Do you think Al Franken is going to win?

[mr715]

I'm worried, hes down by a lot last I checked.

I really, really hope he wins, though.


M

[aquart]

1. What year is his election in?

[mr715]

2. 2008

[KingFlorez]

3. The election is a year away, polls aren't really relevant now

I think he has a good chance, but it's too early to make a prediction.

[Mojambo]

4. WAY early

Don't sweat it.

He's going to spank Coleman pretty good.

[MaineDem]

5. Doesn't he have a primary first?

I wish him luck!

[question everything]

6. Yes, pretty much a matter of formality

The party convention endorses someone and the non-endorseed usually bow out, so that when the primary arrives, there is only one candidate. Truly an elitist process where the party activists determine the candidates, instead of "we the people."

[lojasmo]

10. We the people ARE the party activists. YOU TOO could be a delegate. EOM

[question everything]

13. Thus, you are going to punish individuals

who choose not to be activists by preventing them from choosing their candidates?

After the last primaries someone wrote a letter to the strib saying that "only voters who take the time to really know the candidates should vote."

If this is not elitist I don't know what is.

Last, isn't the number of delegates limited? What if I want to be but the list is closed? (Yes, I know, probably never happened but it could)

[Common Sense Party]

14. I agree. If you haven't taken the time to find out who the candidates

are, or what they believe, or how they will likely vote, then you shouldn't be voting. Know the issues. Know the candidates. Make an INFORMED decision.

Why is that elitist?

You don't have to be rich or privileged to get informed.

Plus, if only the INFORMED people voted, we'd have a lot fewer Freeper-type voters.

[lojasmo]

17. Non-active people shouldn't chose the candidates.

People can make as much difference as they chose to. I'm saying people who don't vote don't get a say in the overall result either. It's just facts.

[dflprincess]

12. It is NOT an elitist process

Anyone may attend their precinct caucus and run as a delegate to their Senate District or County Unit Convention. In most areas, there isn't a contest for the delegate slots and anyone who wants to go on to the next level can. At the District Convention you can run for a position as a state delegate where the endorsing is done.

Unlike a primary system, the caucus system encourages grass roots organizing and the endorsements will go to the candidate(s) who get their people out. Generally, the people who attend the caucuses are better informed about issues and their candidates. A primary system usually bestows success on the candidate with the slickest ad campaign.

It is possible that the endorsed candidate will face a challenge in the primary and quite often the endorsed candidate has lost in the primary - largely because the challenger had more money to spend.

[jgraz]

7. In a fair count, Al wins in a walk

Though, given Al's head-in-the-sand position on the 2004 election, it would be somewhat ironic if he lost due to election fraud.

Not that I want that to happen...

[MiniMe]

8. I think that was more Air America's decision rather than the talent

Randi has mentioned several times that she wasn't allowed to talk about it right after the election. I assume she can say that now because of the change of management.

[jgraz]

9. For not being "allowed" to talk about it, she sure talked about it a lot

As did Sam & Janeane and Mike Malloy (and Maron and Rachel, etc, etc, etc). Al was really the only host who refused to even talk about the election irregularities.

[TheWatcher]

16. Irony has a funny way of biting one in the ass.

There is a chance Al could have trouble sitting down after election day.

But his head will still be safely in the sand, so it may not register.

[AlCzervik]

11. it's too early to be worried or over confident, i am a big fan of Al, i have an al Franken

website and i've sent him money already. Anybody underestimating him would be dead wrong, he is intelligent and thoughtful. Hopefully the public will swing his way and i really think if he wins the democratic primary the debates between him and Norm Coleman will be hella fun to watch.

[TheWatcher]

15. Since he is eternally in denial about what happened in Ohio in 2004

I could care less whether he wins or not.

Milquetoast is not the answer.