For all of the foregoing reasons, we affirm the decision of the trial court that Al Franken received the highest number of votes legally cast and is entitled under Minn. 32 Stat. § 204C.40 (2008) to receive the certificate of election as United States Senator from the State of Minnesota.

Now, will Pawlenty sign the certificate, or make an ass out of himself in front of the country for his Presidential ambitions (because apparently, you’re a better shot for President if you defy Supreme Courts…).

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — State Sen. Creigh Deeds defeats Clinton confidante Terry McAuliffe in Va. primary for governor.

I’ll just say I’m glad Terry McAuliffe seems to be headed for defeat.

No, I’m harking back to the adage that you will understand some one better if you walk a mile in his/her shoes.

What would you do if you had the task of getting control of Congress back for a party that represents an electorate certifiable enough to believe the ideology that has proved ruinous to this country, not just economically but in every realm of operation?

Did you pick (a) regain sanity and resign altogether? I would, but then, I’ve been on the side of reality, proven ideals and principles, honor and individuals’ rights for most of my life. No, Senator Cornyn will try to increase the number of elected officials from the Gang that gave us disaster. His task: to delude enough remaining weak minded potential voters to throw his country back down the tubes.

In 2010, citing “public anxiety about spending and borrowing” by the Obama administration and the fact that the popular president won’t be on the ballot, “there will be some genuine opportunities for Republicans, assuming we get good candidates, assuming we do our job to raise the money.”

That’s Cornyn’s job. So far, he’s doing pretty well. He reports his committee’s first-quarter fundraising was up 40 percent over 2007, despite the weak economy. …He also concedes the GOP faces a tough environment.

In 2002, “we had 55 Republicans [in the Senate], and now we have 40.” Regardless of the outcome in the disputed Minnesota Senate race, “we’re risking irrelevance to being able to affect legislation in the Congress.”

Some independent analysts predict that while the party in power generally loses seats in its first mid-term election, Democrats actually could gain Senate seats in 2010.

Cornyn believes the GOP can succeed by arguing that “all power in one party’s hands is not necessarily a good thing.” He has 18 months to prove it. (Emphasis added.)

Obviously, the previous maladministration proved that point definitively. All Cornyn needs is to point to the disaster the wingers have brought about to show he’s totally, completely right, as to domination by his party. We have unjustifiable, unwinnable wars that began ruining the economy starting in 2001 when wingnut leaders decided to wage war on Iraq through misleading the country. We have a destroyed economy. We have lost reputation with other countries that give services such as health care to their citizens, and observe the Geneva conventions. Does anyone need more proof of Cornyn’s point?

Oh, right, he’s talking about dominance by the party that fought against the insanity.

Today, NTodd says what I think pretty much capsulizes Cornyn’s situation in his description of the mockery of government that ex-Darth imposed on this country;

This is someone who not only organized and seemingly directed a policy of state-sponsored torture. He did it in large part to get people to admit to crankish conspiracy theories he got taken in by by a crew of think-tank jockeys in DC whose theories most even half way sensible people treated as punch lines of jokes. So it’s Torquemada or 1984 but only after getting rescripted by Mel Brooks.

This is an extremely gullible man who has just come off being the driving ideological force in an administration that most people can already see produced more fiascos and titanic, self-inflicted goofs than possibly any in our entire history. By any standard the guy is a monumental failure — and not one whose mistakes stem in some Lyndon Johnson fashion from tragic overreach, but just a fool who damaged his country through his own gullibility, paranoia and bad judgment. Whatever else you can say about the Cheney story it ain’t Shakespearean.

Thanks, NTodd, you nailed it.

(This post also at http://cabdrollery.blogspot.com/ )

The therapy the remaining wingnuts will need could improve this country. Imposing more of them on it will only keep us all from getting back to the high ground we left January 20, 2001.

