Hello and...Buh-Bye

In what has to be the longest contested race ever, the Minnesota State Supreme Court unanimously ruled what many of us have known for a long time: that Al Franken is indeed U.S. Senator. With this senatorial race now finally concluded, the number of Democrats in the Senate now total 60, giving them a majority and making them filibuster-proof. In theory, anyway.

Franken gave a very nice victory speech in which he praised Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, who has, in many respects been doing the work of two senators in the wake of not declaring the Franken/Coleman race. "But she’s only one Senator," Franken said. "And it’s time that Minnesota, like every other state, had two."

Many pundits wonder if Franken, an outspoken author and critic of everything from Rush Limbaugh to Beltway Bandits, can play nice with others now that he himself will be one of those inside the beltway guys. Franken is nothing if not stupid and I believe he will approach the job with humility and an eagerness to learn. Franken will be serving on the judicial committee, and might I suggest he use his time in committee meetings learning at the knee of Pennsylvania's senior Senator, the newly-Democratic Arlen Spector.

The usual blustery Norm Coleman, the now former Senator from Minnesota was unusually nonblustery in his concession speech, which is just about the nicest thing I can say about the man. Now that the race has been decided, all kinds of rumors are buzzing about as to what his future holds. Might I suggest running for Governor...of Alaska!

It seems a vacancy has recently become available, as Sarah Palin abruptly announced in today's press conference (reported in an excellent article by the Associated Press) that she is stepping down as the 49th state's governor. Nut Bar and I caught an excerpt of her speech, and we both turned to each other and went, "Huh?". She rambled about the "millions of dollars down the drain" but never said what millions of dollars she meant. She has mastered the ability of speaking a great deal, but saying absolutely nothing.

In her speech, Palin made no statement about her future, short or long-term, but is apparently not ruling out a (God help us) presidential bid for 2012. 2012 is a long ways away, but I think, I hope, in this case, Americans will have a long memory when it comes to Sarah Palin. By the end of the race, she managed to alienate most people (Democrats and Republicans alike), and her post-campaign PR has maintained a steady downward path. Between the continued sniping between her camp, the Republican National Committee and the McCain camp, to the arrest of Bristol Palin's almost mother-in-law on a multitude of drug charges, to the swirl of talk of ethics violations, she was, in many ways, painted into the proverbial corner with no way out. Or quitting to take a rest while she plans her 2012 comeback, if one believes the Palin-philes.

However, not surprisingly, Palin has plans for writing her memoirs, and has inked a deal with HarperCollins that most guess is in the mid-six figures. So perhaps this will shed some light regarding her sudden resignation. Or maybe it will be 400 pages of dribble drabble. I'm voting for the latter...