Murdoch Press Blows Gasket Over Franken Victory
Here's a fun dose of schadenfreude.
Sen.-elect Al Franken's (D-MN) long-awaited victory in the 2008 Minnesota Senate race seems to have caused quite a lot of stress in the Murdoch-owned press. Remember, this is the same corporation that sued him for his Lies And The Lying Liars Who Tell Them book back in 2003, with the unintended consequence of giving him tons of free publicity to sell books -- and elevating him into being a hero of liberal activists, without which he might never have become a politician!
On Fox News yesterday evening, Glenn Beck was quite alarmed by the development:
"This is like having me in the Senate," Beck said. "You don't want me as a Senator! What is that? I mean, it shows how crazy our country has gone -- you don't want me as a Senator, you don't want Al Franken as a Senator."
Regardless of whether you agree with that comparison, you do have to admire Beck's honesty about himself.
Fox host Brian Kilmeade was also very upset this morning:
"Now we find out that Al Franken -- who's barely sane if you read his books, and is quite angry in every facet of his life -- is now the Senator from Minnesota," Kilmeade said, turning to his Minnesota-born co-host Gretchen Carlson. "Explain yourself, Gretchen."
The Wall Street Journal also has an editorial decrying the election process in Minnesota -- an essay that is so full of factual errors and distortions about what happened, it can drive you nuts if you'd spent countless hours following all the gritty details like I did. Its major fallacy is to accuse the Franken campaign of committing supposedly dirty maneuvers, without mentioning that the Coleman side was participating in the exact same activities just as fervently or even more so.
"Mr. Franken now goes to the Senate having effectively stolen an election," the Journal concludes. "If the GOP hopes to avoid repeats, it should learn from Minnesota that modern elections don't end when voters cast their ballots. They only end after the lawyers count them."
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
schadenfreude indeed. :)
July 1, 2009 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
But they Walk With God.
July 1, 2009 12:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
So did I. But then God stuck His foot out and tripped me up, just to show me He could.
July 1, 2009 5:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
I remember when my side was losing all the elections and slipping into irrelevancy. I didn't like it very much either, and threw myself the occasional pity party. Luckily, I didn't have international broadcast media on which to embarrass myself while I was doing it.
July 1, 2009 3:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just think how much more "relevant" you would have been had you had a MSM outlet to broadcast your "relevancy." When the Dems were out of power and losing, they were weak and unpopular. When the Repubs are, they are victims but still mainstream.
July 1, 2009 3:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
The GOP is only mainstream due to their comedy, I don't call what they do political. They are the joke that keeps giving.
July 5, 2009 8:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
It wasn't the success of Franken's books that propelled him into politics. I've heard him speak enough about this to be sure that it was Wellstone's death that propelled him the get active beyond satire. In fact, not just Wellstone's death, but the lies the right told about the memorial service, which Franken wrote about in the aforementioned book and talked about on his radio show propelled Franken to run. If Republicans would just have acted like human beings, like Wellstone's opponent Rudy Boschwitz did, and recognize the political speech was just a grieving friend saying things he shouldn't have, and offering condolences, Franken's win wouldn't have happened.
Instead Republicans brought out the meanness and used public misunderstandings to spread lies and lead to a political empty jacket defeating Walter Mondale for the seat Wellstone looked highly likely to retain. That's where the intensity of this race came from, and also, frankly, they motivated many DFLers to step up and try to fill part of our Wellstone-sized hole. The revived DFL now holds all statewide offices except governor, which Pawlenty won narrowly in a fluke. The DFL has both houses of the legislature, two seats from veto-proof majorities, the only competitive congressional seats are the three Republican ones, and the GOP can forget Minnesota as a presidential swing state without a Minnesota GOPer on the ticket. Maybe not even then.
So now the GOP feels like the floor fell out from beneath them. In a way I sympathize, but then I remember the bumper stickers after Wellstone's death that said "he's dead, get over it".
July 1, 2009 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Calling Quimby an "empty jacket" is an insult to clothing everywhere.
