U.S. Senate

As our nation's most digitally enabled election so far gets underway, we're checking out where to get up-to-the-minute election results once the polls close at 8 PM.

We recall two years ago that the Secretary of State's statewide results system got pretty swamped, but the county-level websites seemed to hold up all night. (The SOS site has already been having a bit of trouble today.)

Minnesota election results pages:

• Secretary of State: statewide results
• Hennepin County: election home page / interactive map / text data
• Ramsey County: Whole county results
• Anoka County homepage
• CBS News
• New York Times
• CNN
• USA Today
• Minnesota Public Radio results

Embeddable election results widgets (customizable for Minnesota):

• Minnesota Public Radio results widget
• MSNBC Widget
• Google Map
• DailyKos scoreboard

National results and polls:

• FiveThirtyEight.com has been the gold standard for polling this cycle, including caveats for today's exit polling.
• More about exit polls from Pollster.com
• CBS News / CBS Mobile
• USA Today
• AP video feed
• CNN / CNN Mobile
• New York Times

Blogs and other sources of interest:

• BradBlog.com: looking at defective voting machines and other problems for voters; already stories about bad machines cropping up in Nevada and elsewhere. (Oprah's machine almost didn't record her vote for president!)
• Smart Politics @ the Humphrey Institute will have Minnesota and Midwest-focused coverage
• DailyKos and RedState: Leading community blogs for liberals and conservatives, respectively.
• MnPublius and Powerline: Leading Minnesota-based blogs with lots of news today (liberal/conservative, respectively)
• Voter assistance live at OurVoteLive.org by the Electronic Frontier Foundation
• Real Clear Politics always has plenty of news; TechPresident has the high-tech angles.
• Twitter Vote Report, Twitter channels #mnvotes and #votereport (more about Twitter today)
• Slate and the Drudge Report have been known to post exit polls early
• Get some much-needed humor @ The Daily Show's Indecision 2008 blog and The Onion's War for the White House
• More online news sources from CNet

Please share any other websites that you're reloading every 30 seconds tonight!

A reporter takes on the Fair with pen and camera – and even survives an encounter with a statue of Jesse Ventura

You’ll never be able to find anyone to argue with this fact: We Minnesotans love our State Fair.

And politicians love it more than anyone.

Think about it: You’re running for office. You want to shake as many Minnesota hands and pose for as many photos with Pronto Pup-munching Minnesotans as possible. The logical conclusion: Spend so much time at the fair that your hands become numb and your voice disappears.

This being an election year, you can believe that politicians were thick on the ground Saturday at the Great Minnesota Get-Together. U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken, the DFL-endorsed challenger to Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, held court in front of potential constituents for several hours.

“Look at that,” observed a fairgoer, whose Southern accent betrayed her as a non-native (and thus ineligible to vote for Franken anyway). “They’ve got him standing on a box, and he’s still shorter than everyone else.”

In the big DFL booth near the Snelling Avenue entrance to the fairgrounds, enterprising DFL volunteers had supplied a stack of Post-It notes and asked fairgoers to tack up “top reasons to dump Norm Coleman.” Among them: “He’s an empty suit.” “He’s Bush’s friend.” “Because he may think he can rejoin the DFL.” And: “He has a Jersey accent (in Minnesota)!”

Partway up Machinery Hill, Priscilla Lord Faris, the DFLer challenging Franken in the Sept. 9 primary, did some one-on-one campaigning.

“I’ve known her for years,” confided a volunteer in Lord Faris’ booth, watching the candidate chat with a fairgoer and his son. “She’s really a great gal.”

Just a cheese curd’s throw away from Lord Faris’ encampment was a booth with a big sign: “Nader-Gonzalez 2008.”

“Who is Na-dair?” wondered a fairgoer. Told that it was, in fact, perennial presidential candidate Ralph Nader, she looked stunned, then embarrassed at her mispronunciation. “He’s running again!” she said.

And still farther up Machinery Hill, supporters of Dean Barkley, who spent two months as a U.S. senator from Minnesota in 2002 after U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone’s death in a plane crash, staffed a booth that was a tribute to pure symbiosis.

