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Alaska Sen. Mark Begich (D) has just issued a press release asking Joe Miller (R) to quit his legal challenge against Lisa Murkowski's (R-write-in) apparent victory.
"It is time for Joe Miller to put Alaska interests ahead of personal ambition and allow the State of Alaska to certify Lisa Murkowski as the winner,” Begich said.
“Failure to certify the election could prevent Senator Murkowski from being sworn into office in early January when other new senators officially take office.
“As many in Washington are united against securing funding for important road and public facility projects in individual states, it’s vital that Alaska have both senators putting our unique needs first and fighting for our state. Without both senators, Alaska’s interests will be at risk on critical issues from energy development to job creation and reducing the national debt in a way that’s fair to Alaskans.”
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Then Sarah Palin Tweeted on Twitter: Mark Begich does'nt know what we're trying to do here as I, ugh I mean Joe Miller has the Constitution on My, ugh I mean His side!
Then the LameStream media goes banana's over Palin tweeting!
What a Joke!
Speaking of the Twit of the Tundra...
Have you clubbed an helpless fish to death today?
What did PETA think of fish clubbing? Oh, I guess fish don't count!
Hook 'em Sarah!
Maybe Joe should have said "hey, baby- how'ja like to whack my Walleye?"
Right, then the Wasilla Village Idiot would cry foul!.......but man-up!
DBO, that 1 ranks right up there with Feisty's"PHD of S--T!
Keepem comeing.
I say "Go Joe" - if it will give one less Republican Senate vote for awhile and make Ms. Lisa miss out on her leadership roles in Congress. Oh, I want her to win, I just want all Republicans to be as weak as possible.
Umm........beg to differ with "Ana Bananass"......actually a LOT of US Alaskans know........and believe it or not we talk about more than Sarah......Wow, imagine there might be some intelligent people in AK making a LOT of money where the economy ROCKS compared to ...err.....where are MOST of you from?? OH YES......we know and care!
One less Republican? One AK senator is a Democrat the other is a write-in, and certainly no Republican !
But then again her buddies Snow and Collins aren't either. Why doesn't she just join Lieberman as an Independent who votes Democrat??????
But Rick, Sarah SAID!
Guess Joe's trying to give Sarah Palin her five thousand dollars' (that she donated to him ON THE WEEK THE VOTES WERE BEING COUNTED) worth.
Miller, Murkowski, Begich. No one knows them and no one cares. Every conversation about Alaska turns to dialogue on Sarah!
My God- how stupid would you have to be to have to be told to give up at this point?
Loser. Palin backed a loser. With a capital 'L'.
How many candidates that Obama endorsed lost?
Don't know- but did they have to be told when it was all over for 'em?
You see, until the COURTS rule, it's not "all over" for Joe Miller. Did you even read Cheryl's excellent post below?
Did she back Mucowski?
Let's see now....Alaska LAW says that the name of the write-in candidate must be spelled correctly and that the "bubble" must be filled in.
Some judge says that people can disregard the law and "interpret" the "intent" of the voter. So, someone puts in my sister's first name and that is counted as a vote for Murkowski, and even if the bubble is NOT filled in either. And this is despite the fact that a list of the write-in candidates, with the correct spelling of the names, was handed to people as they came into the voting polls.
Miller sues and says that the LAW must be followed. (He's already acknowledged that he pretty well has no chance, but he wants ILLEGAL ballots thrown out, because the LAW says they don't count)
And people are whining about that? I guess the LAW doesn't really mean anything, as long as you can find some judge somewhere that says it really doesn't count, is that correct?
And despite the fact that this is between Miller, Murkowski, and the State of Alaska, every liberal hater out there decides to come in and make some comment about Palin. Guess what libs....she wasn't running for Senator, she is a PRIVATE CITIZEN who actually just counts as a single vote.
Cheryl- even without the 'questionable' ballots- he still would have lost.
