Coleman declares victory in Minnesota, recount imminent

Norm Coleman has declared victory in Minnesota. Coleman, whose campaign faltered in the last few weeks amid revelations that his clothing was bought by a top donor, was ahead of opponent Al Franken by just 708 votes out of 3 million cast when the drawn-out count ended late this morning. While Coleman is urging Franken to forgo a recount, conventional wisdom and common sense have it that this contest is far from over.