Barkley, a member of the Independence Party of Minnesota (formerly the Minnesota Reform Party), made several unsuccessful stabs at national office before gaining political credibility as the man whose guidance turned Jesse “The Body” Ventura into Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura in 1998. Ventura appointed him to fill the remainder of Wellstone’s term in 2002; this year, the former governor is managing Barkley’s campaign for the U.S. Senate as an Independence Party candidate.

And Barkley’s State Fair booth this year is dominated not, as one might expect, by Barkley photos, but by a large fiberglass statue of Ventura. It was a popular attraction Saturday afternoon; fairgoers meandered by and posed for photos beside the statue. (Small dents above the statue’s left eyebrow and on the tip of the nose indicated that someone might have tried a little unsuccessful facial reconstruction.)

A media jackal even made an attempt at fence mending and posed for a photo kissing Ventura’s fiberglass cheek.

Can’t we all just get along?

More photos: Left: Volunteers at the Minnesota GOP booth. Right: a bulletin board set up in the DFL building. Fairgoers could write “reasons to dump Norm Coleman” on Post-It notes and tack them up.

I think Amy Klobuchar is cute.

That’s not satire, it’s not a joke, and it has nothing to do with whether I think the former Hennepin County prosecutor is a good U.S. Senator.

I just happen to think she’s good-looking. And for the record, I think it’s too early in her senatorial career to judge how effective or not Klobuchar is.

But she’s definitely a politician, someone who’s been groomed for the political arena, and she’s apparently pretty good at it, given she was elected to the U.S. Senate.

And make no mistake – being a politician ain’t easy.

Over the years of my career as a journalist, mostly in Chicago, I’ve covered more than a few politicians and political races. I like to say that I like and dislike politicians and politics with equal fervor.

Some of the politicians I’ve covered and gotten to know a little I hold in the highest regard, no matter which party they belong to; others, I consider egotistical blow-bags not worth much (again, regardless of party).

I’ve often thought about how to be a politician you have to have a sizable ego, a great touch with people, tremendous energy and a strong desire to serve the public. In the best ones, the ego is not quite as big as the desire to serve and bring about change.

But there’s no doubt how much time and effort it takes to run for office and stay in office (not even to mention the oodles of money it takes and keeps taking).

Think about it – as a politician you always have to be “on”. You can never in public let your guard down, especially in these Internet- and YouTube-fueled days. We all have our bad days, days when we’d be better off staying home because the force just isn’t with us.

But for most of us, having a bad day isn’t a make-or-break proposition; for politicians, especially candidates, a bad day can make the difference between winning and losing.

I was thinking about this last night as I observed Al Franken making his way out of the DFL’s “Unity Party” at the Mayo Civic Center Saturday about 10 p.m. after a long day during which Franken finally secured the endorsement of Minnesota’s Democratic party.

It took Franken and his few handlers a half an hour to wind their way out of the party because every few feet someone wanted to shake his hand and/or have their photos taken with him. Most of the people, I’m sure, were happy and sincere and excited to get a few moments with the U.S. Senate candidate and well-known comedian.

But then there were others, like the two young men who stopped Franken and got in his face to urgently and almost angrily make a point about gay rights. Franken’s face went from smiling-and-friendly to tense-but-still-trying-to-keep-the-smile in a few seconds. And I don't blame him.

Then there was the guy who was laughing as he walked away from using his cell phone to take a photo of himself with Franken. I asked the guy why he was laughing, and he cracked up some more and told me that he’s a Republican and doesn’t like Democrats but was going around and taking photos of himself with every DFL politician he could find and then sending the photos to his friends, just for a few laughs. He showed me a few.

Politicians are targets and spectacles – they are celebrities.

Mari Urness Pokornowski, of Cokato, president of the Board of Directors of the DFL Feminist Caucus, resigned Saturday because of the group’s endorsement of Al Franken over his opponent in the Democrat’s nomination battle in the U.S. Senate race.

Pokornowski was not immediately available Sunday morning.

