Though, likely futile, Norm Coleman seems determined to fight on and have all the votes counted in Minnesota. If nothing else, the longer this thing drags on, the more shameful attention will be given to Stewart Smalley's appointment to the United States Senate.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Republican Norm Coleman is suing to challenge Democrat Al Franken's apparent recount victory in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race. At a news conference Tuesday, Coleman says he won't accept a board's determination that Franken won 225 more votes in the November election.

The lawsuit will keep the seat vacant for weeks or months. State law prevents officials from issuing an election certificate until legal matters are resolved...

WASHINGTON – Roland Burris announced Tuesday he was rejected for Barack Obama's Senate seat, in a bizarre rainy-day scene on the Capitol grounds as lawmakers awaited the gaveling of the 111th Congress into session.

Standing amid a huge throng of reporters and television cameras in a cold and steady rain, Burris, 71, declared that he had been informed that "my credentials are not in order and will not be accepted"...

KIEV, Ukraine — At least two Bulgarian cities were totally without gas Tuesday, and nations like Turkey were turning to Iran to bolster their supplies, as a natural gas crisis looms over Europe after a contract dispute between Russia and Ukraine shut off Russian gas supplies to seven countries and reduced gas deliveries to several others.

Russian gas shipments via Ukraine to Hungary halted, Reuters reported, and the Hungarian government said it would ask some power plants to switch to alternative fuel by Wednesday...

There are certainly lots of quality candidates from the Florida GOP that could do a great job in the Senate if Jeb Bush decides not to pursue the office... and if the eventual nominee would, ultimately, be able to win a victory over a well-financed Democratic candidate.  Still, Jeb Bush's candidacy and likely effortless path to the nomination and ultimate victory in 2002 could be a part of just what the doctor ordered  for Republicans in 2010. 

Republican excitement over the prospect of Jeb Bush running for U.S. Senate has given way to increasing speculation that the former governor will stay out of the race.

Bush declined to comment for this article but was expected to make an announcement perhaps as early as this week...