Al Franken for US Senate
February 15th, 2007 | by Jersey McJones |In October of 2002, in the last stretch of a contentious election in Minnesota, Paul Wellstone, one of my favorite Senators of all time, tragically died in a plane crash. Walter Mondale, then 74 years old, jumped into the race to replace Wellstone with all of 11 days left in the campaign. Wellstone’s long-time political nemesis, Democrat-turned-Republican, Norm Coleman won the election by a margin of only just over 2% of the vote. And with that, one of the most progressive Senators in modern history was replaced by yet another status quo politician.
Enter Al Franken. In a video now out, Franken - the man who brought us Air America, Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot, and coined the expression “Lying Liars,” the great comedy writer harking back to the classic Original Cast days of Saturday Night Live - announced he is running to retake the seat of his “political hero,” Paul Wellstone. I will not bother to quote from the video here. You really have to watch it to get the effect. But I’ll say this: He’s good enough, he’s smart enough, and doggone it, I like him. And though he is self-depricative about his qualifications, Franken did, in fact, graduate cum laude from Harvard with a BA in government. He’s much more than just a political comedian.
So, now it’s Coleman defending his seat against Franken. Minnesota has a long history of electing mavericks and progressives, from Wellstone to Jesse Ventura, both of whom defeated Coleman at one point or another. Flipping from his Liberal youth, Coleman’s status quo, conservative, Pro-Life, anti-science, pro-war, anti-environment, pro-free trade, anti-checks and balances, pro-Bush, anti-America positions will be hard to run on in 2008. Franken has name recognition, is a brilliant speaker and debator, and has been proven right on most every position he has espoused.
Now I’ve got two “Al”s to say this to - RUN, “AL”S, RUN!!!
JMJ
27 Responses to “Al Franken for US Senate”
By Dusty on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
I had no idea Franken graduated from Harvard. I wish him luck.
By Jersey McJones on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
Unlike most pols, Franken is not a braggart. His self-depricating style is disarming. Coleman better watch his back.
JMJ
By SteveIL on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
The man who brought us Air America? Yeah, that was great, wasn’t it? Financed with money from a Boy’s and Girl’s Club in NYC, which I don’t believe has been completely resolved, and which was all but ignored by the media. And Franken still made out like a bandit, kind of like that CEO from Home Depot. That BA from Harvard sure didn’t save his sorry-ass reputation from the travesty that is Air America.
People may like Stuart Smalley, but there’s tons of people who do not like Franken, and think he is nothing more than another brainless Hollywood liberal loser with a lot of money (see my Air America reference above). I’ve heard him debate; he should stick to comedy (he is a funny guy and I did like him on SNL as a comedian).
By Dusty on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
Al Franken was a contributor on Air America. Why do you link him to their business model? Your pathetic response shows you buy the company(neocon) line of thought. Good one SteveIL!
You just totally made yourself look like an absolute fool and tool with that comment.
By SteveIL on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
No, Dusty. He was way more than just a “contributor”. He was heavily involved with the business end of it. The links to prove it are now gone, unfortunately, since this started two years ago. See Michelle Malkin and Brian Maloney. You can say that what they have is photoshopped, but I followed this story when it broke, and am convinced Franken was more than a mere talkshow host. A crook who got away with theft is more appropriate. He learned well from the Clintons.
By Dusty on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
First off, Malkin isn’t a journalist, shes a shrill stretcher of the truth and in many cases, she outright lies her ass off. Using her to backup your statement is ridiculous.
The other guy’s links are broken and don’t work..again..how does any of your comment support your assertion?
By Jersey McJones on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
Do you goofball cons have any evidence from a source that isn’t a sicko lying rightwing scumbag?
JMJ
By Tom Baker on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
SteveIL, let me repeat my never ending refrain with you - prove it.
By SteveIL on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
Jersey and Dusty,
If you don’t want to believe them, or even read them, fine. No skin off my nose. I don’t agree, and think Franken has become as sleazy as the Clintons.
By SteveIL on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
Tom,
It is apparent to me that you like to argue with opinions and call them facts. In the case here, I at least admit that the links showing Franken’s complicity aren’t all there. Of course, this case is over two years old and now-governor Eliot Spitzer (when NY AG) didn’t exactly move on it like a herd of gazelles (gee, couldn’t be that Franken’s and Spitzer’s political affiliation had anything to do with it, could it). In lieu of finding any evidence, I’ll say that it is my opinion that Franken got away with something.
By Paul Watson on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
SteveIL,
Aren’t you the same SteveIL who keeps calling Steve O out for condemning the soldiersat Haditha without a trial? Perhaps you’d care to, for once, pracitce what you preach? Or doesn’t guilty until proven innocent apply to liberals in your world?
