballots to swing the race in his favor. Many of the ballots come from Democratic-leaning counties, as well...read on.
That's still going on??????????? WTF?
"If the US government enforced its banking laws like it did its park regulations, we wouldn't be
in this damn park in the first place." OCCUPY.!!
Everytime they're on Hardball, or Meet the Press, etc. they need to reference this issue. You don't have to be heavy-handed; all you need to do is say, "We're trying to get on with the business of turning the economy around, and we want to make sure that we include the citizens of Minnesota in this process, and we can start by seating the full complement of representatives, including newly-elected Senator Al Franken. Unfortunately, former Senator Coleman has chosen to put his interests and his party's political interests ahead of the problems facing Main Street, and he appears insistent on dragging this matter out for months. Minnesota citizens deserve better."
That's it -- say that, or some variation thereof, over and over again until the media is shamed into calling for him to let it go.
Al won. Why don't they just swear him in and let him take his seat? What's Norm going to do? Stage a sit-in? Let him Let's turn tis into a real circus. The GOP can provide the clowns.
By now, everyone ought to know that they do NOT care about the country, they care only about the KIND of country THEY want. And that is, everything for the wealthy, (so they can create self-perpetuating dynasties) a working class in a constant state of abject submission and quasi-poverty, military expenses as far as the eye can see, and above all, abolish every social safety net in the US.
This is not about being a loyal opposition, but a culture war where those who are not them are the enemy. The enemy must be conquered, and put under the boot of the victorious. There can be no qualms, no hesitation, truth and justice to damned. Hence, every legal and not so legal tactic available shall be used, since this is a war.
It is so simple; Democrats must show no mercy, no compromise and use every trick they can to crush the Republiscums, AS LONG AS they listen and do the bidding of The People. Yes, I'll admit that the last part is the tricky one.
And the media in all that? They are so in the tank for the republican'ts it is not even funny. BTW, who control the media? That's right! Conglomerates and ultra wealthy who have the agenda described above. Thank God, we have the Internet as a counter punch.
All i can say as someone who lives in Mn.is that our Worthless Newspapers are out to make this into a so-called fair Fight.
In Reality there is nothing fair about it and most People here in
the State would Rank it up there with the Gore VS.Bush scandal.
Coleman is only Qualified for one thing and that is PRISON.
It's time to seat Senator Franken... NOW
Who is responsible for the delay?? We know Harry Reid would promptly seat him if it were his call (I wish) BLUE DOGS!!!AAHHHHHHRRHAHHH Reid and kneepads Nancy should shuffle off to the Hague with the other FASCISTS running the US behind the scenes.
If Norm Coleman were up to 225, Harry Reid would have him promptly seated. Being that it's Senator Franken, Reid's hands are tied. Can someone loan him a spine?
Sorry the answer is no, the sad fact is that currage and integrity cannot be transfered. The only way to get currage and integrity back into the House and Senate is to remove both Pelosi and Reid and start over...however we have a lot more then just those two fools to remove. - The ony way we can truely make our country better is to have 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc, etc parties! And both the Dems and the Repugs don't want that!
Coleman needs a diaper change.
Time for him to call Vitter's hooker.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
Hee Coleman, you lost! STFU you sorry arsed a-hole! Pathetic piece of human trash!
Whiny bitch!
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
I don't give a toss.
This has gone from Coleman trying to win, to seeing how long they can keep Senator Franken from taking his seat.
One thing for sure is that Reslugs are huge crybabies, whiners, bedwetters and horrible sore losers.
Senator Cornyn of TX has stated that if Senate Leader Reid tries to seat Franken that it will instigate "World War III".
I say BRING IT ON! What better way to show how the Repugs are limited to being the party of "NO"?
Bring it it one Cornyn, you puss-filled dinosaur. Maybe we NEED that so the idiots controlling the mothers milk of the masses will stand up and notice something IMPORTANT for once. WHile we're at it, push the nuclear option.
WE NEED OUR COUNTRY BACK DAMMIT.
WW III? damn, those fuckers sure know how to dramatize things! I always thought that WW III would be a nuclear war between America and the USSR. Silly me!
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
I don't give a toss.
They're still reporting on Preznit Bush?
They're threatening the nuclear option in the Senate.
Bring the shit...bring it!!
I'll enjoy every minute of watching the GOP blown up and irradiated for decades!!
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
Mmmph!
LOL!
Mmmmppffffff!
M'bwahahahahahahahaha!
Man! I'm oh! so scared!
My GOD people, has no one read ANY of the posts here over the last decade? Has anyone SEEN the nightly drone of crap from the glass teat owned by people so unlike you and I that they Can be considered aliens? Hint: Channel 5 in Chicago LEAD THE LAST TWO NIGHTS on a DEAD CHIMP, for Lord's sake.
the shit out of me too.
There is zero doubt that if the tables were turned and a Dem was indulging himself in this behavior the Republicans would be howling like a monkey in a coconut tree and the media would be a buzz with righteous indignation and disbelief.How dare he! they would all wonder.
