The story comes as media outlets near and far (one of each, actually) issue calls for Coleman to concede. Knaak’s comments to the White Bear Press echo statements early this month in which he seemed to dangle the chance that Coleman might quit the contest.

In contrast to Knaak’s concession talk, White Bear Press Regional Editor Mark Nicklawske interprets a Coleman camp style point as a sign that the former Republican senator’s supporters are in it for the long haul:

Knaak and his colleagues were issued gray fleece sweaters with the words “Coleman Recount Team” embroidered on the chest. The sweaters look warm and comfortable, good for a long Minnesota winter.

Looking back, it’s clearly been a long haul already. Jan. 17–18 was only Knaak’s second weekend off in two months, taxing his ability to find time for his regular clients or family — though he makes regular visits to his mother, Dee Knaak (who, like her son, is a former state senator).

Knaak expresses satisfaction with his often high-visibility role, even as he appears to be eclipsed by the star power of new legal-team member, Joe Friedberg. And he doesn’t toe the (subsequently decided-upon?) party line that the trial will be boring:

“It’ll be very dramatic,” said Knaak. “I’ve got a very good relationship with the press and I’m still the explainer on a lot of these things, but we’re trying to keep the focus on the litigation part of it right now. I’m anticipating that you’ll be seeing a lot more of (Friedberg) than me.”

“There are votes in Minnesota that aren’t even being accounted for, much less being counted,” spokesman Andy Barr told reporters at a press conference at Franken headquarters in St. Paul this afternoon.

Franken’s recount attorney, Marc Elias, said the campaign had become aware of the problem in the last few days from reports in the press as well as from campaign workers in the field. “Ballots have gone missing,” Elias said, calling it “a serious matter [that is] very concerning.”

He named more than a half dozen instances — from St. Paul to Duluth, and Crystal to Apple Valley — where the recount has turned up discrepancies between the number of recorded votes and the number of ballots county officials have been able to produce. And besides the cases reported in the news media, Elias said, the campaign’s own information indicates “this problem may be even more widespread.”

Elias acknowledged that “sometimes ballots go missing and then they get found” and that “missing ballots are not automatically an indicator that there is cause for concern.”

“In an election this close we cannot let any lawful vote go uncounted, and neither can we allow ballots to simply go lost,” Elias said.

Elias said the campaign’s letter to Ritchie would ask him to “launch an investigation to identify any and all missing ballots, and to immediately instruct local elected officials to redouble their efforts to find all missing ballots.”

As for the recount itself, Elias said the Franken campaign’s internal numbers, based on the judgment of the recount officials rather than challengers from either campaign, indicate that “the margin remains in double digits. In fact, it has narrowed since Friday.” He said that included ballots recounted on Saturday but not today. Official figures as of Saturday night had Coleman ahead by 167 votes with two-thirds of ballots recounted.

“When will Franken be ahead?” a reporter asked. “When it’s over,” Elias answered. He said the ballots already recounted remain “a slightly redder pile,” a subset that’s more Coleman-friendly than either the ballots remaining to be counted or the total ballots cast Nov. 4 taken as a whole.

Barr and Elias said nothing about events in Mower County today, where The UpTake has taken reports of recount officials and Franken challengers in conflict. The latest word is that tensions have calmed, apparently following a call from Ritchie.

Elias acknowledged the growing number of challenged ballots in the recount but said that in the end, the State Canvassing Board determines which candidates gets the votes from challenged ballots. “And there is nothing that either campaign can do about that by issuing challenges.”

Note: The Minnesota Independent hopes to cover Sen. Norm Coleman’s press conferences as we have Al Franken’s; however, Coleman’s campaign staff has refused entry to and in one instance ejected our reporters.

Video via The UpTake