July 1, 2009 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let's remember that Pawlenty, the only Republican statewide, won without a majority.
And yes, I remember the "he's dead, get over it" stickers. Really classy, GOP.
July 1, 2009 1:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I didn't know about the bumper stickers. That's beyond tasteless.
And more evidence supporting Markos' argument about the complete lack of empathy in Republicans.
July 1, 2009 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Indeed. It's never about anything more than privilege and selfishness for the conservative movement.
July 1, 2009 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Remember what they said after the 2004 election? "Hey Democrats, you crybabies, Bush won. Get over it."
Well, Republicans, Obama won and Franken won. Get over it, you crybabies.
July 1, 2009 3:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Republicans will never get over Franken's election.
Humor and Satire are the light sabers of politics (see FDR's "My Dog Fala" speech), and Franken is a Jedi Master in its use.
Franken is worth two pedestrian senators and a dozen Libermans.
He's a liberal, and he's proud of it. He will be more effective at painting Republicans into a corner and subjecting them to public rebuke and ridicule as any man in Washington.
This is only my prediction - of course. But Fox's reaction reinforces the notion.
July 1, 2009 8:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Eric I entirely agree with this statement after following Al for a long time and reading all his books:
"It wasn't the success of Franken's books that propelled him into politics. I've heard him speak enough about this to be sure that it was Wellstone's death that propelled him the get active beyond satire. In fact, not just Wellstone's death, but the lies the right told about the memorial service, which Franken wrote about in the aforementioned book and talked about on his radio show propelled Franken to run."
No biggie for you but I hereby award you the Dayly Comment of the Day Award for this here TPM site given to all of you from all of me.
July 1, 2009 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
When you say they told "lies" about the Wellstone memorial, have you noticed how offended conservative Republicans get and how adamant they frequently become stating that those are not lies?
I don't think that we can really characterize those statements as lies. I think they are expressions of a fundamentally different worldview that includes a lot of socialized methods of discounting the character, morals and resulting credibility of those who try to tell them the truth. Their statements are more wrong than lies. They are delusions. As anyone who has ever tried to give an addict rational reasons for staying away from drugs or alcohol can tell you, reason does not counter a delusion.
Those conservatives emerse themselves in this strange different fantasy world, reading Ann Coulter religiously and listening to right-wing talk radio. The memes those conservative sources present give their views, and associated with that, reasons to discredit everyone who presents an opposing view. As a culture, the modern conservatives learned a lot of this from the anti-Communist right-wingers of the past who not only trashed Communism, they demonized Marx, Labor, and all forms of Socialism. They don't argue against the idea itself so much as they demonize the sources. Which is why it is sometimes a shock to realize that Marx was considered by economists to be the most important economist of the 19th century.
Today the conservatives are carrying that over to demonize ACORN among other things. They need enemies to rail against. It's part of that fantasy world and a way of defending against opposing ideas.
I used to wonder about right-wing neighbors and coworkers who were frequently quite nice and personable unless subjects went to "politics." At that time they suddenly became angry almost to the level of being unhinged and totally unreasonable. I now realize that they had entered that other world.
These guys thought that with the election of Bush their world was becoming reality in the enemy government.(They don't have political opponents. Just "enemies.") Suddenly with the 2008 election of Obama their world has abruptly been taken away from them. It's no wonder they feel"...like the floor fell out from beneath them."
A few will survive the disappointment and adapt to some level of psychic comfort. Most won't. They are addicted to their strange fantasy world, and they still have many sources saying that if they wish hard enough and click their heels together, they can get it back.
July 1, 2009 2:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Too many people are still getting their 'information' from that alternate reality. GIGO.
How can they be weaned from it? At one point we were much closer to having two sane parties but as long as at least 30% of the population is ingesting this tripe we are all at risk.