So what in the name of Christ is going on here?
"To me, truth is not some vague, foggy notion. Truth is real. And,
at the same time, unreal. Fiction and fact and everything in between,
plus some things I can't remember, all rolled into one big "thing."
This is truth, to me. "
-Jack Handy
IOKIYAR
...end this thing already. If Coleman's recent bid for adding ballots got mostly shot down, there's nothing much else for him to do except whine and keep appealing, holding up Franken's win so he can't actually serve the people of Minnesota. Shouldn't Coleman's popularity at this point be at like zero? This is a truly ludicrous situation.
"Shouldn't Coleman's popularity at this point be at like zero?"
I wish! The Republicans and their supporters have this delusion that they're on the side of the angels, so anything goes in the name of the cause.
I know a jackass rightwinger in Georgia that keeps contributing to Coleman's "campaign." They're getting help from nutbags all over the country.
Let's see how far to the right they go before they fall off of the edge of this flat world.
I just wrote Cronyn and told him to stop the non-sense. These troglodytes do not realize that they are working against an administration that was elected by the people and they are doing what we want him to do. The wingnuts are obstructing the legislation by not allowing Franken to be seated.
If Coleman takes this to the federal courts it could go on for a couple years giving Franken basically a half a term. Cornyn has threatened the nuclear option if Franken is seated. This is what the GOP wants. They'd rather have no one seated than have a Senator ride out his term. It would give Obama 59 seats in the senate. It's easier to convince one moderate Republican than two. Once again party above people when it comes to Republicans.
Even though Gore won in 2000 he had the class and understood the importance to have a a working government. This really says all you need to know about the Republican party. The party of no. They'd rather watch 98% of the people suffer and the country die than lose power. NEWSFLASH!!! You have already lost your power, your poll numbers are going down with everything you do, not up. Now move aside and let the adults clean up your mess.
is intended to be a factual statement
Why would any Federal Court accept a case like that?
On what basis?
Concerning only the media's take on the events, particularly how Coleman has escaped the 'sore loser' media meme, I will point out that there is one difference I think that makes the issue different than other similar events and that may be what is keeping the media fairly cowed (in addition to it being a republican) and that is the fact that when the election ended, initially, Coleman had the lead.
First, when the State of Minnesota (including its supreme court if necessary) has Franken winning, Reid should go ahead and seat him. And let the Republicans bluster all they want. Second, given the obstructionism of Cornyn and pals, Reid should use it as leverage for using the Reconciliation strategy as often as possible. The Minnesota GOP is going to suffer for years from this, and if there is a confrontation in the US Senate over seating Franken, there's no way the GOP will come out looking good. Which is why I think they're just bluffing.
They went through the process and Coleman lost. After all their whining over Gore in 2000 they have have nothing. I've said it before, take notes (video) Democrats. Use everything they're doing against them in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016. They don't stand a chance with the moderates anymore. They still think they're base is enough. It's not. We vote for our guy they vote for theirs and one group makes a difference. Moderates. Moderates win elections most of them are smart enough to see what conservatives are doing.
I say keep doing what they're doing if it doesn't kill the country. The earliest Republicans will regain power is in 2018 when we are all prospering and some Democrat messes up.
is intended to be a factual statement
With McCain's campaign manager as Governor, and quite the little Governor Timmy is too, do you really think he will issue that certificate if Coleman makes a federal case of it? Or will he wait "out of fairness for the process"?
They're tied at the hip. Timmy originally wanted to run for Senator but Minnesotans are led to believe that Cheney personally intervened for Coleman and told Timmy to run for Governor. See the sort of future prognostication selling your soul to the devil can get you? Aside from screwing up the state, Timmy _does_ have a destiny.
and there were these pop-up ads, including a Tylenol ad with the headline "Soreness Relief". Kind of funny to have that with post about Coleman being a sore loser. Looks like the Minnesota voters need some "soreness relief", eh?
It's also pretty funny to see Republican Coleman talking so eloquently about application of the law and people's right to have their votes counted, given what the Republicans pulled in Florida with that Presidential vote. Didn't some goon threaten to put people in jail if they tried to recount votes? Anyone out there who remembers this stuff please join in!
as astute as observing that bears poop in the woods. Ever since the teflon presidency of Ronald Reagan, the media has been all over a democrat and giving passes to republicans.
There is no comparison between the media coverage of Clinton and the Whitewater or Monica issues and the serious ignoring of the Reagan Iran hostage release, Iran/Contra issues. These were not ignorable as politics as usual and every body does it.
There is a pattern here. If democrats, Pelosi or Reed were as obstructionist as the republicans, the media would be all over them. The bias is both direct and subtle. The subtle slat is shown when unflattering photos are run of Hilary with her mouth open or when what the newsmaker is saying isn't actually broadcast, just them talking while a reporting speaks over them.
