Al Franken stole the election? Prove it or shut up (Salon)

[kpete]

Al Franken stole the election? Prove it or shut up

The recount shows that he won the Minnesota Senate race. The lying liars who say otherwise have no evidence of cheating.

By Joe Conason


Jan. 9, 2009 | If Al Franken were not a longtime public figure -- and thus severely handicapped by American jurisprudence -- he could file a powerful complaint for libel or slander against several of the most prominent wingnuts in the United States. From Rush Limbaugh to Bill O'Reilly to Richard Mellon Scaife, a chorus of familiar voices is loudly defaming the Democrat whose razor-thin win in the Minnesota Senate race will now be tested in that state's courts. Ever since Election Day, on radio and television, on the Internet and in print, they've screamed that Franken is stealing, rigging, pilfering, scamming, thieving and cheating his way to victory.

These media figures, some of whom occasionally pretend to be journalists, have spewed such accusations repeatedly, without offering any proof whatsoever -- in plain contradiction of the available facts. Not only is there no evidence that Franken or his campaign "cheated" in any way during the election or the recount, but there is ample reason to believe that the entire process was fair, balanced and free from partisan taint.

For Franken's most famous adversaries, spewing lies about him may be a form of cheap revenge. A prime example is Fox News host O'Reilly, who has hated Franken for years, dating back to when the comedian and author berated him in a public debate, then exposed him in "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them," and ultimately provoked him into filing an ill-advised lawsuit that only generated vast amounts of free publicity for Franken's book before the suit was thrown out of court. Of course O'Reilly was preceded by Limbaugh, that "big fat idiot" whose deceptions and bigotry were featured in the comedian's first bestselling book way back in 1996.

So Limbaugh, quoting an erroneous editorial from the Wall Street Journal, has been ranting about the supposed theft of the Minnesota election for months now. "We did not elect Al Franken," he told a caller on Jan. 5. "He stole the race. They are stealing the race up there blind in front of everybody's nose. They are counting absentee ballots . ... They're counting votes twice -- votes that were rejected, all kinds of things (which election officials ordered after determining that some votes were rejected wrongly). That's just -- the Democrats are stealing the election up there." Even the Journal's tendentious and sloppy screeds have never quite accused Franken of "stealing" the race or the recount. Rush just made that part up.

more at:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2009/01/09/franken/

[opihimoimoi]

1. OMG from those who sent Bush 2x to the Oval.....Gimme a break...

[glitch]

14. Thieves always accuse others of theft - they of all people know it can be done.

However, unlike Republicans, Al Franken doesn't have any political ties to any voting machine companies.

And they absolutely go livid when their thefts are thwarted, for more details see Dino Rossi, WA State Gov races.

[Kaleko]

2. Right on.

[Mike 03]

3. Huh? Welcome to the senat, Al. This is where you belong, and we are happy to have you. NT

[Cha]

4. Yeah, too bad

Franken can't sue them for slander but the best revenge is when he's the Jr Senator from Minnesota!

[XOKCowboy]

5. I can't wait till he takes the oath

Heads will explode all over the Right Wing universe. It'll be sweet.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

6. That's what they said in 2000 and 2004.

I guess turn about is fair play. I bet they don't like it though.

David

[Cha]

8. That's what who

said?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

9. Republicans.

[grace0418]

12. Except that it really happened in 2000 and 2004. This seems to be a case of

Smeller's the Feller on the part of the right wing. :)

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

13. That's pretty funny.

[glitch]

15. Smeller;s the Feller!! Never heard that before. LOL. nt

[Love Bug]

7. Lookin' good is the best revenge, Al

and you're going to look real good when you take your Senate seat! Coleman is just a sore loser and Billo and Rush are big, fat, idiots.

[The Doctor.]

10. Coming from those who labeled eye witnesses and those with REAL evidence of fraud

"Conspiracy nut-jobs", this is just laughable.

It really is as though they take pride in having no integrity.

[BlooInBloo]

11. Gives them too much credit. Just roll your eyes, or laugh at them.

[LeftishBrit]

16. I was sure Republicans would instantly say it was stolen!

A different story when THEY are challenged about whether they have won a close election: "Move on! The people have spoken! We can't keep counting the votes!"

[gollygee]

17. A recount is not "stealing"

I'm wondering why some of the votes that were rejected were. I'm thinking there was an attempt to steal it, frankly, by the Coleman camp. No one is allowed to vote for McCain AND Franken? Every vote that lists both is rejected? I don't think so - that's a blatant attempt to steal the election IMO.