July 1, 2009 3:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not disagreing with anything you said, except I was being literal about "lies". They said the speeches were vetted by DFL brass, but the speakers said whatever they wanted with no pirior review. They said the attendees were told by directions on the video screens when to applaud, cheer etc. That was closed captioning that follwoed the appaluse. So, they didn't just twist or refuse to recognize reality in that case. They lied.
July 1, 2009 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very well said. You have expressed what I have felt for a long time but was never able to put into such elegant words.
July 1, 2009 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I remember more than those post memorial service bumper stickers.
While waiting in line to get into Paul's Memorial, and meeting up with people I hadn't seen since that first campaign in 1990 -- I saw several young men (frat types) putting Coleman bumper stickers over Wellstone ones on cars parked in one of the University lots. I walked down the street half a block and got some cops to deal with the matter -- they did, took names and all, and ran them off. Cops asked me if I wanted to make a formal complaint, but given the event, and not wanting to go through red tape, I said no as long as they didn't come back.
One of the worst decisions I ever made -- if the complaint had been on file, perhaps some of the post Memorial Service trashing would not have taken place.
July 1, 2009 7:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Glenn Beck thinks he's funny. I know funny, and he's not funny.
July 1, 2009 12:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Love your screen name, but after last night's performance (blowing a 9-run lead) I'm a little worried lol!
You're right - Glenn Beck is probably one of the unfunniest people I've ever seen. He validates my theory that conservatives are genetically unable to be funny. Other than Mike Huckabee (who is mildly amusing and somewhat clever) there is not one conservative that I can think of that is the least bit humorous. They are cringe-inducing, as a matter of fact. And they think they're funny - that's actually the funny part. :P
July 1, 2009 12:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Huckabee's humor works when it does because he directs it at himself - usually to gently poke fun at his own failings or his public image. Beck et al try to be witty to elevate themselves and demonstrate how clever and wonderful they are, and so falls flat.
Self-deprecating humor is always more enjoyable than self-aggrandizing humor.
July 1, 2009 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
And Huckabee comes across as a really, really nice guy. Totally misguided, of course, but very likable. It's a bit scary.
July 1, 2009 1:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, he comes across kinda like the crazy uncle everyone's known. It's like "Yeah, he's a little looney, but he means well."
July 2, 2009 5:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, William Buckley had one of the wriest senses of humor ever. Although I disagreed with him politically, I loved listening to him speak. He inevitably made me laugh.
July 1, 2009 1:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, but he's not a conservative anymore, he's a compostative, just as we all will someday be.
July 1, 2009 1:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
True, he doesn't make me laugh in his present state, but when he was conservative he was also very funny.
July 1, 2009 1:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
May his carbon be sequestered for eternity.
July 1, 2009 1:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I still have a soft spot in my heart for PJ O'Roarke.
July 1, 2009 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, he's pretty funny too. I hear him every now and again on Wait, Wait...
July 1, 2009 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
P.J. O'Rourke is a conservative/libertarian . . . and one of the funniest people on the planet.
July 1, 2009 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
WSJ has an interesting standard for victory. If you have the most votes on election night, regardless of how the totals were arrived at, you win. Who needs any laws about recounts, appeals etc. when you can use this standard instead?
July 1, 2009 12:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, their "standard" for victory ties the legitimacy of the win to whether the putative victor is a Democrat.
And this standard is applied quite consistently in close elections, regardless of where the complicating factors may come down.
July 1, 2009 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, and this is the GOP meme that really angers me about this -- the notion that any time a Democrat wins a close election, it means the election is "stolen," never mind how rigorous and scrupulously fair the process is.
They've been pushing this notion ever since 1992, and I think it shows the party as being fundamentally undemocratic. They would appear to lean toward oligarchy or corporatocracy.
July 1, 2009 1:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well actually they have been pushing it since 1960. With the difference being that they may have been right in that election.
Not that either Party had clean hands in the days before One Man, One Vote. Amazing what you can do when you have control over district lines with no need to equalize population plus an active system of voter disenfranchisement (poll taxes, literacy tests, etc). Or as in the big cities have voting machines that made a distinctive sound if you voted the Party Line, but a set of different ones if you actually decided to split your vote. An honest vote count does not mean an honest election.
