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How Cool Is Franken?
Franken’s work on Saturday Night Live would have sunk any less-determined man. Hell, so would the fact that Franken—a former wrestler—jumped Lyndon LaRoucheite who was heckling Howard Dean in New Hampshire in 2004 and wrestled him to the ground—from the press section. (“I got down low and took his legs out,” said Franken afterward. One might be tempted to say such behavior is not very Minnesotan, until one recalls that this is state that has produced not only the sainted Mr. Wellstone but also Michelle Bachmann.
Few of us will be sorry to see the back of Coleman, who managed to earn a place on CREW’s list of most corrupt members of Congress, which is no easy task. (Also, he used to have a really bad haircut, even compared with today’s.)
The dude complained on Election Night that Al Franken was letting down Minnesota with his unconscionable delay in conceding the election. He issued a victory statement before the votes were even close to being counted. He argued that votes should count in his favor even when they were proven to be forgeries. And sources close to Minnesota tell me he can’t tell a joke worth a damn.
Republicans were already feeling unloved. “In the beginning,” Democrats “seemed a lot more willing to go in and engage with us,” whines House Minority Whip Eric Cantor. Indeed, Obama doesn’t woo them the way he did during the fight over the stimulus, when he practically moved in with Susan Collins when he wasn’t charming Olympia Snowe. Well get used to it, guys.
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robjh1
This is a joke. Can't Minnesota ever get it right?
Maezeppa
Don't be silly. Franken is a cum laude Harvard grad, majored in political science, has been politically active as a citizen for years, is bright and will do the right thing. Minnesota now has two fine people serving in their Senate.
Bamos99
Dear Maezeppa:
I trust all is well. Don't bother with robjh1 for although you can explain it to him, you can't understand it for him.
motrbotr
LOL
Rdschenkel
Bright, doesn't necessarily make Right. I hope he's a good senator, really.
sophia5
" it gives the Senate its first genuinely funny ex-comedian. "
You said it . . . "ex-comedian."
As in formally funny, turned bitterly serious.
Another fine objective piece by Eric Alterman.
Will he ever write a biased column ?
Aleric
Wow, can smell the Liberal Bias in this article or what?
Never mind that the recounts gave Franken more votes everytime they counted them. Doesn't that seem a little odd even to a Dem? I didn't think so, have another drink of the Kool Aide.
ReverendRay
Minnesota will never be taken seriously again electing a clown for Senator
onlinesavant
Actually they will begin to be taken seriously again now that they've gotten rid of that clown who was the republican senator.
chud50
To elect a person like Al Franken to congress is a slap in the face of every American who have ever died for our freedom. Where are the statesmen? Instead we have: Harry Reed, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Franks and now the highly respected statesman Al Franken!
When we lose our freedoms we only have ourselves to blame, we get the government we vote for my friend.
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BigSwami
I might suggest reading one of Franken's books - perhaps the best candidate would be "The Truth (With Jokes)". He is quite astute on policy issues. I think it's quite wrong for you to suggest he won't be doing his own thinking.
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roger37
I liked "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot" best.
Aleric
I think he made it plain, Franken is going to be nothing more than a pawn used to keep Republicans from stopping the Dems palns.
Maezeppa
You sound bitter.
keepakeeper43
"alcamadus", Could you be a Republican mouthpiece?
Bamos99
Alcamadus:
"Believe it or not, Minnesota has growingly become more conservative"
Precisely the reason more attention be paid to eduction. How has this conservative thing worked out for you bucko? Isn't the application of previously attempted solutions (whether they worked or not) to new and different problems,just intellectual laziness? And a for principles, Minnesotan, please...the only consistant principle Repugnican'ts ever have is to pay less in taxes regardless of what the real cost is. Have a nice day.
democracyforall
And Dem lemmings would jump off a cliff if Obama said to.
Have a nice day bucko.
.
.
roger37
There you go again--right wingnuts projecting their inadequacies on others. If you really believe that the Right doesn't slavishly follow the talking points of Fox News and Limbaugh, then you have a serious problem in reading comprehension.
