Now, nearly seven months after the ballots were cast, it all comes down to this: The Minnesota Supreme Court will be hearing oral arguments in the appeal by Norm Coleman of the ruling handed down by the three-judge panel that made up the Election Contest Court. That ruling upheld and confirmed the results of the recount than Al Franken won and Norm Coleman lost -- a recount that Coleman tried to stop even though it was mandated by state law.

Phoenix Woman here, and while I really don't have any news on the Franken-Coleman thing -- nor will I, or anyone else really, until June 1 when the Minnesota Supreme Court hears the oral arguments in the appeal case -- I believe I do have some insight into the oft-asked question "How can Minnesotans, who used to be known for their sane and level-headed liberalism, elect dorky Republicans like Norm Coleman, Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann to public office?"

Tuesday is the Day of Decision for the California Supremes. The High Court will announce its marriage equality decisions at 10am Pacific Time. Will Proposition 8 be upheld or overturned? Will the Rainbow Window marriages stand, or will they be invalidated?

Puppethead reminded me that yesterday was Al Franken's birthday. Sorry I missed it, Al! I figure I'll try to make it up to Al by talking about how he seems to have grown as a candidate and a person in the two years he's been on the campaign trail.

Cruised by the UpTake's liveblog and spotted this Tweet from Rachel Stassen-Berger: " Rt/ @Rasmussenpoll 54% Say Coleman shld concede;63% say Franken will win,16% expect Coleman win http://tinyurl.com/RR0203 #mncontest". Wow. That's the second time this week I suspect that longtime Republican pollster Scott Rasmussen didn't get the result he wanted.

Pharaoh Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota governor and would-be Republican presidential candidate, has made it clear that he values the good opinion of Grover Norquist and Republican primary voters more than he values his own state.

Per Pam's House Blend, we have the Advocate's Kerry Eleveld asking Press Secretary Robert Gibbs when the president is going to keep his campaign promise to seek repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, in order to provide federal benefits to same-sex couples legally married in five (actually six, counting the 18,000 California marriages conducted during the Rainbow Window).

The fallout from the FBI's interest in the Kazeminy case continues to seep into the public face of the Coleman campaign. And, it's hard to run a successful presidential campaign if you're not a sitting governor, senator, or US Representative -- and according to the latest Survey USA poll, nearly six of ten adult Minnesotans don't want T-Paw to run for a third term next year.

For all the woofin' being done by Michael Steele and others about how Norm's going to be fighting to the bitter end to get back Paul Wellstone's Senate seat, I strongly suspect that his mind is no longer on the contest and appeal. He's already trying to figure out how he's going to afford the next big legal challenge, the Kazeminy lawsuits, as refinancing his house is no longer an option in this crashed real-estate market. That's why he's asking the Federal Elections Commission to allow him to use campaign funds to pay his Kazeminy legal fees.

I saw the billboard yesterday on my way past the airport: "What will Pawlenty choose? People of Minnesota -- or -- His national ambitions?" Well, if his veto of the compromise state budget bill is any indication, he's definitely picking "National Ambitions" for $1000, Alex. Then again, he's also known for making the big woofin' noises whilst nervously hoping somebody else does the right thing for him.