Franken heads to Capitol Hill, meets with Democrats
March 10, 2009
 |
| Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken, with his wife Franni at his side, speaks to members of the media Monday Jan. 5, 2009 outside his home in Minneapolis after Minnesota's Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and other members of the State Canvassing Board certified Franken as the leader in the race against Republican Norm Coleman at the end of the recount. Coleman's lawyer promised a legal challenge that probably will keep the race in limbo for months. (AP Photo/Dawn Villella) (AP) |
Democrat Al Franken said Tuesday he sees "a light at the end of the tunnel" and expects to be seated as Minnesota's next senator.
The former "Saturday Night Live" comic and liberal satirist traveled to Washington for meetings, including the Senate Democratic Caucus lunch. Emerging from the weekly gathering, Franken told reporters he had been asked to give an update to the caucus on his protracted battle with Republican Sen. Norm Coleman.
"What I did today was fill them in," Franken said. "There's pretty much a light at the end of the tunnel so I kind of told them what was going to happen."
More than four months after Election Day and two months after a statewide recount, Franken is clinging to a 225-vote lead out of about 2.9 million votes cast in the state. Coleman's legal team has sought to overturn Franken's margin in court, arguing that different standards were used to count absentee votes in different regions of the state.
Coleman, meanwhile, was in a St. Paul, Minn.-courtroom on Tuesday, thumbing through binders of court exhibits as Franken witnesses testify at a special court hearing. Coleman has been a regular presence in court since his term expired on Jan. 3.
Both Democrats and Republicans view the Senate seat as vital. Democrats would like Franken's vote on key issues to avoid a GOP filibuster, and Republicans would like more room to maneuver against Democratic legislation.
Franken has traveled to Washington regularly, meeting with current and former staff. He calls himself senator-elect and has engaged in listening tours around Minnesota.
Franken said he did not foresee a scenario where he was seated before a potential Coleman appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Walking out with Franken, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Franken's report made him optimistic that Democrats would eventually add another member to their caucus.
"They're being fair, that's why it's taking a while," Schumer said. "Minnesotans are very, very fair in this, and they're making sure that every challenge that Norm Coleman has made is given its due. But ... the case is moving very well in our direction."
