Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer conceded the race for governor to DFLer Mark Dayton at a press conference at his Delano Wednesday morning. “Jacquie and I started this journey over 17 months ago, and it’s been one of the best experience of our lives.” He said he called Dayton at around 10 am Wednesday to let him know the race was over.

Emmer said he appreciated the “goodness and kindness of Minnesotans” while he was on the campaign trail.

He said he had a vision for Minnesota and “almost a million Minnesotans agreed with us on where Minnesota needs to go.”

He said that the Minnesota Supreme Court left open the issue of reconciliation of ballots, “This leaves the door open for a lawsuit. Some have suggested I consider contesting the election. I disagree.”

“I don’t believe a delay in seating the next governor will move our state forward,” he said. “Now is the time for all of us to come together.”

“It’s time for us today to be gracious,” said Emmer. “The next governor of Minnesota will be Mark Dayton.”

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.”

Clockwise from upper left: Coleman, Franken, Rolvaag, Andersen

It would seem out of character at this point for Norm Coleman to concede the race for the Senate seat he occupied until Saturday, even after this morning’s negative ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court and the certification of the vote in favor of rival Al Franken by the State Canvassing Board this afternoon. But it could happen — just read between the lines of his recount lawyer’s remarks yesterday, or listen to former senator and Vice President Walter Mondale today. A close reading of what Coleman recount attorney Fritz Knaak said on Sunday suggests that it’s Coleman’s choice whether to proceed with an election contest. And that implies that Coleman might at least be considering not contesting the election — in other words, conceding.

That’s exactly what Mondale had in mind when he told Minnesota Public Radio listeners today that he recommends the example of Republican Gov. Elmer L. Andersen, who, as the incumbent in Minnesota’s last big statewide recount in 1962–63, bowed out rather than pursue an appeal to the state’s highest court. “When we got to a point like this,” Mondale recalled (and he was not only there but, as the state’s popular attorney general, was very nearly a candidate himself), “Elmer Andersen said, ‘No, this has gone on long enough.”

The parallel isn’t exact, because by the time Andersen conceded it was March 23, 1963, and the election had already been a three-judge review of the sort that would look at the current vote if Coleman files for an election contest. But the candidates’ words from that time could stand as a model (or, more likely, as a contrast) for Minnesota’s current recount rivals.

Gov. Elmer L. Andersen:

Today ends one chapter, admittedly a shorter chapter than I intended, but there are more to be written. I am disappointed but not the least discouraged; I am defeated but not the least disheartened.

Lt. Gov. Karl Rolvaag (of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, who succeeded Andersen as governor after Andersen’s concession):

I am sure the decision made this afternoon by Governor Andersen was a most difficult one. Had he chosen to go on and exercise his right or appeal in this matter, I hope that no voice would have been raised against that decision. I do not believe it would be possible for any person to adequately describe the tremendous pressures, the anxieties and the physical demands placed upon the parties to this recount action. … While at no time during these long months did I ever despair of emerging the victor, there were times when the situation became seemingly unendurable. I would assume that through these many months Mr. Andersen was constantly beset by similar pressures which only he could begin to describe. To continue in office in the face of the vicissitudes of the contest we have just completed must be an agony of its own.