Coleman: Brown win in Massachusetts would be ‘cosmic’

Photo: David Weigel, Washington Independent

Al Franken’s brief reign as Democrats’ 60th vote in the U.S. Senate will come to an abrupt end today if Republican Scott Brown wins Massachusetts’ special election — a potential result that former Sen. Norm Coleman calls “cosmic.” Indeed, Democrat Martha Coakley even coming close could mean a “stolen election” a la Franken’s recount victory over Coleman in Minnesota, says NewsMax.

The NewsMax story, headlined “Republican Fears of Stolen Election Grow in Massachusetts,” begins:

The specter of Minnesota’s bitterly contested election contest between Al Franken and Norm Coleman now hangs over Tuesday’s special election in Massachusetts, with Republicans and conservative pundits warning that anything less than a clear-cut victory for GOP challenger Scott Brown over Democrat Martha Coakley risks a “stolen election.”

Coleman and Franken offered their takes on the Massachusetts race on Monday. Coleman told Minnesota Democrats Exposed :

Whatever happens … I think Massachusetts really sent a loud message to Congress that this country is deeply concerned about the path that Congress appears to be taking on issues such as health care and the wild, out-of-control spending. So whether our guy wins, or Brown wins, tomorrow or not, I think a message has already been sent. If in fact our candidate would prevail, I think it would be of cosmic proportions. … I think that debate [on health care reform] is going to be stopped in its tracks, because there are going to be those on each side of the aisle that realize that they move forward at their peril. If Massachusetts goes Republican, it will be an extraordinary event in American political history. Tomorrow’s a big day.

Franken was asked about Massachusetts on Minnesota Public Radio. Bob Collins’ “News Cut” account of the exchange:

Passage of the health care bill will be more complicated if/when a Republican is elected. “The House would have to vote for the Senate bill,” Franken says. What is likely to cause Martha Coakley’s defeat? “(She) took it for granted. A lot of misinformation has been put out there” on health care. “It’s not going to add to the deficit,” Franken insisted. “People are dissatisfied with the way things are up there [in Massachusetts].”

Franken was also asked about Coleman. “I saw him this morning at the Martin Luther King Day breakfast [in Minneapolis],” Franken said. “We had a nice exchange. A couple nice exchanges.”