By Jersey McJones on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
How is Franken, by agreeing to work for free in order to pay back a loan that was later discovered to be shady in it’s initial dealing guilty of anything other than cleaning up a mess he didn’t even understand, nor care to get involved with beyond sparing Air America any further trouble? If this were a real problem, then why is a big investor stepping in now to keep the company alive?
Once yet again, SteveIL, you concern yourself with things that don’t matter and trust sources that you shouldn’t.
You’re such a sucker.
JMJ
By Dusty on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
SteveIL, I respect your right to your opinion. You however have yet to prove anything. Using a blog as documentation is tantamount to using the Enquirer as backup.
Your fixation with the Clintons is wearing thin. I have respect for your views but when you keep tossing their names in there, without one thing to back you up..you sound petty and fuckwitted.
Its hard to understand how tossing the name Clinton into every other sentence proves anything for you SteveIL..seriously. You are bordering on sandy territory, and I am not being cute. You used to back up your assertions..what changed?
By Tom Baker on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
No SteveIL, I ask you repeatedly to backup your claims because you don’t seem to know the difference between facts and opinion. You present opinion as the gospel and repeatedly fail to backup your statements. In this case at lease you tried, though what you presented as evidence is Michelle Malkin’s (another blogger!!) biased interpretation of events. They may be true,they may not be. All you showed us was a signature of Al Franken on a piece of paper that was part of a settlement claim to relinquish claims to money he was owed. His lawyer (allegedly) recommended he sign them. Now you can say he should have read them, you can say he should have intimate knowledge of everything in there, but you also pay your attorney money to vet these things. It’s like how most politicians don’t read the bills they vote on - their staff does it. Is it stupid? Maybe. Is it criminal? Hardly. Unless evidence can be produced that Mr. Franken was a conspirator to borrow the money, was “heavily involved” in running the company or was more than just high-priced on-air talent then this is just another smear campaign.
Hell you throw Elliot Spencer’s name into this smear campaign with ZERO and I mean ZERO information to back that up. Typical. And you have the balls to say I confuse facts and opinion?
SteveIL from now on you can consider me Clara Peller, because I’ll be the one asking Where’s the Beef. So far you leave us rather hungry.
By Lazy Iguana on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
The only thing wrong with Air America’s business model is that they are not on enough stations. Clear Channel proved that if you put crap on enough stations nationwide - you can make money. You think hysterical right wing talk is “number one” in many markets? Well it is not. It may be “number one” on AM radio, but compared to FM music stations AM is like a little league baseball game. Nobody there unless your kid is playing. And even on FM, it is a one horse race. Stations used to vary from market to market, to reflect local taste. Local bands could get air time. Miami stations sounded like Miami stations.
But now, thanks to deregulation, Clear Channel, and the rise of corporate radio Miami stations sound like Orlando stations, which sound like Tallahassee stations, which sound like Mobile Alabama stations, which sound like Seattle stations.
Same for AM talk. Remember when the jerk on the radio actually LIVED in your market? Remember when you could call in a show and get on the air without going through a massive screening process?
So anyway, all they need is more stations in more markets. Enough people will listen to it for them to claim “millions of listeners” and charge decent rates for advertising time. They can even claim to be “number one” for their time slots!
As for Al running for the Senate - SteveIL I assume you live in IL. If this is the case, it is really none of your business WHO Minnesota votes for. You do not live there. Neither do I, I live in FL. I can only vote for Senators from my state. If the people of Minnesota think Al Franken will make a good Senator, then they will vote for him. If not they will vote for the other guy. Either way, I have no horses in that race.
This may be insane, but I say let residents on Minnesota pick their own Senators. Talk radio hosts are free to say whatever they want - but if you ask me UNLESS they live in Minnesota they ought to just shut the crap up.
By Lazy Iguana on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
Oh and by the way - I ALWAYS found Al’s humor to be dry. Very dry. Atacama Desert dry. If my eyes were that dry I would need a gallon of Clear Eyes drops dry. And not that funny. Stewart Smalley skits were ALWAYS a good time to get up to take a leak. Give me Toonces The Driving Cat over Stewart any day.
By Tom Baker on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
However even though it isn’t our business, feel free to donate to the campaign if you feel inclined. One less Republican in the Senate is a good thing for all of America.
By L. Long on Feb 15, 2007 | Reply
As one from Minnesota:
Paul Wellstone was a liberal, left wing pain in the ass, who had the courage of his convictions, and never waivered. I disagreed with his stance constantly, but trusted him, because I knew where he was coming from.
Jesse Ventura was a third rate sports talk host. No one was more suprised than Jesse when he actually won. He did, however, help to push through the light rail system in the twin cities which has proven to be an overwhelming success. However, overall, he was a fizzle.
