Report from the front

Popular liberal blog Daily Kos has posted a new report from an observer on the floor of the King County recount.

The process is transparent, clear, and it’s working. It is transparent to the point that they sorted their trash publicly, with six observers from each side watching for stray ballots.

The report gives a very detailed accounting of the actual process that is being used to recount the ballots, and the bipartisan way in which the very few problems that have arisen are being resolved. This is recommended reading for both the inconsolable paranoids convinced the election is being stolen from under their noses, as well as the more rational amongst us on both sides of the aisle who have been trying to console the inconsolable with the very reasonable argument that it is nearly impossible to steal anything under this much scrutiny.

I agree wholeheartedly with the closing sentiments of the observer:

For the record, I’ve said here at Kos that this recount makes me sad. It still does; the winner loses by being tainted with the possibility of “stealing” the election, the loser loses because they will feel they were wronged. It’s not anyone’s fault (well, a certain campaign could have been better run, but that’s moot now); it’s just the nature of an election this close. The folks on the Republican side have agreed with me that ultimately, elections this close are lose-lose for both sides, and it’s unfortunate. But in the end, we’re all doing our best to make sure the counts are accurate, and the voters will benefit from that.