And as far as 'haters' that decide to 'come in', tell the people of Iowa that were happy with their justices all about it.
Also- maybe Palin needs to incorporate. Then, according to the US Supreme court, she could at least be TWO people.
Sticking just to the merits of Miller's lawsuit, one unresolved legal question remains as to providing information about candidates (the correct spelling of "Murkowski") within 200 of polling places. It's not just about the "questionable" ballots.
That should read "within 200 FEET" (prohibited under Alaska law).
Cheryl
Give it up. If someone voted for a write in candidate and spelled it Lissa Merkowsky, who do you think they wanted to vote for, Joe Miller? Get Real
And the reason the conversation turns to Palin is because she endorsed and contributed to Miller's campaign. Hello. They're both losers.
If theyn are too dumb to learn how to spell her name and fill in the box, then they are too dumb to vote.
Would you want your ballot to be discarded because you accidentally wrote Murkowsky instead of Murkowski? Or if you accidentally left out the w and wrote Murkoski? Or how about if you forgot to capitalize the L in lisa or the M in murkowski? Those are some of the issues on the contested ballots. It's pretty clear who those people meant to vote for.
Cheryl,
Lanternshine has a great response, but it's waaaay down below, so I'm going to quote it here for anyone following this thread of argument:
Alaska Law does not even mention spelling, it just says it l has to be written as it is on the declaration for candidacy OR must have the last name. It does not say spelled correctly, it does not say last name only, or last name second, or that it can't have the party designation, yet Joe Miller has challenged votes spelled correctly but with last name first or with Republican after it. All the candidates above the write in spot are listed last name first comma first name and then the party. It is reasonable to expect that a voter would follow that example when writing in a candidates name. But Joe Miller is too busy trying to steal the election to be reasonable.
Well, I remember my high school "Constitution" teacher saying something like, "If you want your ballot to count, it is your responsibility to mark it precisely as the instructions require. Vote counters cannot read your mind."
Of course it was half a century ago that I was in high school, and things have changed. Perhaps the mind reading ability of those who count the ballots has become a lot better?
Surely the voter bears some responsibility to get it right. Or are we going to dumb down the voting process like we have (oops, better save that for another time). But you get my drift. And know what? I really don't care who wins the race.
Fiesty Redhead:
So what does this make the princess of twittering; the chub clubber; the most famous mama grizzly on Faux Gnus; the ex-1/2-governor of AK?....a T-weetee; a T-witee; or a T-what?
sumthin... t-what works!
t-what you say? c-un't hear you....
That's why I luv ya DBO! lmao... ;0)
Sometimes you say things that actually make sense drive by and sometimes you are a complete and utter azzbag.
A no class remark anywya you look at it.
Aw, shoot. Looks like I can't please 'em all, huh Feisty and Kirby?
Kirby- I DO make sense sometimes. Other times, I DO have a sense of humor. And a lot of the times, I don't say anything, because I just can't begin to comprehend it.
What's ya point?
I do believe Drive by observer should be censored for two weeks for calling Sarah Palin a c-unt! on item 7.2
Jerry- The word was supposed to be a take-off on 'couldn't'- didn't you see the apostophe?
Not that word YOU were refering to (I think).....
Just think of me as a 'refutiator', and we'll all be ok.
LOL DBO - you're sure shakin up the creepy Christian value voters today!
Yeah, well- great minds run in the same gutter I guess.
Great post, CherylLM : )
Joe, say it ain't so. You're not going to give up are you? The senate needs you, Sarah needs you, Rush needs you, Glen needs you. You are the poster child for the tea baggers. Tweetle dee and another tweetle dumb.
If Joe Miller is waiting for "GOD" to count the ballots that could take 4,000 years.
My Gosh,
How long does it take to recount the votes in Alaska, there can't be that many people that voted up there.
I mean the Caribou & Salmon vote does not count this year, they only matter in years that end in "Y".
