How It’s Shaping Up: Congress January 6

A little more than twelve hours before Congress convenes to accept or reject the presidential electors, here’s how it looks:

Keith Olberman has reported that up to six Senators may object to accepting the Ohio electors, joining at least several House members who have announced that they will do so. It takes just one member of each house to force debates. The debate may only be for two hours, but it could be a crucial two hours to the credibility of democracy in America.

A diary on Daily Kos by a woman who called 45 Senators on Wednesday---all the Democrats plus Jeffords the independent and a sympathetic Republican--reports that several of them have received tens of thousands of phone calls on Ohio, and their staff members were on the verge of nervous breakdowns. Among those whose staff told callers were actively considering objecting were Barbara Boxer of CA, Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton, who had lawyers going over the evidence. Others report after-hours message boxes full for a number of other Senators.

John Kerry emailed the 3 million supporters on his lists to urge them to support election reform and investigation, saying he will introduce legislation, but to say he would not join those contesting the 04 results. He is currently on a fact-finding tour of the Middle East.

So what do the Dash brothers make of this?

1. If one Senator objects, more than one will. And it may be that only if more than one will, any will. Either this is being coordinated right now, or staff for several senators are preparing remarks in case some other Senator objects, and their boss decides to join.

2. If no Senator objects, Kerry's absense will hurt him politically. If at least one Senator objects, and even better the six that are rumored, Kerry's absense will help him politically. So it's possible he knows what's going to happen. Note that his email said he wasn't going to join the objectors---this could mean the House members who've announced they will object, or it could mean that he knows someone will in the Senate. The fact of his email can be read either way: being with them without being there, or making the best of a bad situation.

It is even possible that Kerry was told that other Senators would not object unless he didn’t, because they don’t want to be seen as simply sore losers.

In any case, if other Senators do object, his absence will actually help keep the focus where it should be: on the credibility and integrity of the vote, and on the need to hold accountable those who violate it.

At this point, the moment is bound to get some air time even on our timid befuddled news media (currently exploring whether the tsunami is evidence that God is angry---we’re not kidding, it’s on Scarborough right now), and it will get a more serious airing if it is an historic moment, when the debate is mandated by objections from both houses of Congress.

Up until now the demonstrations in various cities haven’t gotten any coverage to speak of. Perhaps if there are Senators objecting and the debate happens, larger and more visible demonstrations will occur afterwards. It's one thing--and a very dramatic thing---for members of congress to engage, but also very important for ordinary people to do so, VISIBLY. TV can't show people writing emails and making phone calls, as crucial as these are. And make no mistake---if any Senators object, it won't be primarily because of the evidence but because voters are upset.