Recounts in Alaska?

Believe it.

Kerry lost there by, um, a gajillion votes, but Tony Knowles lost to Lisa Murkowski in the Senate race by about 3 percent, or 9,400 votes. Knowles himself doesn't believe a recount would give him a win.

But Recount Alaska cites "exit polls on Election Day putting Knowles in the lead, so Murkowski's solid victory is curious. Second, the machines that optically scan most ballots cast in Alaska "have proven anomalous in Florida and were the basis for (Ralph) Nader calling for a recount in New Hampshire."

Except the New Hampshire recount turned up nothing. Alaska's Accuvote optical ballot scanners were, yes, built by Diebold.

They have $6,700 raised, and need to get to $10,000 by 5 pm tomorrow. (Wednesday.)