So, the lowly comedian might actually pull through.

Some political pundits and audiences didn’t think actor, writer, author and Democrat Al Franken had a snowball’s chance in Hades when he announced his candidacy for the Minnesota state Senate. He would be running against Republican incumbent Norm Coleman. Franken’s history as a comedian and commentator did not sit well with the crusty, political elite.

Come Nov. 4, those same political pundits and audiences waited until they could successfully celebrate their prediction of Coleman’s inevitable re-election.

Oops, it never came.

Turns out the affable comedian’s chance was bigger than most predicted. Perhaps the educated pundits and Coleman were a bit too confident in the chances of celebrating a landslide victory.

Instead, Minnesota is recounting.

The Associated Press reported Monday that the divide between Franken and Coleman has diminished to a measly 204 votes, or one-hundredth of a percent. Coleman currently has 41.99 percent of the vote while Franken has 41.98.

The gap is that tiny.

To those who tell Franken to just give it up already, this is what democracy is all about.

On Nov. 5, Franken told the Associated Press, “We won’t know for a little while who won the race, but at the end of the day we will know the voice of the electorate is clearly heard.”

Exactly.

People are succumbed to political campaigning for months upon months out of their busy lives. One day in all of that mess is set aside for them to voice their response to all the political mumbo jumbo. To rush that day is selfish. If anything, it shows anyone who claims to be politically apathetic that they’re full of it. If any of the 204 people hadn’t voted Nov. 4, we might have a completely different situation on our hands.

To those who argue I’m only saying this because Franken is a Democrat, that’s crap. If Franken were running as a Republican, I would say the same thing. Like the 2000 election with the Florida fiasco – please, let’s not do that again – it’s only fair that all counties are recounted.

The purpose of campaigning is to garner votes. The votes, in turn, put some lucky – or unlucky – son of a gun in office for however long he or she is promised. That day, if none other, is the most important in the whole process.

Let’s at least get the facts straight. Be patient, grab a bit to eat and check back when the votes are recounted.

And, for Al’s sake, stop being so apathetic. This is the proof that any and all votes matter.