Welcome to Washington, Senator Franken
So, MN Governor Pawlenty finally signed off on the 2008 election result and Al Franken will be seated in the US Senate. It’s about time! Not only was this the longest Senate battle in our history but the most annoying. The late Paul Wellstone was a hero to most of my family and it was a supreme insult to him to have his seat filled by Norm Coleman. But Coleman was more than a conservative, he was really annoying. First he said if he trailed he would drop out but he fought on. In April he said that ‘whoever wins will have a cloud over them.’ Yeah, then why did you keep fighting? Why did it take until almost July to concede? I guess he thinks that the people in Minnesota will have forgotten this just in time for you to run for governor in 2010. Good luck with that.
It is worth noting that now that Democrats have 60 votes in their caucus that puts more pressure on them to get something done. This 60 is both theoretical and soft – there are at least a few Dems from traditionally red states who are going to feel a lot of pressure to vote against their party. Byron Dorgan I am looking at you. Then again, there are some moderate Republicans who may vote with the Democrats on some key issues.
Only time will tell how this affects the Senate and what it does but having 100 senators is a good thing. Having 60 caucus with the Democrats is even better.
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