If anyone harbored doubts about what the GOP, and their gubernatorial nominee Tom Emmer, are trying to achieve, this news item should effectively erase those doubts:
[Hennepin County, MN] Elections officials wanted to add more counting tables in hopes of keeping the recount from bogging down with frivolous ballot challenges. They blame Republican Tom Emmer's side for the vast majority of frivolous challenges.
The Emmer side threatened legal action if more tables were added, and the chair of the state Republican Party accused Hennepin County's top elections official of being biased toward Democrat Mark Dayton.
Follow the logic, which I'd love to see some sorry-ass right winger try to justify:
- Hennepin County is dealing with a deluge of challenged ballots, almost entirely emanating from the Emmer campaign. This is happening amid rumors that the Emmer team's lieutenants have been given a quota: they are to challenge 50 ballots per precinct, regardless of merit.
- Hennepin County, trying to complete their work in due time despite the additional burden presented by the frivolous challenges of the Republicans, look to add more manpower to keep the process from getting bogged down.
- Therefore, Hennepin County election officials are biased against the Republicans.
Okee-dokee...
Why don't they just come out and say it?
Here is the truth: "We in the GOP are trying to delay this election interminably so that our Republican Governor can linger in office long enough to work with a Republican legislature."
It is the opposite of the voter's intent, of course: if they wanted a right-wing jerk to follow right-wing jerk Tim Pawlenty, they'd have elected Emmer. But they didn't. Emmer lost by a margin wider than two gubernatorial races (albeit in smaller locales--Vermont and Guam) and over a dozen House races. Furthermore, it is a margin that has NEVER been overcome in a recount or contest.
At least, now they are being transparent. There is no other explanation for raising a fuss over adding more counting tables (which the Minnesota Secretary of State has already said is a legitmate option). They want to delay the process, and they are stamping their feet and whining because the county isn't letting them do it.
(For more discussion, check out WineRev's recommended diary, one in a series that we can only hope will be shorter this time around than it was in 2008-09.)