Anything Caribou Barbie gets involved in automatically becomes just that much more complicated.
According to CherylLM, "Alaska LAW says that the name of the write-in candidate must be spelled correctly...."
This is patently untrue. Alaska law (Alaska Statute AS 15.15.360 - Rules for counting ballots) states that the vote shall be counted if the name "as it appears on the write-in declaration of candidacy ... is written in the space provided." As you can see, no reference is made to the spelling of the name. In fact, in these statutes, Alaska law is silent on the topic of spelling of candidates’ names. The only reference to spelling of write-in candidates’ names is found in Alaska Administrative Code 6 AAC 25.670, which addresses military and overseas write in ballots, and which specifically states: “Any abbreviation, misspelling, or other minor variation in the form of the name of a candidate or political party will be disregarded in determining the validity of the ballot, if the intention of the voter can be ascertained.” Do Miller’s people then interpret this to mean that while minor misspellings are allowable for voters residing abroad, those casting their ballots within Alaska must be held to a different standard?
Joe Miller and his deluded apologists are hanging their hats on the rather imprecise phrase “as it appears.” As is appears in what sense? If the candidate wrote in blue ink, must the voters also use blue ink? If the candidate used upper and lower case, would writing in all caps be invalid? If the name is typed in Times Roman, must voters add serifs to the letters? Does this sound a bit silly? Imagine this: Joe’s legal team challenged a perfectly spelled ballot that was carefully printed, but the “L” in “Lisa” was written incursive. They are also challenging ballots in which the penmanship was less than precise, e.g., the “u” in Murkowski was almost closed at the top making it look almost like an “a.” Now that is silly — but it’s the horse they are planning to ride to victory. (Enter “Murkowski ballots” into Google images and you’ll find samplings of their silliness.)
What then does “as it appears” mean? Eventually, it will likely be determined by the powers that be that it simply refers to writing in the name as the candidate certified it rather than any variation thereof. (For example, "Lisa Murkowski" and not "Lisa Ann Murkowski," "Lisa Martell," "Lisa Murkowski-Martell," etc.)
Most in the Murkowski camp find it unsavory that the Miller team is challenging ballots for such minor deviations. Spelling and penmanship— although important, should not be the basis for wholesale disenfranchisement. The idea the Miller team is looking to disqualify the vote of an 85 year old granny with cataracts and palsied hands or an Alaska Native elder whose primary language is Yup’ik does not sit well with many Alaska voters.
If that is, indeed, the way the law is written, how can it possibly be taking this long for the court to make a ruling?
See for yourself. Chapter and verse:
AS 15.15.360. Rules for Counting Ballots
6 AAC 25.670. Federal write-in ballot
Miller and company are doing their utmost to drag this out. Reasonable Alaskans are hoping that it gets resolved before January 5th when Lisa is due to be sworn in. Delaying beyond that date would likely cause Lisa to lose her seniority and ranking seat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee -- a seat that is coveted by Jim DeMint, one of Millers main Tea Party supporters.
Joe Miller is flopping around in the bottom of the electoral boat, Sarah please bash him one with your trusty club and put him out of his misery.
Now, THAT'S funny, right there....
When your teammates tell you it's time to quit... it's time to quit...
What are you talking about? Miller's real teammmates - the people who voted for him and continue to support him - are his real teammates, and we absolutely DO NOT want him to quit!
Damn Joe..."Narcissist" much?
Despite running as an average "Joe"-no pun intended-to be a voice for "The Will The People" it's quite ironic how Mr. Miller clearly has trouble accepting "The Will Of The People" when "The People" don't see things the "Joe Miller" way. So I'd like to actually "thank" Joe who-through "his" own actions-has done nothing more than "expose" more of the insultingly bogus and totally "disingenuous" ultra-right wing hypocrisy so typical of these rabid "holier than thou" Tea-Bagger morons...
Joe...
YOU F.U.C.K.I.N.G. LOST!!!
