Friday, January 02, 2009

John Cornyn to Al Franken: Drop Dead

In this three-ring circus that we are calling the US Senate these days, where one possible replacement for Hillary Clinton’s seat is being slammed for saying “you know” too much, another for being nominated by an ethically-challenged Illinois governor, and yet a third for being the victim of being the victor in a statewide recount, I have to say that the ridiculous has given way to the sublimely ridiculous.

My US Senator, John Cornyn saw to that today.

From the Dallas Morning News:
“John Cornyn of Texas says Republicans will launch a filibster if necessary to block any attempt by Democrats to seat Al Franken when the Senate gavels into order next week. the one-time Saturday Night Live comedian is leading incumbent Norm Coleman by less than 50 votes. And Franken supporters are predicting he will win the vote count and should be seated once the total is cerfied by the state.”
Now I can see why Cornyn would want to jump on this bandwagon and tootle his horn, but does this not look as uberpartisan to you as it does to me? I would ask whether Cornyn would be as equally strident in his objection if Norm Coleman was declared the winner by, say, one vote.

My guess is he would not.

No, according to the Republican neocon playbook, which Cornyn runs every day, it’s only an offense if the Republican loses.

And clearly, he is picking up on the current dustup among the Democrats over the Blagojevich/Burris conundrum. In that matter, the only thing that is out of line is the failure of the Illinois Secretary of State to certify Burris as the junior senator from Illinois.

The governor signed off on it.

Not so should Al Franken be declared the winner in the recount. The election would be duly certified by the state of Minnesota, and that, as they say, should be that.

And I have to ask, perhaps naively, how to you filibuster a swearing in ceremony?

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