The problem is, back on Nov. 5, when Coleman held a tentative 215-vote lead, he said that if he were Franken, he would “step back” because “the healing process is so important, the possibility of making a change of this magnitude in the voting system we have is so remote.” Take a look:

Now, with Franken up by a nearly identical margin — 225 votes — and Coleman’s chances infinitely more remote than Franken’s were in November, Coleman seems to have reversed his stance.

We’ll know for sure in a little more than an hour. At 4 p.m. ET, he is scheduled to hold a press conference. As much as Democrats — and some Republicans — are hoping for a surprise concession of defeat, it’s widely expected that he’ll announce his plans to sue. You can watch it live at The Uptake.

We’ll have an update after the press conference.

UPDATE 4:10 p.m. ET: As expected, Coleman’s not giving in. “As of today not every valid vote has been counted and some have been counted twice,” he asserted at the press conference. Again contradicting his Nov. 5 self, he said, “I think it’s really important for a six-year term that we get this right,” adding later, “Let’s take the time … to get it right.”