Race against time

A reader reminds us that "The Electoral College votes on December 13. The votes must reach Congress by December 22."

The Ohio recounts will not happen until after all the provisional ballots have been totalled up and their vote certified -- which can be done as late as December 1.

So, in the dimmest, dankest of longshots, that an Ohio recount + the provisional ballots would translate into switching Ohio to Kerry -- those recounts would hopefully be done before December 12 or so. Any switches, changes, or addendums would be almost impossibly difficult, says my hunch, if happening after December 13.

Can you hand recount a state -- one of the largest in population -- in 11 days?

Guess we'll see.