July 1, 2009 2:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, elections were more likely than not to be somewhat tainted a century of so ago, and both sides ( or sometimes, all three sides) could be caught with their hands dirty and pants down at any given moment. So what? We're talking about the here and now, and not 1876 or 1912.
Frankly I'm tired of reading these "well, both sides do it" memes, because recent events have shown us unequivocally that such an argument is false equivalency at best, and outright bullshit at worst. Save your discussion for history class, where it belongs.
July 1, 2009 5:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Goddammit, NO. They were NOT "right" in 1960. Do your research. Just google it. Your comment just shows how effective Nixon's behind-the-scenes, post-election campaign was.
July 2, 2009 3:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.slate.com/id/91350/
this article argues that fraud was clearly committed in Cook County but the extent can not be determined. at the time, Seymour Hersh believed that Nixon should have won the election.
whether there was enough fraud to tip the scale in nixon's favor, we'll NEVER know.
July 3, 2009 6:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
And I LOVE this statement "If the GOP hopes to avoid repeats, it should learn from Minnesota that modern elections don't end when voters cast their ballots. They only end after the lawyers count them."
They didn't learn that in 2000? WE certainly did (tho Kerry didn't in Ohio in 2004).
July 1, 2009 9:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is hilarious. Where was this fervent, deeply felt need to protect the sanctity of the vote when all the reports of irregularities at minority polling places in Florida 2000 surfaced?
Also hilarious, if you read the MN Supreme Court's opinion, is their insistence that strict compliance with the MN absentee voter law is essential to prevent voter fraud -- the supposed rationale behind the Bush administration's firings of all those US attorneys a couple years ago. Beck and co. should be thankful the MN Supreme Court agrees with them about the evils of voter fraud! Everyone, remember the GOP's acceptance of "substantial compliance" the next time Michele Bachmann or anyone else opens their gob to complain about ACORN.
July 1, 2009 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Poor babies - I'm sure they were all counting on having this thing dragged out indefinitely, blocking Franken until the cows came home. Right now they're probably incensed that Coleman gave up the fight.
July 1, 2009 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is beyond delightful to see so many driven to such rapture. You gotta love the equality of the law of unintended consequences.
Now if we could just figure out how to make the real miscreants of all the calamity pull thier hair out as well then we'd be on to something.
July 1, 2009 12:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
modern elections don't end when voters cast their ballots. They only end after the lawyers count them.
Lawyers in this case meaning "every single judge who has ever ruled on the case."
I envy WSJ editorial writer. It must be great to not only have your very own fantasy universe, but be able to live there all the time.
July 1, 2009 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Most of those judges were initially appointed by Republicans, including Mr. Pawlenty.
July 1, 2009 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Irrelephants.
July 1, 2009 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nice!
July 1, 2009 1:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sweet!
July 1, 2009 8:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
zing!
July 3, 2009 6:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love it when the right wing press goes into apoplectic fits.
So any word on whether O'Reilly's head exploded a la the movie Scanners?
July 1, 2009 12:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Senator Al will Haunt His Dreams...
July 1, 2009 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Which actually will provide pleasant dreams for me. If it bothers one of the High Priests of Hate and Intolerance that much it means it is a very good thing.
Sweet dreams Billy Boy...
July 1, 2009 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Scanners"! One of my favorite David Kronenberg movies...right up there with "They Came from Within" and "The Brood." One day a few years ago I took an afternoon off from work because there was a David Kronenberg marathon at a movie house in Greenwich Village. I figured, "who's gonna be there on a Tuesday at 2?" A packed theater full of fellow hooky players, that's who! Gotta love NYC!
July 1, 2009 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ahhhh...another Cronenberg fan!!! And don't forget Rabid with the late great Marilyn Chambers. They Came From Within (aka Shivers) was very disturbing...
July 1, 2009 3:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, "Rabid" was playing that day too.
