Al Franken Gets Serious For Senate Run

Washington Post: As A Candidate In Minnesota, Comedian Seeks To Prove Gravitas

(Washingtonpost.com) 
Franken knows, however, that his past cuts both ways. After decades on TV and radio, he has a long and voluminous record of saying, doing and writing things that may not endear him to a majority of voters.

Minnesota Republicans have been quick to highlight some of Franken's more colorful opinions in an effort to paint him as "Angry Al," a hotheaded ideologue. Ron Carey, the state GOP chairman, has noted in newspaper op-eds that Franken once called former secretary of state James Baker a "lying scumbag"; blasted former attorney general John Ashcroft as "something of a nutcase"; and once said that only "[expletive] idiots" think that Ronald Reagan was the greatest president of the 20th century. When Franken announced his candidacy in February, Republicans issued a press release pointing out that Franken, in a magazine interview last year, described Coleman with a term suggesting that he was sexually subservient to the president.

Franken also has been candid about his past drug use, particularly during the heady early years of "Saturday Night Live." In "Live From New York," an oral history of the program co-written by James A. Miller and The Washington Post's Tom Shales, Franken acknowledged, "I only did cocaine to stay awake to make sure nobody else did too much cocaine. That was the only reason I did it. Heh-heh."

Such negatives aren't likely to win Franken many votes among Minnesota's more socially conservative voters next year, says Lawrence Jacobs, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota. "The perception of Franken and how he's doing is much more positive on the East Coast and the West Coast" than in the state, he says. "Democrats in Minnesota are asking questions about whether he's electable, whether he can get past 47, 48 percent" in a statewide election.

For added irony, Franken, 56, has spent a good part of his adult life making fun of politics. Just a couple of years out of Harvard, Franken achieved pop-culture immortality as one of the original writers and longest-running cast members on "SNL." Among his many bits, he co-wrote the classic "Dukakis After Dark," in which he imagined the 1988 Democratic nominee conceding defeat to George H.W. Bush at a wild party. The skit aired a few weeks before the election. "You know," says the Dukakis character, "the one thing that really hurt us is that Reaganomics really works. It really does!"

Post-"SNL," Franken slashed conservatives and distilled his liberal worldview as an author, starting with his first book, "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big, Fat Idiot and Other Observations" in 1996. One of his books, "Why Not Me?" (1999), was a real art-imitates-life affair. In it, Franken imagines himself running for president as a single-issue candidate -- he's against ATM fees -- and winning.

These days, on the campaign trail and in interviews, Franken keeps the yuks to a minimum. He speaks energetically but cautiously, repeating and recycling the same bits of his stump speech. It's tough to throw him off message. Some of this discipline may reflect the tutelage of Mandy Grunwald, the veteran Washington political consultant who also advised Bill Clinton and Al Gore.

Indeed, Franken is plainly the most polished of the four leading Democrats vying for the nomination, each of whom showed up in Becker to address the candidates' meeting. His principal Democratic rival, Ciresi, is a tough-sounding but charisma-less bantam of a guy who stresses his legal victories over corporate opponents, including his role in the state's $6.1 billion settlement with the tobacco industry in 1998.

After the meeting, as Franken hangs around to sign autographs and pose for pictures, his talk seems to have impressed at least one couple, Gennady and Karen Bronshteyn, from nearby Elk River. "I'll vote for him," declares Gennady, a 39-year-old businessman. "He seems very knowledgeable about the issues. He's an advocate for regular people. I know what he's for and what he's against."

However, Karen, 41, a librarian who has read his books, recognizes Franken's potential weakness. "I imagine he's sensitive to the criticism that he's a comedian, that he's not serious," she says. "But I'm hoping [his fame] will help him win. I think he can win."

Franken still has some big hurdles to clear. A November poll taken by Survey USA found that 37 percent of voters viewed him negatively -- the same "negative" rating as Coleman. But while 36 percent expressed positive feelings about Coleman, only 22 percent of voters said that about Franken.

Some of the chilliness, Franken says, is a result of Republican efforts to tag him as a celebrity whose values are out of touch with Minnesotans. Franken shrugs it off. "When Minnesotans find out a few things about me," he says, sipping a milkshake in a deserted Becker coffee shop after his appearance at Gily's, "they'll find the caricature of me looks ridiculous."

Find out what?