Jackie Stevenson, 73, political director of the DFL Feminist Caucus, helped recruit Pokornowski to run for head of the feminist caucus and describes her as a close friend, said she is disappointed that Pokornowski has resigned but isn’t sure yet why.

“It all started with the Franken thing and some things that were said, but I don’t know exactly why and don’t want to say more until I get a chance to talk with Mari,” said Stevenson, who joined the feminist caucus not long after it started in 1973.

On Saturday afternoon, the caucus endorsed Franken with 72 percent support in a surprisingly tough nomination battle with college professor Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer made much more difficult by negative publicity Franken got for past satiric writings that included “jokes” about rape, violence toward women and bestiality.

Republicans say they will try to make Franken and his personality the focus of the campaign against incumbent GOP U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

In a press release announcing the endorsement, Stevenson said, “Al very strongly demonstrated an understanding of our issues and we know he’ll represent us in Washington.”

There’s no doubt that Pokornowski has had a tough week as head of the caucus.

After U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill, became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president after a bruising battle with U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY, Koryne Horbal, 71, who founded the DFL Feminist Caucus, said she would not support Obama and wanted to organize a write-in campaign for Clinton.

Pokornowski was forced to issue a press release distancing her group from its founder’s actions. “It was as much of a surprise to us as it was to you,” the press release said in part.
On its website, the feminist caucus says it works “to bring about change by electing progressive legislators.

“Our members and supported legislators have been responsible for progressive legislation including bettered women's programs, sexual assault programs, displaced homemaker programs, child health care, anti stalking legislation, among others.

Photos by Bill Klotz

DFL officials consult their notes during balloting for the U.S. Senate race.

Delegates consider their U.S. Senate ballots.

The press zone is a busy hive of activity.

The convention paused for a moment to recognize veterans of the Armed Forces.

Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer concedes the race for U.S. Senate, and afterwards, Franken embraces him. Franken then says that people like Pallmeyer are why he's a Democrat.

Franken gets showered with confetti, and points towards the DFL pols onstage.

Rep. Tom Rukavina (DFL-Virginia) and Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park) laugh onstage.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar joins Franken onstage.

Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher (DFL-Minneapolis) congratulates Franken as the confetti falls.

Congressional candidate for CD3 Ashwin Madia joins Franken onstage.

Gov. Wendy Anderson embraces Franken. Anderson later told PIM that he actually prefers walking, golf, hockey to fishing. Fishing is all right, but he doesn't like sitting in the boat.

Franken's family joins him onstage.

Rep. Karla Bigham (DFL-Cottage Grove) winks at Franken, as Senators Mee Moua (DFL-St. Paul) and Larry Pogemiller (DFL-Minneapolis) look on.

Ron Carey, head of the Minnesota Republican Party, reacted to the nomination of Al Franken in the U.S. Senate race, saying the election will be about Al Franken.

“The joke today is that the DFL has nominated Al Franken,” Carey told reporters. He questioned whether people in Minnesota will want as one of their two senators in Washington someone who writes jokes about rape and bestiality.

Brian Melendez, head of Minnesota’s DFL Party, said, no, the election will be about Norm Coleman and his record in Washington the last six years.

The Republican strategy of trying to make the Coleman-Franken race about Franken is not going to work, Melendez said. “The people of Minnesota are smarter than that.”

In an interview with reporters about 3:30 Saturday afternoon, Melendez said, “What the Republicans are desperately trying to talk about … is anything but what Minnesotans want to talk about.

“Of course the Republicans want to talk about Al Franken, because every one of the issues that are important to Minnesotans the Republicans have failed on.”

“Al Franken will make the campaign about [Norm Coleman], and he will win,” Melendez said.

The party chief, who is also head of the Minnesota State Bar Association, said he and other
DFL leaders had accepted Franken’s “heart-felt apology” for the past satiric writings that some have found offensive – including some Democratic politicians, like U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (DFL-MN4) of St. Paul.

“I’m done with that,” Melendez said. “And he [Al Franken] is right – if he has to keep answering questions about this … the election will be about him. This election is about Norm Coleman.”

“Tomorrow, we get back to work.”

