I was there. I stood in line for about two hours in the cold and mist, not real rain, just cold-wet. The event was “old home week” for those of us who had worked on Paul’s first Campaign — when he started out after State Convention endorsement at less than 30% name recognition, and at least 30 points down in a head to head with Boschwitz. (and working on Paul’s first campaign for me meant being called “crazy” by all the legislative folk for whom I had managed campaigns over the years, and recruiting and training kids for Celinda Lake who had volunteered her help us do a true baseline poll for the campaign. Like Hell the Campaign could pay for something that professional.)

But we patched it together with lots and lots of people with various skills, and with very very little money, and we actually won in 1990. After that campaign we all went various ways — but standing in line at the memorial was very much old home week — hugs, kisses, and rivers of tears.

While standing there, I noticed some college students tearing Wellstone bumper stickers off of cars in a nearby parking lot, and replacing them with Coleman ones. I pointed it out to people, and some went over to deal with them, but I went the opposite direction and got a cop who was dealing with traffic half a block down, and he called help, and the cops then addressed the “bumper sticker replacers for Coleman.” Eventually the first cop I asked to help asked me if I wanted to sign a complaint — and I was just glad they had responded as they did, thanked him, and let it go. Kick myself every day for not officially signing a complaint, and forcing investigation of who sent those “Frat-boys” to ratfuck. My anger goes back at least that far.

Al Franken was one of the few who understood the DFL and had an insider’s view of what really happened at the Memorial Service to really call out on the winger’s propaganda. But he was also an old Wellstoneian — back in 1990 when we could not see ourselves forward to pay the phone bills and the rent and lights for our HQ, Franken just showed up, did a show, and raised the money. Old time depression style rent party. He may well have spent 20 million on this campaign and the recount, but he also knows the other end of the business too.

But I had long known the recount would probably come out this way — we have recounted enough elections under current rules to know just about how many DFL’ers fail the test on properly marking ballots for a machine read — but do quite well on the hand court criteria, Intent of the Voter, to know when a recount is worth it. It just takes time to do it absolutely according to the statutes, and slowly so that every matter is addressed.

There are so many juicy stories from this recount. I like the one where they caught one of the county level Republican ballot counters putting 26 ballots in each pile that were supposed to be just 25 ballots, but only for the Franken Pile. It reminds me of the Frat Boys tearing off Wellstone Bumper Stickers. Republican corruption so deeply buried in every little piece of the process.

For what it is worth — Paul’s Memorial Service should have been nothing less than a huge loud political rally. That is what he was about, and that is what cemented his people together. Paul was the focus of a powerful progressive politics — that is how he got elected, and there should have been no shame in a straight out alter call for those who made his campaigns, and wanted his politics. Sadly, the campaign managers in the wake of the plane crash were too disoriented to comprehend how it should have been planned and framed. And yes, without question, the recount is the last song in that memorial event, done Minnesota style.

It was sung at Hubert’s funeral, and while some wanted to do it at the Wellstone memorial, it was sidelined, but when they had a memorial on the Iron Range, they really did it up right. They sang the Ballad of Joe Hill. (we also sang it the night Paul died over at the Capitol). Last Verses go…

And Standin there as big as life
And smilin with his eyes
Joe says what they could never kill
Went on to Organize.

From San Diego up to Maine
In Every Mine and Mill
Where Workers stand up for their Rights
Tis there you’ll find Joe Hill.

So in my mind, we have now pushed Franken forward so he might merit having this sung at his Memorial Service. It is up to him to seize opportunity. It is up to us to make him the Senator he can be.

Here’s how to solve the Corn-dog problem.

First Reid calls for a vote that all seated new members will take the oath in the morning after they are accepted and have full voting status immediately.

Then Reid places all the Democratic Senators that need to be accepted first up on the list with all Republicans, both re-elected and new, to follow. He puts two names at the end of the Democratic list…Franken and Burris.

Now technically Cornyn, who is not member of the Senate YET is sitting out there without the right to call for a filibuster or any other activity. He hasn’t been re-accepted. So if the Republicans block Franken he can call a recess for the next day. The new Democratic Senators are sworn in during the morning and the process continues. Now there are a whole slew of new Democrats, enough to break any sort of a filibuster vote. And if the Republicans still insist on a filibuster they will have three days that most of their members will be unable to participate.

I’m actually really looking forward to committee assignments. Dunno where they’ll put Franken,

Is there a media/FCC oversight committee?

but he’ll sure lighten up committee hearings.

Yep.

And Coleman’s such an asshole.

This is change I can believe in.

I’ve been thinking about that for a couple weeks now, ruminating so many of his funny but poignant comments injected into procedural Senate absurdities. Intelligent humor can be disarming and persuasive. Franken’s demonstrated all that, at least to me.

Loved that picture of Al & Hillary from your KOS link.

You know who realizes how much this means to us? Cornyn for sure – and also for sure the extreme cliffdwellers in the wingoshpere. Go over and smell the hate.

In my mind’s eye, I see him beside Feingold, co-sponsoring an initiative, and laying down light cover for Whitehouse.