Casablanca. The foggy airport closing scenes. The German Colonel shot, Bogart - Rick in the film, with the pistol, waiting for the plane to depart, the two exit passes, Claude Raines telling the subordinate, "... round up the usual suspects ...".
On a comment to another blog, I said:
The Barkley people, Betty McCollum, Priscilla Lord Faris, Oberstar, the papers with their premature endorsements and too gentle handled an approach to the Nasser Kazeminy things that fired the blogs, the Sixth District DFL who put more effort into Tinklenberg than into the more important Senate race, there are a host of "usual suspects." And Franken would have made such a good Senator. He would have fit so well the host of reforms Obama would hope to achieve. It is a true shame Obama's coat tails were not wider.
There will be a recount. Franken might still prevail on a recount. I saw the number 701 as the gap, out of 2.9 million votes. Astounding.
Here is the Anoka County data.
That is a gap of 15533 votes, Franken trailing Coleman in Anoka County where necks are redder than I had thought. Prior to election day, here, I noted how Tinklenberg's downticket mediocrity and revolving door baggage would likely hurt Franken. My belief is that it was harmful, including the Sixth District DFL unwillingness to recognize the Senate race as more critical than the Tinklenberg chase of the Bachmann seat. They blew it, plus, the gap between the better man and Coleman meant that even with more attention Franken would have trailed by thousands but might have had a swing one or two thousand more if DFL love and campaigning in the District for him had been better. It is a learning experience. Hopefully a learning experience for those most needing to learn.
With this recount situation, said by Strib as likely to be lasting into mid-December, I would hope the Coleman - Kazeminy situation gains full and proper national attention, as the recount will. That man, Coleman, and his entire conduct and arrangements with the other, Nasser Kazeminy, should be subject to sunlight as the best disinfectant. Ultimately, discredit should rest wherever deserved.
I would hope that Coleman, as Eliot Spitzer had the class to do, would admit the situation was fit for him to resign, and would then do so. However, I expect the opposite. I expect Norm Coleman, being who he is, will "Stevens" it out and end up the second Minnesota GOP U.S. Senator in the last couple of decades to bring scandal and disgrace upon the state, his sins appearing from reporting so far to be far in excess of Durenburger's. It is unclear how and under what timeframe and circumstances that situation will resolve itself, if Coleman chooses the Stevens way instead of the honorable way. I see shame and disgrace in the cards, and unavoidably so.
And how's this for an image of the Barkley people,
