Coleman gracious in defeat

Most of my writing about general political maxims is buried in old snail-mail Politics in Minnesota newsletters (and thus not linkable), but let me reiterate my longtime thinking on the two general rules in Minnesota politics as I see them:

1. The most optimistic candidate wins (except if there’s a brutal, eight-month recount).
2. The true measure of a politician is how he or she handles defeat.

Norm Coleman set the gold standard today on my maxim number two, saying, "I’ve never believed that my service [as U.S. senator] is irreplaceable."

And, on the unanimous 5-0 Minnesota Supreme Court decision ruling against him?

"We’re a nation of laws, not men and women."

He’s right about that, and too often, the egos of statewide pols never let them get their heads around that. Not Coleman.

I post as we await Al Franken’s "acceptance" speech.

One can only wonder if Franken can be that gracious.