Aleric
What a joke, accusing someone of using talking points when every Main Stream Media outlet BUT Fox says exactly what the white house talking points are on a daily basis.
jerseyjim
Believe it or not, Minnesota has growingly become more conservative. We still elected a lot of Republican Congressman.
Yes congrats on that; Bachman is quite impressive
Hawnzz
Bachman!? Impressive? You must be joking...
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larryfromkansas
I can see the letters coming in my mailbox from the local GOP pols saying they need money to stop Al Franken.
How embarrassing will that be? Guys with years of experience moaning over Al Franken? What a hoot!
democracyforall
how KEW-ELL will it be, having a court jester for Obama?
FNYGY1
Thank God for Franken - now there's somebody to punch up all that dray legislation. A couple a jokes a page will do.
Mostly what this tells me is that Minnesota needs a more sensible election system - instant runoff, maybe - so that this sort of fiasco doesn't happen again.
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roger37
Agree completely. It was a close election, and Franken won by 312 votes. And completely above-board recount procedures were used. It's exactly the way a democracy works. Shows you the value of going out to vote.
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keepakeeper43
Hey! Charlie D!
We just went through a "sad commentary on the state of things in this country" -
Eight years of George W. Bush! I agree, he was nothing to laugh about!
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Bamos99
Do you have a specific criticism of him that is rational? Have you read his works? Are you whining because Coleman and Barkley lost? Have you no decency (sound familar...)?
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roger37
What about it, Charleston? What are your specific charges about Franken?
How is he scum? What have you listened or read (besides Fox)?
Give us some specifics instead of name calling, then we can discuss it.
roger37
Hey, Charleston, it's the next day. Where are your specifics? Put your money where your big mouth is, OK?
JoshAus
I love the sound of wingnut heads exploding in the morning.
Maezeppa
If I were Eric Alterman I wouldn't presume such familiarity.
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ardeth
Soon-to-be-Senator Franken isn't what I'd call a true liberal--he was the most centrist of the original Air America lineup--but he's a bright, capable man and will do Minnesota proud.
marticampbell
Thank you, Ardeth. Finally someone who actually says something accurate about Franken. The naysayers and will be surprised.
KemCho
Franken should vote what Minnesota wants not what Obama, Pelosi and Reid want. That is a true test. I can assure he will fail it!
xbainx
Oh I'm super excited! The Republicans certainly failed at everything.
democracyforall
And right now the Dem lemmings are really ruining our country with legislation that will impoverish tax payers.
Hawnzz
I doubt it. It was the Republicans that got us here.
Snertly
I thought the official Minnesota Congressional Comedian was Michele Bachmann.
Hawnzz
No, she's just so stupid she's laughable. There is a difference...
bryanlevi
I'm glad someone on this thread finally brought up Dean Barkley, because I never heard his name mentioned by anyone in the news media during this whole Minnesota recount process.
While I do not claim to be an expert on Minnesota politics, it has always seemed very clear to me that if this guy had not been in the race, Franken would have had a decisive win on election night. Barkley's only place in politics is that he was appointed by Jesse Ventura to replace Wellstone. Not exactly the most honorable resume there. But yet no one brings up that his being in the race damn near threw an obvious win for Franken to obviously not-going-to-win Coleman. I wish someone would call this Barkley guy to account.
DBFan2009
i am looking forward to another al franken decade!
SFGiants
Yess!! Well said! And, as I reminisced in another threat, there's his brilliant SNL sketch on the final days of Nixon.
TheFreeLance
I thought Franken was good when he was a comedian, and brilliant as a debunker of political bs in books like "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, which are brilliant, well researched and, well, funny. I'm happy to see someone else join Jim Webb, the Republican from VA, as intelligent, honest people in the Senate. I don't always agree with Webb, and I probably won't always agree with Franken, but smart, honest politicians are rare animals.
Which-hunt
Last I checked Jim Webb was playing for the other team...
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jbeckner
"... it gives the Senate its first genuinely funny ex-comedian." There are plenty of comedians in the Senate, he will simply be another. And why an "ex-comedian"? I think he will be funnier in the Senate than on television. Ventura to Franken. What happened to Minnesota?
ChanRobt
Al Franken is many things. But, cool?
Funny, sometimes, I'll grant. Although, it's been awhile since he was that.
Thank you.
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