Al Franken will be yet another empty suit, flailing away with the personal attacks that typified his radio talk show. In the end, his campaign style will guarantee Colemans re-election. Don’t expect a great deal from this campaign besides increased polarization. And that tends to make Minnesota voters tune out.
By SteveIL on Feb 16, 2007 | Reply
Dusty said:
You don’t like me bashing the Clintons and it’s getting thin? Oh, well. Hillary’s running for President, and she’s fair game for everything. Giuliani’s fair game. Romney’s fair game. Edwards. Obama. McCain. All of them. Durbin’s up for re-election as Senator in my state in 2008, if he runs again (I don’t know if he’s announced yet). Fair game.
So Franken is running for the Senate. Now he is fair game. Lazy Iguana is right, I can’t vote for him. But it will matter to me if he wins. As it will for everybody else. You know what Democrats are to me? This is a good start. And this shit has been going on for 50 years; and, like Franken, I can’t vote to keep them out of office. But the rest of us here in Illinois get to help pay for their mistakes. Yeah, George Ryan was a Republican. But he’s been gone for four years and the two previous governors (Thompson and Edgar, both Republican) did retire with decent reputations.
Have the Republicans been any better? No, except for one thing. They’ve been too lazy to worry about what government can do for people, and the less government the better. Where that got fouled up is when Bush did try to get government to do things it shouldn’t do, and Congress didn’t do enough to stop it (and I don’t mean the war). Unfortunately, the Democrats (historically) promise the government will do things for people, then don’t tell anybody how it will get paid for, at least until new taxes are passed (Bush 41, Clinton).
Like I said, Franken is a funny guy.
By Dusty on Feb 16, 2007 | Reply
Ah, Mr.Long IS from MN..so he actually can vote for Al. Look, all pol’s are creeps, unless they have only the public’s best interest in mind..and those are few and far between. Lets hear if Al has any plans before he judge him. Perhaps the fact that he isn’t a pol is a plus.
Nice to see you Mr. Long. Hope you are doing as well as can be expected. Take care sir.
By Dusty on Feb 16, 2007 | Reply
I don’t judge them by their party, I judge them by their actions SteveIL. Unlike you apparently. I was enamored with John McCain during his last Presidential run..this time around..Weathervane McCain is going as right as possible to appeal to the republican base of bigots, religious wingnuts and other assorted nutjobs..so much for him.
I can take Rudy. I like his social convictions, he loves illegal aliens, he is pro gay rights and prochoice…no one candidate can fill all your needs so you need to find one that is the closest match. Fiscal responsibility is important to me along with states rights. I have left, right and centrist views on many things and a shade of libertarian.
To blast Al before has even said a fucking word about what he wants to do is fuckwitted and narrow minded.
By steve on Feb 16, 2007 | Reply
Hey, back off SteveIl, he’s right!!
Because he’s good enough, strong enough, and gosh darn it, people like him…
By Lazy Iguana on Feb 16, 2007 | Reply
SteveIL - ah yea, campaign and election fraud!
Want me to send you a zillion links to stories about REPUBLICANS in Miami-Dade County involved in:
1. Wife beating with teapots
2. election fixing
3. drug dealing
4. going to jail
5. immigration law blocking
6. vanishing funds from budgets
7. using public money to buy fancy sports cars
8. sheriffs who drive a Ferrari painted with BSO logos and outfitted with cop lights - and charge the county with the maintenance and upkeep because it is a “police car” that they happen to be able to take home.
9. Banning music, sending a 25 year old undercover cop into a record store and ARRESTING the business owner because the owner sold an adult man a record with the F word on it.
10. many, many other things that make Chicago look like kindergarten.
Really. Local news here is the best. You never know what crazy thing the Mayor Of Miami is going to throw at his wife next. We do not call him “Loco” Joe for nothing!
But anyway, Dusty makes a point. Franken the comedian / radio host and Franken the Senator will probably not be the same person. I work for the local government. Or at least I did - and may soon do again. If you ever worked in the public sector you know that you have to LEAVE STUFF AT HOME. Like your opinions. Who you are at work may or may not be the same person you are off work. And that is OK. In fact, that is GOOD for your service career.
Phony? No. Just doing your job. You see, opinions can get in the way of your job - which in the case of elected officials is to represent the people. Lets say something is up for vote that I do not exactly like - but those in my district are strongly in favor of it. I would probably vote for it. You see, what I think matters not. What my BOSS thinks matters a lot more.
In the case of what I used to do, a lot of times I had to assist people I did not exactly care for. But my job was to be professional, and represent my office to the best of my ability. It was ALMOST like being a diplomat. ALMOST. No matter WHO it was, I had to show them all the respect that their office was entitled to.