SO PLEASE "MAN UP" AND JUST MOVE ON WITH YOUR LIFE BEFORE ALL YOUR OTHER "ELECTED" GOP MERCENARIES ACTUALLY HAVE TO PUT A "HIT" OUT ON YOU TO MAKE YOU GO AWAY...
Seriously though...I think "everyone" in Alaska with "some" common sense-whether you're considered to be of the Democratic "or" Conservative mindset-should be thankful this "clearly" self-absorbed and immature "grown man" didn't win the seat because if he's full of himself to such a "disturbingly" delusional degree that he's rendered himself incapable of believing that "he" actually lost, what do you think this prick would be like if he were actually put into a position with power and influence?
Actions speak louder than campaign slogans and Mr. Miller's "actions" now "prove" that despite all the patriotic rhetoric and chest thumping aimed at winning over the perpetually ignorant "cowboy" wannabe section of the extreme right, the "cold reality" here-which at this point should be smacking even his strongest "supporters" in the face-is "fact" that this man doesn't really give a f.u.c.k about "The People" unless he can use and manipulate them to suit "his" goals-tragically he is NOT alone in using this GOP "bottom feeder" tactic, he just didn't perfect it enough pull it off Nov 2nd.
Getting into "power at all cost" is the only "real" driving force for someone with this level of narcissism and it doesn't matter what "lies" he has to tell or who he has to step on to make it happen, just so long as it "works" to "his" advantage...And of course had he won he'd just simply "forget" everything he promised to do to enforce "The Will Of The People" during campaign season and just dump it in someone "else's" lap and blame "them" for it-something which apparently has now become the official "Blueprint For Campaign Season Hypocrisy" that's been embraced by the GOP...
Be thankful Alaska because it looks like you really dodged a "Palin" bullet with this freak!
Cheers
Mark Begich has the distinction of being the only current US Senator without a college degree; who was rejected for membership on the Board of Regents of the University of Alaska, where he takes continuing education classes. He is telling an honors alumnus of West Point, who is a decorated tank commander from the Gulf War, with a Silver Star, a graduate of Yale Law School, who passed the Alaska Bar exam on the first attempt ( Ms. Murkowski just did so last year, by the way, on her fifth attempt and 20 years later ), who is embroiled in a legal matter which erupted as a result of the "Corrupt Bastards' Club", which has been controlling Alaska politics to the detriment of not only Alaska citizens, but American citizens in general. The Lt. Governot of Alaska moved the goal posts in this election. A notarized affidavit from a voter at the Sand Lake Elementary School in Begich's home town, Anchorage, where he was mayor, is an example of what Miller has been dealing with: This voter was seventh in line when the polls opened at 7:00 AM. When this person went to place their completed ballot in the ballot box, they observed that the box had been illegally opened and there was a "neatly-piled stack 4-5 inches high of write-in ballots" inside. Similar reports from District 1, Precinct 150 and precincts in precincts located in Angoon and Cordova.
dear santa, I have been good this year, it will be the best christmas ever if you could make joe disappear and could you take sarah too?
Oh. what a surprise. A Democrat supporting Murkowski. Partial payback for her votes these last few weeks, I assume! I hope Joe Miller presses this as far as he possibly can legally! Alaska - and this country - needs a Republican Senator, not a rubber stamp Democrat!
Thanks, Mark, for showing a truly bipartisan approach to Sen. Murkowski, so that you both can get on about Alaska's best interests, rather than wrestling around in the courts for months to come! I'm also pleased that the Republican Governor and Lt. Governor both realized where Alaska's interests lie.
I am VERY happy that "good`ol" Joe did NOT win, by ANY means! We (the people of this country) do not need any more polititians, the likes of him, in OUR government. Not that it really is OUR government any more. Seems to me that most republicans are only interested in priming the corporate money pump for self interest and kissing up to the top 1% as it is. Too bad for the rest of us debt-slaves,our children and their`s.