During the 2004 gubernatorial contest in Washington state, the Republicans, as part of their “election fraud” propaganda campaign, needed an enemy with a name and a face.
Their primary victim was King County Records, Elections and Licensing Director Dean Logan, who was mercilessly vilified through the contest, court case and even afterward. They might have gone after our Secretary of State, Sam Reed, except that he’s a Republican. (They did go after him to a lesser extent after losing the lawsuit).
In Minnesota, it looks like Secretary of State Mark Ritchie is going to be the Republican’s first target. TPM Muckraker has obtained a three-page “backgrounder” put out by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC).
The NRSC origin of this memo highlights one big difference between the Washington state 2004 gubernatorial election and the Minnesota 2008 Senate race—the addition of an important target audience for the latter. Ultimately it is the Senate who will seat either Franken or Coleman. The election results, certified by Secretary of State Ritchie, will be used to guide the Senate (as per Article I of the U.S. Constitution) in seating the winner.
One long-shot strategy for the Republicans is to discredit Ritchie enough to cast doubt on his impartiality in certifying a close Franken win. The Republicans would challenge the election in the Senate (as sometimes happens) with the aim of not seating Franken.
GOP tactics remind you of the Spanish Inquisition, don’t they? And you get the feeling these folks would burn scapegoats at the stake if they could get away with it. Meanwhile, up in Alaska, 2012 GOP presidential contender Sarah Palin brings in a witch doctor to exorcise her demons … and I don’t be surprised if Michelle Malkin attends seances trying to communicate with the ghost of Joe McCarthy.
It would be rather interesting if someone had access to a copy of original document file (undoubtedly a Word or Publisher document) and could check the revision history. Betcha it was authored quite a while before the election.
I’m a Minnesotan …
Talk about Minnesota … Secretary of State … scary … unfair … well, then I can deal with reality and the past too.
Mary Kiffmeyer.
I remember her as our Secretary of State.
Talk about lacking fairness and impartiality.
If she was still in office, Norm would have already won as she would have limited who could vote in Minnesota elections.
Along with we’d have these frigging machines with no paper trail.
And in the past, when she was the Secretary of State, with her terrorism warning days before an election and other ramblings.
What a nut!
At least this clown is now doing things where she cannot do much damage, one could only hope.
And … it gets interesting.
Norm and Al.
This election is between two Jewish men, one a native New Yorker who moved to Minnesota, and the other a native Minnesotan who moved to New York. So the difference between them isn’t all that much in some ways.
They’re both liberal. Considering Norm was a young hippie radical anti-war activist at Hofstra University in the 1970s. Along with being a former Democrat. And his greatest accomplishment was bringing hockey back to St. Paul. Along with changing teams and being lockstep with the Bush administration, but wait, then changing color again when Bush and Company became unpopular and Norm pretending to have been a centrist moderate all along.
So that’s pretty liberal, being able to go 180 (or maybe for him it’s more like 360) degrees everywhere on the political spectrum. It’s like watching a spinning dial, where is it going to end up or stop.
As it seems it’d be more conservative if one was more aligned on one political viewpoint more consistently.
The reality is … Norm is using this election recount now as a smokescreen, then he doesn’t really have to address his Suitgate or ethical issues re: monies coming in from some wealthy donors in a transparent way.
So this whole election fairness and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie issue, big Republican smokescreen and whining about it now Norm, he’s lived in Minnesota long enough, has been in our government system at various levels, so should know Minnesota government, it’s pretty transparent and fair, except when people like him and the Republican party and Mary Kiffmeyer used it for personal gain then whine when they don’t get what they want or how they cannot manipulate so it’s only fair to them.
Norm is not acting on the best interests anymore of Minnesota or Minnesotans … Norm is acting in his own self interest. Even if it now means destroying the reality, image, and reputation of our state.
And even if he does win this recount, he’s got ethical issues, like Stevens, AK.
So it could get interesting, potentially investigation into Norm, maybe he’ll be our next felon in the senate.
Or … similarly to Stevens, if Palin gets to appoint his successor or replacement, and she ends up with his senate seat … Norm could potentially be in a situation where Tim Pawlenty, MN governor (who did not run for this Senate seat based on advice from Bush, Rove, etc. in the past) … then Pawlenty instead of Norm, perhaps like Palin for AK via Stevens, could perhaps become Minnesota’s next senator too?
Anyway, we’ll survive Norm, Minnesota’s clean government and elections process will still be intact, though our reputation tarnished by Norm’s assertion that Minnesota’s elections processes and laws aren’t working … for him.
But whine on Norm, didn’t want the recount to save taxpayer money, yet you’re now spending money to insure the recount is fair … to you … sure it’ll be fair … we’re Minnesotans … not some self serving self acting corrupt ex-New Yorker who doesn’t know what he is and changes teams and positions often.
Could we hope that you’ll win and what you are really will see the light of day … I’m hopeful … hope you win and the senate investigates you! And we get someone in the senate who’ll work for Minnesota, Minnesotans, for our country and for the best for everyone.
I don’t want Franken to win because he’s an arrogant fucking asshole.
re 1: Malkin would have more luck conjuring McCarthy up if she brought a bottle of Johnny Walker Red as a spiritual gift to the dear old boy.
re 4: Pointing out that Republicans are stupid, traitorous, self-involved thieves and liars is not arrogant.
It’s simply living in the reality based world.
Only in right wingnut world could George W. Bush be considered a war hero and kerry a weak traitor.
You know why T. Boone Pickens didn’t pay up on the bet he lost to Kerry? Because he’s a welcher — like all Republicans
Politically Incorrect’s (@ # 4) definition of “arrogant”: anybody who knows more than he does. Which is a very, very, large group.
Ritchie has discredited himself. He makes no bones about his coziness with ACORN and MoveOn.org and is the most partisan Secretary of State in the nation. The GOP will not get a fair shake from Ritchie, who is not above stealing an election.