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TPM Election Central

The latest from TPM's news blog "Election Central."

Norm Coleman Removed From Senate PhonebookToday

Norm Coleman is now a Senate un-person.

Mother Jones reports that the updated Senate phone listings have just been printed out -- and Norm Coleman isn't on it. After all, his term expired this past Saturday, and he's now in court to force the election results to be changed so that he's winning instead of Al Franken.

Think about this, Norm: Joe Biden is going to resign his seat within the next two weeks, and even he's still in the Senate phonebook.

The RNC Debate: Too Hot For C-Span?Yesterday

The candidates for Republican National Committee chair have been talking about how to effectively campaign in the era of YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. But it looks like they're having problems with technology that first became widespread back when Eisenhower was president.

A C-Span staffer has informed us that the RNC voted to close today's meeting, which is being held as a forum for the leadership candidates, and eject the cameramen and press so it won't be carried on TV or elsewhere.

The Republican National Committee members obviously want to hear some Frank discussion of the issues and the state of their party -- so much that they don't want the public hearing what's said.

Coleman: I'm Going To CourtJanuary 6

Norm Coleman has made it official: He is filing a lawsuit to challenge the election result in Minnesota, which he does not believe to be a valid count -- and he is making clear that for the sake of democracy, Al Franken should not be seated in the Senate.

Coleman went through the list of things his campaign says went wrong: For example, that absentee ballots for Al Franken were counted twice, and that there were no uniform standards in reviewing rejected absentee ballots.

"Until these issues are settled," Coleman said, "any attempt to seat a Senator who is not properly certified violates Senate precedent, and usurps the will of the people of Minnesota."

A reporter asked Coleman about the calls from Harry Reid for him to concede -- and was met by booing from the crowd of Coleman supporters. "This race will be determined by Minnesota voters, not Harry Reid," Coleman said with a smile, and to the applause of his backers.

Late Update: So how long will this take? Lead Coleman attorney Fritz Knaak told reporters, "I would not be surprised if this went a month and a half, two months out." On the bright side, Knaak said that Coleman would like for it go as quickly as possible.

Also from Knaak: "Technically, we could actually redo the entire recount. I'll let you know right now that's not in the plans."

Late Late Update: Here's the Coleman video:

Feinstein Explains Her Reticence About Panetta NominationJanuary 6

Just talked with Dianne Feinstein outside the Senate chamber about her qualms with the Leon Panetta nomination. The incoming Senate intelligence committee chairman said that both President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden called her after the fact to discuss the surprise choice of Panetta, who has no direct intelligence agency experience and whose nomination came as unwelcome news to Feinstein when it broke yesterday.

"I understand their thinking" in choosing Panetta, Feinstein explained, describing herself as "very respectful of the president's authority ... this is the man [Obama has chosen]."

I asked Feinstein whether her reticence about Panetta's lack of ties to the CIA would be mitigated by having Steven Kappes, her preferred choice for CIA director, stay on as the agency's No 2. "I believe very strongly" that Kappes should stay, Feinstein said, adding that Panetta's standing would be "very much enhanced" were Kappes to stay his deputy.

Feinstein seemed to acknowledge the Obama team's desire to find a CIA director who would signal an end to the abusive interrogation tactics of the Bush years. "We all want a break with the past," she told the reporters milling around her in the Senate. "I was the one who went into the conference committee" between the House and the Senate last year with an amendment that would use the Army Fi

Franken Declares VictoryJanuary 5

At a press conference held just now outside his house, Al Franken declared victory in the Minnesota Senate race.

"After 62 days of careful and painstaking hand inspection of nearly 3 million ballots, after hours and hours of hard work by election officials and volunteers across this state, I am proud to stand before you as the next Senator from Minnesota," said Franken. "This victory is incredibly humbling, not just because it was so narrow, but because of the tremendous responsibilities it give me on behalf of the people of Minnesota."

"I know this isn't an easy day for Norm Coleman and his family," Franken added, "And I know that because Franni and I and our kids have had plenty of time over the last couple months to contemplate what this would be like if the election had turned out differently." But Franken applauded Coleman's hard work in public life, and hopes for a smooth transition. Good luck on that one.

Franken also said that while he knows there may still be additional legal proceedings -- the Coleman campaign has indicated they will challenge the result, which will hold up Franken from being seated -- he is focusing now on going forward and getting to work for the people of Minnesota.

He did not take questions from the crowd of reporters, who yelled to ask when he would be going to Washington.

Franken's full prepared statement is available after the jump.

Late Update: Here's the video: