Franken Wins!!!!!!!

Senate recount is complete; Franken up by 226

Norm Coleman's term as a U.S. Senator ended at noon Washington time on Saturday, and by evening his hopes of winning a second term had been dealt an expected but serious setback as state officials counted previously rejected absentee ballots in St. Paul.

Democrat Al Franken held an unofficial lead of 226 votes over Coleman, according to a newspaper tally of officials' count of the absentee ballots. Franken had led unofficially by 49 votes going into the day and gained a net 177 votes from the new ballots.

Now that the legally required recount is complete will Norm do the right thing and concede.

At a news conference Wednesday morning, Coleman said that Franken has a choice not to go through with a recount. According to Coleman, Minnesota history has shown that very few votes will change in a recount.

Coleman said the odds of anything changing with a recount are "extremely remote." Coleman also encouraged Franken to handle it the "Minnesota way" by not dragging it out in the courts.

Time to buck up Norm.