Franken-Coleman recount: Al whips Norm in absentee ballot count, and end is near ... it sure seems

By Jay Weiner
MinnPost
Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009

It was practically hypnotic.

Hear the word "Franken" 481 times and it will make you dizzy.

If you're Norm Coleman and his advocates, it will definitely get your head spinning and your mood changing.

"Obviously ... I've had better days, and so have we," said Fritz Knaak, Coleman's top lawyer, after today's tabulation of formerly rejected absentee ballots.

Soon after, when asked about a legal contest beyond the count, Knaak seemed to back off from his pretty strong fightin' words Friday about a legal contest.

At that time, he had said, "An election challenge is inevitable. There's no doubt in my mind, that's the case."

Barely 24 hours later, he said, "If necessary ... we are prepared to go forward to take whatever legal action necessary to remedy this artificial lead ..."

(More here.)