the buzz log

Elections. They used to be so simple. Candidates campaigned, voters voted, and the winners headed to Washington.

Not anymore. These days, losers file lawsuits, campaigns are for suckers, and the hottest ticket in town is an appointed seat, if you can get it. Even though Congress kicked off its 111th session with Dick Cheney leading a swearing-in ceremony, there were some conspicuous absences from major states. Here's where they stand.

New York: Can Caroline Kennedy Make It Here?
Yes, there are other candidates in the running for Hillary Clinton's soon-to-be vacated Senate seat. But do they have the name Kennedy? We didn't think so. Media attention, for good or not, goes to the Camelot heir-apparent, and nobody else. The New York Times even ran a story that dismissed the other non-Kennedy candidates as "Whatsisname." Kennedy is having troubles of her own. A poll shows her losing public favor since she announced her candidacy. (Her poor syntax, vague policy prescriptions, and presumption haven't helped.) Gov. Paterson, the audience of one who makes the selection for the remaining Senate term, has chosen to take his time. He has said he won't choose a successor for Clinton's seat until she's confirmed as Secretary of State, which could be in a few weeks .

Illinois: No Seat for You
As it's made clear in New York, it's hard to pick the right person for the Senate job. So you could always ask for someone to pay you for it. Rod Blagojevich, the big-haired, tough-talking governor of Illinois, is now infamous for his taped convos in which he discussed trading the appointment of Obama's vacant Senate seat for a price. Even after the information went public, the governor just won't go away. Instead of resigning in shame, the guv instead appointed the former attorney general Roland Burris to fill the seat. The Democrats had vowed not to accept any appointment by the tainted Illinois governor. When the 71-year-old former attorney general showed up for the Senate swearing-in, he was told his paperwork wasn't in order, and was denied from taking a seat.

Minnesota: A Real Squeaker
The one state with the empty seat that had an honest-to-goodness election to decide the results fell into a quagmire of its own. First there was a recount between the incumbent Norm Coleman and the Democratic challenger, former comedian Al Franken. The count lurched back and forth by a few hundred votes, in a tale that included lost ballots, contested ballots, and finally, a certified winner: Al Franken. With 3 million ballots cast, it shows at least, as E! Online put it, " 225 people like him more than the other guy." But the story doesn't end there. (Of course it doesn't.) Coleman has vowed to contest the result in court. Franken can't be seated until the legal battle is over and the governor issues an election certificate.