Franken absolutely MUST try and create the perception that he's at least leading according to some counts. Otherwise if he DOES pull ahead it seems like something the canvassing board did, and it appears to come out of the blue (via a court ruling or something).

In that case Republicans scream and only those who have been closely following the details will believe the process was fair. This is just how Al Gore lost the election. The PERCEPTION in voters' minds was that he was behind but trying "tricks" to gain voters. That perception enabled the S.Ct. to stop the recount, which they would NEVER have been in a position to do if Gore had been counted ahead, as he legitimately was. In truth he won the election by around 50,000 votes. It wasn't even that close.

As for the two presumptions of Franken's campaign:

1. That the missing ballots will be found:

a. If they AREN'T found, the precinct may try and certify the election night count, rather than the re-count. They would probably be on shaky legal grounds doing this. I don't see how Coleman wouldn't challenge this in court.

The re-count is the re-count. Franken needs to create MASSIVE pressure on Coleman to generate a HUGE backlash to prevent him from suing to stop them from counting all the election night ballots.

b. If they AREN'T found, the more probable scenario is that Franken loses because he just loses 34 votes.

2. The Franken re-count totals:

a. Supposing that the election judges will be upheld in the overwhelming majority of challenges is probably accurate. Most of the challenges are pretty frivolous, and even those that are not are STILL likely to come down on the side of the judges more than 9 times out of 10.

We have former MN elections supervisor Joe Manky's statement that he thinks he'll win ALL of the challenges in Ramsay County for instance. He could be wrong, but that's what he believes.

Franken clearly thinks many Coleman challenges will be denied and most observers do too.

b. Franken has made fewer challenges. If they are all or nearly all tossed out, then he gains. How much we don't know.

Overall, the final count may be terribly close.

They ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO GAIN  and its this and i'm suprrised about the naivity on this board:

if its perceived by Minnesotans that Franken lost but is unwilling to recognize it and is dragging it out then it will make it that much harder for him to win in the future via some court order/senate vote or whatever..

Al Gore arguably lost the election in the 24 hours after people had stopped voting.. he never recovered.