July 2, 2009 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Glenn Beck had quite the evening, didn't he? In addition to coming unglued about Franken, he agreed that the best hope for our country was for bin Laden to attack again.
Your headline could be shorter.
And just as accurate.
July 1, 2009 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Every time I see a clip of the Fox news hosts, I feel like a voyeur looking in on a high school circle jerk.
July 1, 2009 1:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
The dumbing down of America is shown on Faux News on an hourly basis.
July 1, 2009 1:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck, O'Reilly- Whatever the topic is, it's always about them first.
July 1, 2009 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
We may have a four way explosion. These four are doing more to promote the progressive agenda than they know, so may they all survive to explode another day.
July 1, 2009 1:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
The ability of today's dumbed-down right wing nutjobs to celebrate their own ignorance by diminishing the intelligence of exceptionally educated people is the height of reverse elitism.
These intellectually and emotionally inferior wannabees rationalize that "they" are being discriminated against because "they" are less educable and more simple-minded than their political opponents. They are like the rich but dumb kids in high school who drove shiny new cars their parents bought them and pretended they were superior and defended their fragile egos by belittling financially disadvantaged and socially awkward kids who got much better grades.
July 1, 2009 1:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ergo, the GOP's eons-long war on the Dept. of Ed. and education spending in general.
July 1, 2009 1:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think I know why Brian Kilmeade is upset, and it isn't just because he's effectively a big child as he has clearly demonstrated on several occasions. He was also singled out in Lies and was described, more or less, as a reactionary gorilla. Kilmeade strikes me as the kind of person who would hold that grudge for a Bernie-Goldberg-worth length of time. Watching him seethe in anger is a joy to behold. But by no means an infrequent even on that program.
Side note: I love how he, the angsty child of Fox & Friends, is trying to repeat the mantra of "Angry Al". Um...Mr. Pot?
July 1, 2009 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Having Al Franken in the senate is like having Glen Beck? Hardly. Al Franken graduated from Harvard. Glen Beck graduated...from high school. He never even went to college.
July 1, 2009 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
And he never wrote comedy for a national television show.
Plus, he's not funny. At all.
July 1, 2009 1:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe that the Harvard educated comedic genius and math whiz Franken will prove to be a very good progressive Senator in the mold of Paul Wellstone.
And I hope that Wellstone is watching somewhere, knowing that good has prevailed in the long run.
I just hope that Franken doesn't mute his comedic gifts too much, because it can be quite useful and effective at the right times.
SENATOR AL FRANKEN, damn that looks good.
July 1, 2009 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Glen is "ABSOLUTELY CORRECT"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We don't want (Glen) as a US Senator.
WE ALSO DON'T WANT HIM TO RESTART HIS TRICK OF DRAGING DOWN PEOPLE WHO'RE REALLY "GETTING AND STAYING SOBER", BY PAINTING THEM WITH HIS OWN BRUSH.
Don't forget that Neal B., Hannity, Rush, and the rest of the loud mouths are all BUSINESS MEN.
ERGO, whichever side of the situation you want me to be on depends on how high is your stack of $$.
July 1, 2009 1:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
The GOP talking about stolen elections is another priceless gem from American Conservatism. Kind of like hearing the GOP preach about family values, love of country and respect for other people's views.
July 1, 2009 1:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Amen.
July 1, 2009 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh come on, she has got to be able to find something pinker, with a much deeper cleavage and shorter skirt...why isn't she in a Carrie
PJ bikini???!! That's all they want bimbos on cluster FOX for.
July 1, 2009 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just hope SNL has the presence of mind to launch "Stuart Smiley Goes to Washington." Al could probably do the Senate and the Show at the same time; donating his salary to his favorite charity.
"I won the election. Doggonit, people like me!"
July 1, 2009 1:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hahaha!!!
That would be classic!!
July 1, 2009 1:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I want to see "Al Franken is a big, fat SENATOR. Get OVER it Faux News."
July 1, 2009 9:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Has Glenn Beck ever met Bill O'Reilly, won put together an exploratory committee to consider running for the SENATE!
