Franken's Senate Hope May Get Senate 'Nope'

The Wall Street Journal on Fox News discussed Al Franken's Senate hopes this weekend:

The conventional wisdom increasingly suggests that Reid and Obama wouldn't risk their political capital on a shaky venture like Al Franken. The election night votes were certified, contrary to what some left blogs would have you believe. The recount was triggered by the margin, but the results were certified with Coleman the winner. If he wins the recount as well, a distinct possibility, then for the Senate to seat Franken would be widely viewed as overturning the will of the voters in Minnesota. Certainly the rabid left wouldn't care about that, but a lot of people would. For Reid to get in return the mere additional vote and have to deal with Senator Franken for his troubles ... not a great trade.

If Franken's prospects for Senate intervention are dimming, then it all comes down to the challenged ballots and the courts. There is little doubt that, following the decisions by the canvassing board regarding challenged ballots, court challenges will be made. Already Franken has been fighting tooth and nail to have thousands of legally rejected absentee ballots checked twice. He wants to find out who was naughty and who he can say voted for Franken.

When Franken couldn't get the votes in the election, they appeared mysteriously in cars and storage rooms. When those were insufficient, he tried, and continues to try, to cull votes from improper absentee ballots. He's trying to get counted ballots overturned with absurd challenges. He has his and ACORN's friend, Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, to get his back as well. If the ballot challenges still aren't enough to turn the election in his favor, then he'll go to court. And if that doesn't work, he'll probably try for the Senate.

Franken Democrats in Minnesota, it seems, will stop at nothing in their quest for the 59th seat, not even the will of the people. However, if the Wall Street Journal, Michael Barone, and a growing conventional wisdom are correct, when Mr. Franken comes crying to the Senate, they just might not be there for him. If there really is a new, post-partisan push in D.C., putting a stop to Franken's whine monster would certainly be the test of it. Harry Reid's Senate might just tell Al Franken "nope," and that would be both good and smart; and that's the truth without jokes.