As Alex said, this poll is important:

I believe Democrats should welcome anyone who wants to join us - but that does not mean newcomers should take or keep high positions without working for them and showing a genuine commitment to the party and its principles. Arlen Specter might prove to be a great Democrat and a great Democratic senator. But let him start by proving that to Pennsylvania Democrats in a contested primary.

…

I can imagine multiple positive outcomes if Sestak enters the race. I do not know if he can win, but I am confident that he can scare Specter - hopefully enough that Specter will move left on key issues like health care and the Employee Free Choice Act. The rigors of a primary may also solidify Sestak’s progressive leanings. If Sestak wins, then, Pennsylvania may not only get a real Democrat as a senator, but a real progressive.

So, weigh in today and make your voice heard. Click here to vote in the straw poll.

Statement from Chairman Steele ON sENATOR aRLEN sPECTeR’S dECISION TO SWITCH TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement today:

“Some in the Republican Party are happy about this. I am not.

Let’s be honest-Senator Specter didn’t leave the GOP based on principles of any kind. He left to further his personal political interests because he knew that he was going to lose a Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record.

Republicans look forward to beating Sen. Specter in 2010, assuming the Democrats don’t do it first.”

###

Nice, professional work there, Steele. I like the whining, too.

While each member of the Senate caucuses with his Party, what each of us hopes to accomplish is distinct from his party affiliation. The American people do not care which Party solves the problems confronting our nation. And no Senator, no matter how loyal he is to his Party, should or would put party loyalty above his duty to the state and nation.

My change in party affiliation does not mean that I will be a party-line voter any more for the Democrats that I have been for the Republicans. Unlike Senator Jeffords’ switch which changed party control, I will not be an automatic 60th vote for cloture. For example, my position on Employees Free Choice (Card Check) will not change.

As usual, Specter is with you unless you need him.

What this really does is keep a real Democrat from running and winning in Pennsylvania.

Update: I agree with what Jon Cohn says, as well:

Specter is one of the better-known senators in America. If you follow politics even casually, you’ve seen or heard him on the news before. So it’s going to register with you that a major Republican senator has decided his party has become too extreme for him. And if you’re a Republican, you might wonder if it’s become too extreme for you, as well.

Every activist email must have a plausible “theory of change.” People should see some concrete theory about why taking action could lead to a desired result.

But some people choose to inflame people’s passions just to get their email addresses (and, more likely than not, to fundraise from them — as opposed to later engaging them in quality activism). This sullys the online activism process for the rest of us.

And he’s right. The DSCC petition asked for Norm Coleman to step aside, but there was no information on how this petition would be delivered, and no reasoning why anyone in the media or Norm Coleman’s camp would actually listen to what the DSCC had to say. There was no “theory of change.”

Adam had a better idea to get Norm Coleman to step aside, one with a real theory of change. And he put it into action, with the help of the PCCC and Democracy for America. It’s called NormDollar.com:

Al Franken won.

But DC Republicans keep bankrolling Norm Coleman’s continued court challenges. For them, it’s worth the money to block the seating of Senator Franken.

But if thousands of us donate $1 to help progressives defeat Republicans in 2010 for each day Norm Coleman refuses to concede, we’ll reverse the incentives for DC Republicans. They’ll tell Norm, “Go away!”

Can you give a dollar a day to make Norm go away?

See the theory of change there? If Republicans realize progressives are raising all kinds of money for electoral work off of Norm Coleman, it suddenly becomes a lot less attractive to keep Norm in cash and lawsuits until the cows come home.

So, if you agree, head over to NormDollar.com and donate to get the recalcitrant Norm Coleman, who conservatives are already asking to step aside, out of the way so Al Franken, this election’s rightful winner, can be seated.

The crowd at the Washington Monument

Watching at the WWII Memorial

Turning our backs on Rick Warren

Biden takes the oath

Obama is sworn in

The inaugural address

The walk home

Goodbye George W. Bush

It’s been a long time coming.

Until then, for anyone who’s watching (in person or on TV), what’s on your mind as George W. Bush is replaced by Barack Obama?