July 1, 2009 2:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
remember when beck was a speck on a peace of glass being washed.
How much do they pay him?
He was really really bad ten years ago.
Not even close to sane. Right Left not this issue.
This nan has exibited poor mental judgement and pehaps seriouse family issues for years, Is this the type person the media should consider extracting?Or is he saleable?
No one would notice
Fraud surely has some equal waiting to fill the slot
look at fraud, They have no one there that does news, Zip
What a concept! No News all the time Just hype.
How long can they stay? Anyone want to tell them they may be just be a little warped?And it carries over to thier broadcasters eally. The format and content is not realistic. Bunch of guys punching a bunch of guys. One or two ladies ==for flufff= now and then .
KKill the nic and move on. Fraud is not where you get information
Time to shake it up. Even simple like the cars "shake it up" Just shake it up. Nothing changes if nothing changes peopele
July 1, 2009 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's too bad Franken wasn't on set with Kilmeade, because then Kilmeade could have run away upset.
July 1, 2009 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I find this quite surreal. I live in California where our governor's only claim to fame was being a bad actor and related to some Nazis. (Ask me how well that's working out for us.) And these guy are claiming they're appalled because he was a comedian? Wasn't Delay and exterminator? Is there some list of republican house and senate members and their former employ someone can drum up? It would be fun to see.
July 1, 2009 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Remember, it's only bad to be a celebrity if you are a Democrat.
It's a plus if you're a Republican.
July 1, 2009 2:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
You betcha!
Gopher from Love Boat, anyone?
July 1, 2009 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sonny Bono, of "Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998" fame?
July 1, 2009 7:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ronald Reagan from "Bedtime for Bonzo"
Wasn't HE an entertainer?
July 1, 2009 9:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
And let's not forget Sen. George Murphy (R-CA), a song-and-dance second banana from the heyday of MGM musicals.
We should also recall that many Republicans cut their teeth in the 1950 California Senate race on behalf of Richard Nixon, demonizing and smearing five-term Congresswoman Helen Gahagan Douglas (wife of two-time Oscar winner Melvyn Douglas), a blonde-bombshell actress in the 1930s who also happened to have a lot of brains to go with her beauty.
But even though she lost that particular campaign, Ms. Gahagan Douglas ultimately proved to have gotten the last laugh, sticking Nixon with the derisive monicker he was never able to shake until his dying day: "Tricky Dick".
July 1, 2009 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really don't see the problem with having a comedian in the senate. After all, we had one in the white house for 8 years just this last time around. So I ask the assholes of the onerous Murdoch clan, what's up with that ?
July 1, 2009 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll respectfully disagree. George W. Bush was not a comedian, but rather a bipedal punchline to a lot of black humor, and what he did to this country wasn't very funny.
July 1, 2009 6:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am comfortable with Al Franken in the U.S. Senate. After listening to him on Air America for a few years, I think he has a grasp on the issues that are important to many citizens today. I think the media criticism of now Senator Franken has been unfair, most of the time labeling him as "comedian Al Franken." He is much more than that and has involved himself in politics through words and actions by seeking to be part of the solution instead part of the problem. I wish him much success in his new role. Besides, the Senate could use a little humor once in a while.
July 1, 2009 2:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't find the application of the term "comedian" to Sen. Al Franken as either insulting or derisive. After all, it's what Sen. Franken did for a living, and judging by his Emmy nominations and awards from his years with Saturday Night Live, he was doubtless pretty good at his craft.
Further, when you really think about it, the truly great comedians and successful humorists are keen observers of the human condition, and they have their fingers on the pulse of society. And I daresay that they are far better informed about topical issues and current events than are most public officials.
Al Franken has the makings to be a great United States Senator.
July 1, 2009 6:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
May just be me, but one of the founding fathers I most respected was Benjamin Franklin.