At those words, as Al Franken finished his acceptance speech, red, white and blue confetti burst from the ceiling and the Kinks’ “I Hope Tomorrow You’ll Find Better Things” blared from the loud speakers.

The comedian had officially become a candidate.

Despite a week of negative attention resulting from past writings that have offended some people and politicians – on a bi-partisan basis – Franken is the DFL candidate for U.S. Senate.

He will face first-termer Norm Coleman, the Republican who used to be a Democrat and mayor of St. Paul and won election to the Senate a few weeks after the late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone and his wife and others died in an airplane crash.

Franken made it perfectly clear that he is going to try to make Coleman and his record of supporting President George Bush the primary themes of his campaign.

His challenge, as Democrats and Republicans agree, will be to make sure that the GOP is not successful in making Franken himself the focus of the campaign.

State Sen. Larry Pogemiller (DFL-Minneapolis), Minnesota Senate Majority Leader, predicted that “in about a month” people will know whether Franken can do that and have a chance to beat Coleman.

Arlys Graff, a delegate from Le Sueur who supported University of St. Thomas peace professor Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, said it was a bit “sad. But that’s what happens with elections. .. I think we’re pretty united to beat Norm Coleman.”

David Beecham, an alternate delegate from St. Paul, held a sign with one side supporting Franken and the other Nelson-Pallmeyer.

Beecham, a Franken supporter, praised Nelson-Pallmeyer’s decision to withdraw his bid for the endorsement. “I am a big Jack fan right now, as a result of what he just did. This is symbolic of unity in the party. The making goal has been to unseat Norm Coleman.”

Franken gave an animated acceptance speech, taking hard aim at Coleman and linking him with Bush.

“We have been waiting for eight years … and we have seen a new progressive majority in this state and in this country,” Franken said. “And we know what we want – we want universal health care; we want an economy that works for all of us and not just special interests; we want global warming initiatives that will create a green economy.

“And we want to restore our standing in the world, starting by getting out of Iraq and bringing our troops home.”

Franken promised that he and his staff will work hard by “getting up early and staying up late. … And we are going to do that because 5 million people in Minnesota need representation in Washington, and Norm Coleman has not been doing that. Norm Coleman has not brought people together to get things done; he has sold people out to get ahead.”

Now that Franken has secured the DFL nomination, some are wondering whether wealthy lawyer Mike Ciresi, Franken’s one-time primary rival for the nomination, will get back into the race and challenge Franken.

Speculation also has it that Jesse Ventura, Minnesota’s former governor and an Independent, will get into the race.

(Capitol Report staff writer Charley Shaw contributed to this post.)

Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer has just taken the podium and declined the nomination and called for an acclamation endorsement of Al Franken for U.S. Senator.

The convention delegates accepted a motion in support of that, meaning Franken has the DFL endorsement after one ballot. The word swirling around the press area is that Franken secured 61.8 percent of the endorsement votes.

“I want to congratulate Al Franken. You have selected Al Franken, and I will abide by your decision,” Nelson-Pallmeyer said. He thanked his family and his volunteers and the delegates.

“We are determined that we are going to change the direction of this country and we are going to do it in this election,” Nelson-Pallmeyer said.

One delegate, a middle-aged woman in line getting a sandwich while the votes were being counted, said she personally was not offended by Franken’s satiric writings that included “jokes” about rape and violence against women. And she voted for Franken because she wants someone who can beat Norm Coleman. “I want a fighter,” she said.

Franken is approaching the stage for his acceptance speech -- to rousing applause.

At the end of a not terribly exciting 60-minute question-and-answer session with Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer and Al Franken, the two candidates vying for the nomination of the state DFL Party, aides for Franken quickly passed out a press release announcing that the DFL Feminist Caucus has endorsed Franken for the U.S. Senate.

In the release, Jackie Stevenson, political director of the DFL Feminist Caucus, said that the caucus board voted 72 percent to support Franken: “Al very strongly demonstrated an understanding of our issues and we know he’ll represent us in Washington.”

And Franken is quoted in the press release: "I am so tremendously honored to have the support of the DFL Feminist Caucus. And I promise to go to Washington and fight for women from every party, their children and their families.”