That he grew up in Minnesota and was smart enough to get into Harvard; that he's been married for 32 years ("many of them happy," he can't resist joking) and raised two children. That he's volunteered for seven USO tours since 1999, entertaining U.S. service people in places such as Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq. That he's been endorsed by 45 state legislators, and unions representing steelworkers, teamsters, firefighters and government employees.

[mudrose-2009]

''''Franken doesn''''t want to be funny these days, not really funny.''''

No problem there. He never was and never will be.

Posted by Infidel_Us

And he doesn''t know how to run his pinky across his eyebrow either like O''Reilly. It''s peculiar and it''s funny.

[infidel_us]

''Franken doesn''t want to be funny these days, not really funny.''

No problem there. He never was and never will be.

[mudrose-2009]

Al Franken is the other side of the coin from Bill O''''Reilly. They make each other money by railing against each other.

Posted by befair1265

Then maybe O''Reilly should also run for the Senate. Let the two of them rant on the Hill. Ant Hill that is.

[befair1265]

Al Franken is the other side of the coin from Bill O''Reilly. They make each other money by railing against each other.

[mudrose-2009]

mudrose,

Feliz Navidad!
Posted by realpatriot1

Likewise my friend. Bon Noel!

[realpatriot1]

mudrose,

Feliz Navidad!

[mudrose-2009]

Too good not to share:

To All My Democrat Friends:
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wish.

To My Republican Friends:
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[bks59]

i ive in MN, sen. Coleman must go, I have met Al Frankin, the man is articulate about the issues, can build a team and knows and understands Minnesotans, Coleman is a carpet bagger from Mass. was a Dem in college, ran as a Dem as Mayor of St. Paul and switched to Rep while Mayor and is interested in keeping his nose in the bush crack.

[mudrose-2009]

New blood in the house - I''''m all for it - get the lifelong idiots out! We need some fresh ideas - the pendalum needs to swing LEFT for a LONG TIME!
Posted by simonsez40

Yes, bring in the clowns. We out to have clowns.

[simonsez40]

New blood in the house - I''m all for it - get the lifelong idiots out! We need some fresh ideas - the pendalum needs to swing LEFT for a LONG TIME!

[mudrose-2009]

A couple points that have not been posted here are #1 Coleman has had the seat for 5 years & is only 14% ahead of Franken, #2 Coleman''''s negative is the same as Franken! I can see why the repugnants are running scared they can kiss another senate seat good bye !
Posted by rchwel

So scared that we picked up two more.

[rchwel]

A couple points that have not been posted here are #1 Coleman has had the seat for 5 years & is only 14% ahead of Franken, #2 Coleman''s negative is the same as Franken! I can see why the repugnants are running scared they can kiss another senate seat good bye !

[sgtrds]

Have you noticed that Romney is trying to emulate his hair?

Posted by realpatriot1 at 05:31 AM : Dec 18, 2007

I have and the style looks just as silly on him as it did on Ronny. At least he hasn''t built a phony ranch like di*ckhead Bush has to try to make himself seem more like him..........yet.

[mudrose-2009]

Another clown who wants to be taken seriously. Sure, when hell freezes over. He wasn''t successful in Air America so now he just wants to rant directly into the ears of the public on the floor of Congress. Like I said, sure, when hell freezes over. What a clown.

[cfin5]

Yeah right, tune in to WLOSR for more......(snicker) updates folks......Besides, if he tried Mark Levin would be all over his ath in constitution class everyday ;)

[realpatriot1]

Sarge,

The right wing Hollywood bashers forget that their hero was Hollywood''s union boss.

Have you noticed that Romney is trying to emulate his hair?

[sgtrds]

Sonny Bono set the precedent. By the way, he''''s running for Senate, not Congress.

Posted by realpatriot1 at 09:20 PM : Dec 17, 2007

I lean more toward it being Ronny Raygun that did it. I mean have you seen some of his movies? I don''t know if they were funny on purpose, but you sure couldn''t call what he did dramatic acting. Ugh!

[realpatriot1]

notblue,

Sonny Bono set the precedent. By the way, he''s running for Senate, not Congress.

[sgtrds]

Franken wins in a walk. No problem.

[lawyertom1]

Al has more smarts that most of the morons in the Senate or House now [and infinitely more than the White House], and we know he will be entertaining. Whether he has the type of judgment needed to address national issues remains to be seen. But, I wish him well.