Among his accomplishments, he was a noted humorist.
http://www.amazon.com/Benjamin-Franklins-Humor-Paul-Zall/dp/0813123712
July 1, 2009 3:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I tuned into O'Reilly last night only to find that he was "on vacation" (presumably "hiking the Appalachian Trail" I suppose).
Can you believe that?? What a friggin coward.
I can't wait to hear some Franken speechifying soon - live from the Senate floor.
July 1, 2009 3:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I cannot watch Fox. I even blocked it so I don't half to pass it on the way to another station but I did watch the video here. Who is that ridiculous looking Blonde on Fox. You mean they pay her? She looks like a Barbie Clown
July 1, 2009 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
""If the GOP hopes to avoid repeats, it should learn from Minnesota that modern elections don't end when voters cast their ballots. They only end after the lawyers count them."
A Republican said this, right? So, in addition to a lack of empathy they are saddled with a lack of irony as well. Amazing.
July 1, 2009 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I nominate Sen. Imhofe of OK as the insane-ist and angriest person in the U.S. Senate. Michelle Bachman in the House. They set the standard that Franken will have a hard time matching.
July 1, 2009 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well since the Alaskan guy is gone i guess Imhofe is up for winning the old coot award.
July 1, 2009 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
The right wing wingnuts are hilarious. It is ok for them to elect someone like Bachmann but not Franken........
Now Bachmann is a very real threat to America but no one is worried about her? What is up with that???
July 1, 2009 3:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I know Al Franken's book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them," is old news by now, and the paperback promised to include the transcript of proceedings of FOX's suit against him over the title. But I'd like to add a note about the book that no one else seems to have noted. In academia, you earn a doctorate, a PhD, by adding a new idea to your chosen field. In that case, among the devastating analysis, satire, and flat-out great jokes, Al earned a PhD in Poli Sci for the following opening to his fifth chapter:
If you listen to a lot of conservatives, they'll tell you that the difference between them and us is that conservatives love America and liberals hate America. That we "blame America first." That we're suspicious of patriotism and always think our country's in the wrong. As conservative radio and TV personality Sean Hannity says, we liberals "train our children to criticize America, not celebrate it."
They don't get it. We love America just as much as they do. But in a different way. You see, they love America the way a four-year-old loves her mommy. Liberals love America like grown-ups. To a four-year-old, everything Mommy does is wonderful, and anyone who criticizes Mommy is bad. Grown-up love means actually understanding what you love, taking the good with the bad, and helping your loved one grow. Love takes attention and work and is the best thing in the world.
That's why we liberals want America to do the right thing. We know America is the hope of the world, and we love it and want it to do well. We also want it to do good.
When liberals look back on history, we see things we're very proud of. And we also see some things, which might have seemed like good ideas at the time, but turned out to be mistakes. And some things we did, well, they were just bad. That doesn't keep us from loving our country --- it's part of loving our country. It's called honesty. What do you think is more important to a loving relationship: honesty or lies?
beginning of Chapter Five, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, by Al Franken
July 1, 2009 4:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Amen. That is beautiful, and spot-on.
July 1, 2009 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Is quite angry in every facet of his life" said Kilmeade of FOX REPUBLICAN NEWS, referring to Franken.
How odd. I've been hearing this "angry man" argument over and over by right wing commentators talking about liberals.
Sean Hanitty said that Bill Maher was an 'angry man'.
Tucker Carlson said Jon Stewart was an "angry man".
Mornin' Joe Scarborough said Jon Stewart was an "angry man".
Now Al Franken is an angry man.
Now, I ask you, when you see them on TV, who seems angrier, on the verge of the head exploding....Bill Maher or Sean Hannity? Tucker Carlson I can understand trying to demean Jon Stewart because of that CNN argument they got into, but who is angrier, Jon Stewart or Tucker Carlson?
Look for it in right wing commentators.
Brian Kilmeade or Al Franken?
Fox Republican News or CNN?
Angry is as angry feels. A case of projecting?
July 1, 2009 4:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let's not go there.
