New Olbermann Blog Post

[IAMREALITY]

Not a lot, but I look soooooo forward to his return tonight...

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6533008/

The news release was issued this afternoon over the signature of Ohio's Democratic chairman, Dennis White: "As Senator Kerry stated in his concession speech in Boston, we do not necessarily expect the results of the election to change, however, we believe it necessary to make sure everyone's vote is counted fairly and accurately." White called for witnesses, volunteers, and donations.

The statement ends nearly three weeks of official Democratic ambivalence towards the formal recount process in the election's decisive state. As late as Friday, Senator Kerry's email to 3,000,000 supporters contained a seemingly ambiguous reference to that process, which began with the phrase "Regardless of the outcome of this election, once all the votes are counted, and believe me they will be counted, we will continue to challenge the administration."

It had been left to the independent parties, the Greens and Libertarians, to do the initial work demanding a recount in each of Ohio's 88 counties. Their combined effort led to a bond of $113,600 being posted with the state last Friday to guarantee the coverage of expenses incurred. Just today, the "Glibs" amplified their demands in Ohio, filing a federal lawsuit that, if successful, would require the completion of the "full, hand recount" before the meeting of the Electoral College on December 13.

The Ohio Democrats did not attach themselves to the lawsuit. "The recount can begin after the official results are certified, which likely will be in the first week of December," reads the news release. "The Democratic party wants to be fully prepared to begin a recount immediately."

He also says Howard Fineman will be on tonight again.

[anamandujano]

1. "Kerry/Edwards Campaign Joins Ohio Recount."

Is this Keith's proposed headline or did he get it elsewhere?

[noamnety]

2. loving that one word

"we do not necessarily expect the results of the election to change"

I'm glad to see that bit of wiggle room creep into their language.

[IAMREALITY]

3. Sooooooo True

It went from We Do Not Expect to we do not Necessarily expect. There is a huge difference there actually...

[New Earth]

4. it is sounding more confident

which makes me feel better.

I DO - however - warn that people do not fall into the trap that i'm sure will be thrown at us - 'look, the Democrats are trying to steal the election! they're searching for votes under rocks!!!' etc etc

When it comes, DO NOT LET IT GET YOU DOWN. WHEN IN DOUBT, READ THE 'I BELIEVE' THREAD!!

[Karenca]

5. DAY ONE

has begun.

[Shopaholic]

6. KO is still on the story

I can't wait to see him tonight.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

7. I LOVE THIS MAN!

What FABULOUS News!!!! Thank you for posting this, and thank you Keith for being out there!

[keepthemhonest]

10. i am glad he is back too n/t

[ElementaryPenguin]

8. Kick this mother up!

:dem:

[peabody71]

9. NEVER GIVE UP!!!

We know the truth and all shall be known.
Day 1!!!!!

[Garbo 2004]

11. Ohio Dems Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 22, 2004

Kerry/Edwards Campaign Participates Ohio Recount Ohio Democratic Party Seeks Volunteers to Help Recount.

COLUMBUS – Assuring Ohioans receive an accurate count of all votes cast for president has prompted the Democratic Party to participate in the initiative to recount the results of the Nov. 2 presidential election.

“As Senator Kerry stated in his concession speech in Boston, we do not necessarily expect the results of the election to change, however, we believe it necessary to make sure everyone's vote is counted fairly and accurately,” said Dennis White, Ohio Democratic Party chair.

Columbus Attorney Donald McTigue will lead the recount effort on behalf of Ohio Democrats. The party will be recruiting volunteer witnesses to assist in the recount process in all 88 counties.

On Election Day and throughout the month of November, angry Ohio citizens have expressed frustration with long lines, malfunctioning voting machines and undelivered absentee ballots. There have been inconsistencies in the unofficial reports of the election, including an error in one Franklin County precinct that gave George Bush 3,893 more votes than actually cast for him.

Full text (it's brief) here: http://www.ohiodems.org/index.php?display=ReleaseDetails&id=200466

[ooglymoogly]

12. everybody should send keith a supportive email.

its what ratings are made of. there is a field at the bottom of the blogg

[CementDude]

13. A potential problem..

If Kerry/Edwards leave it up to the "Glibs" to make the initial recount request, and the counties join to legally deny the request citing the limited time, high cost and little-to-no chance of the "Glibs" winning Ohio's electoral votes, isn't there a very real possibility that as the clock runs down - this will ultimately be settled in the courts, where some Repub. judge rules that every attempt *was* made to count the votes, and even if some weren't, it wouldn't be enough to swing the state to the "Glibs"?

I could see it differently if it were actually Kerry/Edwards making the recount request. But since they aren't, I don't think this is going to work out in our favor.

[IAMREALITY]

14. Doesn't Make A Damn Difference

If they only got one vote. They constitutionally have the right and it cannot be disallowed.....

[masshole1979]

15. Who are the relevant judges?

And what are their party affiliations?

Hate that it comes down to this, but it does.

[CementDude]

16. Olbermann confirms my concern..

I was hoping for some clarification on tonight's (11/22) Olbermann..

So it turns out Kerry/Edwards is only going to "assist" the Glibs recount effort by providing support (witnesses and the like). But they're not actually making the recount request.

We may very well see this end up in the courts. It's gonna be a tougher sell when you've got a party with less than 1% of the vote asking the state to spend millions, thousands of hours, blah-blah-blah-, with the possibility of counties claiming it's a frivolous request..

Well, let's see how it goes. Keeping my fingers crossed.

(BTW - listening to the Kerry daughters on Larry King at the moment. Seems they're resigned to the loss too. Sigh, just depressing.)

[IAMREALITY]

17. You seem determined to see the glass as half empty

The fact the Kerry Lawyers are overseeing the process is HUGE!!!! Don't you get that? Once again, even if the Glibs only got ONE vote the process by LAW must be the same.

Now for God's Sake, Can we try and stay positive here????

:eyes:

[CementDude]

19. Sorry, don't mean to sound down..

It's just that when it comes to the courts, I'm not optimistic.

Let's hope I'm wrong.

[New Earth]

18. about the Kerry sisters

i thought the complete opposite.

[DemBones DemBones]

20. JOHN KERRY, REPORT FOR DUTY AGAIN, PLEASE!

Come out and give a press conference now, FORCE THE MEDIA TO COVER THIS ISSUE.

If you do, I'll take back the criticism I've leveled at you, though I will always think you could and should have delayed your concession speech for a day or two, at least, as so many votes were yet uncounted. I do believe there was a great deal of cheating in this election, and that you were elected president. I will always believe the massiver voter turnout was for you, or at least anti-Bush**, not some surge of the religious right.

Show me now that you're the man I thought you were. I'll be delighted beyond words.

(Disclaimer: I'm using a Kucinich avatar again but I had quit using it at the point in the primaries when Kerry clearly had the nomination sewed up, though I continued to support Dennis's campaign, too, because I wanted his views out there. Dennis is the sort of progressive candidate I truly want, but I chose to support John Kerry, despite serious concerns about some of his stands and votes. Politics is the art of the possible and a Kucinich presidency was not possible this year. I came to support John Kerry, not merely to be ABB. I came to believe that he and Teresa, and John and Elizabeth Edwards, are good people, but Kerry's seeming rollover to the GOP has disappointed me greatly. )