So all the books Al has written - all the jokes - all the radio stuff - that was done as a JOB. It could very well ALL be shtick. You know, stuff said or written to make money. Everyone has to eat! No question the man leans to the left, but exactly what his platform will be is not known.
The people of Minnesota will be able to sort things out. It is after all their horse race.
By steve on Feb 16, 2007 | Reply
One little stance I can take on this though and this is for Jersey, Tom and Dusty:
Guys, look. Criticism in politics always starts from the other side. Everything about Bush started from your side. Your unhappiness and humor got the ball rolling, everyone tripped on it and then you got reliable sources like the NYT and even the Economist magazine onboard and now Republican’s criticizing Bush. You rarely criticize the job he is doing. You only criticize his past performance, the way he talks and the way he looks, and then the corrupt individuals he surrounded himself with. A lot of this stuff started with Al Franken. You guys are traditionally the more vocal, more likely to protest, and more likely to form a blog and criticize a political figure. And it all comes from Al Franken, Janine Garafealo, Huffington and any other well paid celebrity. You look for these people to lead you, guide you and mold your political stance. And really, with the exception of Schwarzenegger, I’d be damned to want to see another well paid celebrity attempt to gain some false sense of power by running for office. You guys use these moron celebs as proof all the time!
With that said, I think it absolutely stupid to criticize what Malkin is saying on her blog and not take it as a form of proof to an argument. You guys feel what you do here is important and probably more important than what she does because as Jersey is always quick to point, she’s a sleazy neo-con. (Jersey, your one trick “sleazy” comment is about as old and tired as a 4truth Bush lied post, prove me wrong!!)
By Dusty on Feb 16, 2007 | Reply
Steve, if someone critizes, you expect them to bring more to the table besides..he sucks, he owns air america and he’s a comedian liberal. Sorry, but I want a little more than that as a critique of Al..the thing is NO ONE will know..hes a rookie in the political world. He should be given the shot to run his yap and step in shit..like all politicians.
Bush is a lying sack of shit..who lied again yesterday..gee, lets give him the benefit of the doubt again. I do not read HuffPo, I never listened to Al and Janene so there goes that generality steve..
By Tom Baker on Feb 16, 2007 | Reply
Steve I have no problem if you say you don’t like Franken because he’s a liberal talking head who is an idiot. Fine personal opinion. I DO have a problem when someone, repeatedly, casts dubious claims about an individual with no real evidence to back it up. Citing another blog isn’t proof of anything any more than citing one of my articles is proof of anything. Showing one document, taken with no context and putting whatever spin you want on it isn’t proof. It’s more opinion. And when that opinion is, once again presented as “fact” with the sole cause of slandering or defaming someone else I’m going to call Bullshit and ask for some real evidence. Backup your claim or present them in a way that suggests that this is pure conjecture and bullshit on your part.
And Steve we CONSTANTLY attack the job the President IS doing. Are you mad? We pick apart every dumb idea that comes out of his office. We do it by providing evidence contrary to his stated position. I don’t get the “past performance” part? Which part - the Iraq War? That’s ongoing. He’s stifling of stem cell research? Ongoing? His attempt to privatize Social Security? Ongoing. Tax breaks for the wealthy? Ongoing. New Orleans? Ongoing. Global Warming? Ongoing. Am I missing something?
Lets be honest Steve, this is a liberal blog. Conservative writers are going to be continually challenged. Your playing on the opposing teams turf. Your not getting any calls from the ref. If you want constant validation go hang around on Malkins site (not that we want you to, that is considered cruel and unusual punishment according to 16 states). If you want to tussle, stay here. But when you do, don’t bitch when we ask for evidence. We provide it when we are asked, SteveIL or anyone else will have to as well. That or face being called out on the carpet and embarassed. As the great Forrest Gump once said, Stupid is as Stupid does.
For the record, I’ve never received any kind of proof anytime I’ve asked for it. It’s getting to be a running joke around here.
Franken 08. It has a great ring to it. Yeah, a really good ring.
By Jersey McJones on Feb 16, 2007 | Reply
Steve, unlike the sheepish con right, the left is diverse in opinion and thought. The right has realy only two groups - the conservative religious right and the randian libertarian right. The left has all sorts of varied groups, from progressives like me, to the religious left, from hippies and peaceniks, to organized labor wonks. We do not listen to and heed the dogmas of celebrities. We simply either agree with them about some things or not. The right, on the other hand, - the 1/3 of America right - unquestionably follows it’s leaders like lemmings to a cliff and get all their talking points from the Malkins and Limbaughs and Hannitys et al.
Oh, and I read the Malkin piece and summarized it above. If you want to argue it, then fine. Be a man and argue it.
JMJ