CNN has the perpetually self-righteous Lou Dobbs, who delights in trashing Mexican immigrants whenever the opportunity arises, regardless of their legal status, even if he has to create his own false meme.
And CNN's Headline News affiliate has the professionally indignant Nancy Grace, who infamously hounded to suicide the mother of a missing toddler.
July 1, 2009 6:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good point. Maybe 'angry' is becoming the new 'uppity.'
July 1, 2009 7:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
"The land of 10,000 comedians",.....too hilariously stupid!
One thing is for sure... the quality of "news"(if you can bring yourself to call it that)from FOX is about the same as their attempts on humor.
July 1, 2009 5:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
My thoughts exactly. And thanks to the example offered by you and your friends, I've learned to take quotes out of context to hold them up for public ridicule. It's fun.
July 1, 2009 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Michelle Bachmann,-- who's barely sane if you see her on TV, and is quite angry in every facet of her life -- is a Congresswoman from Minnesota.
July 1, 2009 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Did no one hear what Gretchen Carlson said? That Coleman won in the "original" election and Franken won thereafter??!!
Amazing.
July 1, 2009 7:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Kilmeade said, turning to his Minnesota-born co-host Gretchen Carlson. "Explain yourself, Gretchen.""
This is the same Gretchen Carlson who, when as her first job after becoming Miss America, became a ditsy reporter in Richmond, VA, and was well known for her affair with the lead news anchorman at the local ABC affiliate. Ah, those Republican family values! Naturally Faux News gives her a high visibility job.
July 1, 2009 9:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
As a born and raised girl from MN, I've learned to believe the saying: "What goes around comes around."
July 1, 2009 9:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Two words - Sonny Bono
July 1, 2009 11:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh Glen Beck.... You sir are no Al Franken.
Silly man.
July 2, 2009 1:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Glenn Beck's right about one thing: I don't want him in the Senate, or on my tv for that matter.
That said, PLEASE run for office Glenn. Please!
July 2, 2009 3:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
My dear republican friends. I offer you my sword.
Now please fall on it.
July 2, 2009 11:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
For wingnuts to bitch that Franken stole the election is their latest (and certainly not last) Hoekstra Moment.
July 2, 2009 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm here in Minnesota and I'm not surprised. Coleman was gracious (and the cynic in me believes he will use that graciousness as a springboard for gubernatorial hopes--which I think are close to nil given the slate of GOP hopefuls), but then the noise machine started right afterwards.
I always try to picture if the shoe were on the other foot and I'm sure my side would be going bat-sh*t if the results were reversed, but the law was followed and there was no indication that there were any hi-jinks. Even a Republican-dominated Supreme Court got that right and understands, at base level, this is about the integrity of the election process and although there are some warts in Minnesota's process, the system as a whole is run well and with integrity.
As for Glenn Beck, it's always tragic to see the clever and cheeky leading the mindless. He's the Mad magazine of political commentary. He has a compelling personal story, but one that would seem to evoke a more of a sympathetic response to those who have shared similar unfortunate circumstances in their lives.
July 2, 2009 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
All I can say is I am a happy Financial Times Subscriber who dumped my WSJ subscription the minute Murdoch bought it. I used to just hate the WSJ Editorials but still subscribe but Rupert was the last straw.
Also, anytime Time Warner tries to sell me Cable TV I always ask if it has to include Faux Spews and when they say yes I say "no thanks". :-)
July 2, 2009 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
As a reminder: Who owns WSJ? Murdoch....gee, is anyone surprised they would say exactly what their boss wanted?
This is not about good/bad editorial comment, this is keeping their boss happy and keeping their jobs!
July 3, 2009 12:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Remember the days of the two parties working for the country not the party,,,, the us not knowing who they slept with and really not caring,, the days when all the stores closed on sat noon and the only thing to do on sunday is shop for a car! Yep those were the days,,, Why did the dems get girly weak and why is it the GOP thinks everyone is a conservative when its dead! I opt for the old days, this age is not very good!
July 4, 2009 1:50 AM | Reply | Permalink