It is alarmingly common that republicans have 100% voting unity, what threat or coercion stifles any independence? It seems likely that any republican or democrat who gets out of line would be shredded by the media. That may explain why wily politicians like Pelosi and Reed keep their spine hidden.
things are being run by the RNC and Coleman is merely a pawn in the game of obstruction the GOP is playing. the have the cover of 'law' in minnesota, never mind its vague, and they are getting a pass from the big press. 'librul media' couldnt be farther from the truth. sheesh. there is no doubt whatsoever, if this were Franken who was drawing this out, the Press from day one wouldve been on him like jam on toast. Dems are boring to the press, except to bash and expect everything from, but if its the GOP in such positions, they suddenly lose any journalistic interest or integrity. good grief.
More "free elections" and "pro-democracy" from the Rushthugliklan Party.
"The only conclusion I can draw from this is that they uninterested because it's a Republican obstructing the issue."
----------------
I disagree. I think that the media ignores the issue because so many of them really can't fathom that a comedian, with high name recognition, can actually become a US Senator. They don't respect Franken's intelligence; the simply think of him as "Stuart Smalley".
Sad, pathetic MSM.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
"court-certified loser Norm Coleman"
"Trust no one, Mr. Mulder." - Well-Manicured Man
Coleman doesn't act like a sore loser. He's smiling and cajoling the media with his never ending "progress" report.
It's a subtle difference but Franken may, in the eyes of the media appear to be a freshman politician who has been a sore winner. And this is the kind of mistake that both parties eventually make by believing that winning alone trumps issues so that issues eventually trump the winner.
Here's an example:
What About Bob 1991 - YouTube 0:59
is like taxation without representation for Minnesota residents.
Now if I remember correctly, Republicant's were big on states rights, which means, according to their own principles, that they cannot go to federal court to sue because that would be usurping the states right to seat. Same goes for Conryn. A$$hats.
This isnt about winning or losing...because Coleman already knows he's lost and Franken's won.
This is about keeping him out of the senate for as long as humanly possible.
Thing is...this has to continue for 6 years...
It's a brilliant GOP political strategy. Deny the Democrats a crucial vote during Obama's first months (maybe longer), when such voted is needed for bruising legislative battles over Obama's agenda, including the economy/stimulus, health care, education, and energy. It's all about the magic number 60.
And, as rivetheretic mentions, Coleman could fight this all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, taking more time and even getting a win from the Court that is MORE Republican-leaning than the one that annointed George W. Bush as President. It's a no-lose strategy for the Republicans.
Fair-minded people will need to fight this GOP strategy by urging the media to cover the story of this travesty of justice for Minnesotans (which has received very little coverage over the past few months), and urging the seating of Al Franken in the U.S. Senate while Coleman drags out the appeals process.
If it takes them five months, then they need to have another election.
The reporting isn't there because Ben Ginsberg is. The law firm of Red Skull and Cokie's Brother is on scene to assure that Republican interests are well served. And when Republican interests are well served, The Village is happy.
The Village knows they are all sore losers and the only way they can block the Change We Can Believe In is with quadrilles such as the Coleman Stall in Minnesota.
First off, these guys think in terms of winning. They don't think in terms of a fair process or doing the peoples will. It's like a street fight. Anything to win. Think Slytherin in a Quidditch match. That's the paradigm. Now go back and read the comments about what they would do if it were the other way around. Make sense now? And they think of us as losers for seeing it any other way.
Next, what if the strategy is to get the Democrats to waste cash fighting this case? What if the US Supreme Court plans to put Coleman into office and say that the case shouldn't be used for setting a precedence just like they did in Bush v. Gore?
Some supreme court ruling?
That says we should stop counting the votes and get on with the nations business?
I'm trying to remember when?
Seems like I've heard something like this before...anybody? Beuller?
Daschle's "What we need now is acceptance" from Bush 2000 Supreme Court ruling?
Too bad that asshole Al Gore didn't
do this during the presidential 2000
election. He would have spare us the
last 8 years of Bushit. Gore had the
votes and did lift a finger to mount
any challenges in State, Federal or
Supreme courts.
Anyway, Clinton and Gore wanted to
"reinvent" and "outsource" Federal
functions, jobs and employees.
Stinking Democrats are just Republican
Lites or Republican Lite-Weights.
been to crazy about Denny Hastert as commander-in-chief during that long drawn-out legal process, either.
LimpBalls
It is cute how Coleman speaks of franchising voters and how important it is for votes cast by voters to count and should not be discarded because of a technicality of signature or any of those obscure markings.
"As long as that vote is counted for him"
Would someone ask coleman if he and his legal team argued against counting technicality casted votes for Franken?
It seems to me that the most important legal issue that should be addressed is not a determination of the number of previously rejected ballots that should be recounted and under what circumstances, but the fact that the citizens of Minnesota are being denied their right to full representation in Congress. I would think that given the degree of scrutiny and consideration these ballots have already received, further attempts by the GOP to drag this legal battle out ad infinitum should be construed as obstructionism by the Court and subject to a legal deadline as a matter in the public interest.
The Supremes the only ones who's votes count in the US after 2000. Coleman will appeal to SCOTUS and the Scalia Court will disenfranchise MN voters in order to seat Coleman.
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