Senator Franken

"While there are still possible legal issues that will run their course, there is no longer any doubt who will be the next Senator from Minnesota. With the Senate set to begin meeting on Tuesday to address the important issues facing the nation, it is crucial that Minnesota's seat not remain empty, and I hope this process will resolve itself as soon as possible."

- Chuck Schumer

Franken Senate Victory Projected

A mere 40 minutes ago, the Minneapolis Star Tribune projected that Franken would finish the recount process with a lead of 89 votes, positioning him to become the 59th senator caucusing with Democrats in the upcoming Congress:

According to local paper tallies, Franken currently trails Sen. Norm Coleman by a mere five votes, down from the 358-vote margin that the Republican held just last night. The Associated Press has the count even closer, with Coleman ahead by two votes. An aide to Franken told the Huffington Post that, according to the campaign's internal count, Franken has already taken a small lead.

The gains came as the canvassing board sifted through hundreds of ballots that Coleman had contested during the recount process. It became clear early on that the Senator had challenged many ballots simply because they favored Franken and had a minor (non-disqualifying) clerical error.

Franklin v Coleman Update

As of 8 PM Dec 1, Al Franken is beating Norm Coleman by 4,108 votes. He's good enough. He's smart enough. And, doggone it, people like him:

Al Franken Plays Offense

Al Franken punched back against Norm Coleman's negative attack ads today with his new ad: "Who Does Norm Coleman Work For? (Vol.1). A recent Coleman ad claimed Franken didn't pay his taxes. The Democrat responds in the ad that he made "an honest mistake" while Coleman is getting a "sweetheart deal" on an apartment in D.C. The ad ends with the teaser, "And it gets even worse. Stay tuned for more.":

Jesse Ventura: I'm NOT running

Jesse Ventura has just announced that he is NOT running for the office of senator from the state of Minnesota. He reserved the right to change his mind before tomorrow's 5 PM filing deadline. After listening to Ventura's faltering and meandering speech on Larry King Live this evening, I think "The Body" took a few too many to "The Head" over the years. . .Either way, I'm sure Al Franken is breathing a bit easier tonight!

Would you buy a used car from this guy? I wouldn't buy a sandwich if the guy across the counter looked like that!

Design Flaw Cited in I-35W Bridge Collapse

According to NTSB findings released today,a design error which led to undersized gusset plates being used in the construction of the I-35-W bridge in Minneapolis contributed to it's collapse last year. 13 fatalities 100 injuries were the result of this oversight.

NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said the gusset plates, which connected steel beams, were roughly half the thickness they should have been. Investigators found 16 fractured gusset plates from the bridge's center span, he said.

Rosenker said the agency's investigation found no evidence that cracking, corrosion or other wear "played any role in the collapse of the bridge." They also found no flaws in the steel and concrete material used in the bridge.

The Minneapolis bridge was a steel-deck truss bridge that opened in 1967. Rosenker said it wasn't clear how the design flaw made it into the bridge because investigators couldn't find the design calculations.

There are about 465 other steel-deck truss bridges around the country. Rosenker said the safety board had no evidence that the deficiencies in the Minneapolis bridge design "are widespread or go beyond this bridge."

But he cautioned that states and contractors should look at the original design calculations for such bridges before they undertake "future operational changes."