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Al Franken Considering Senate Run

By Jeralyn, Section Elections
Posted on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 07:41:53 AM EST
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According to the Associated Press, liberal radio show host Al Franken is considering a run for the Senate against Minnesota's Norm Coleman.

Coleman and Bush are friends. It was Bush who suggested Coleman run for the Senate against Paul Wellstone, who was killed in a plane crash in October, 2002, before Election day.

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    Al Franken Considering Senate Run | 46 comments (46 topical)
    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#1)
    by glanton on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 07:54:06 AM EST
    This is a terrible idea. Minnesota voters are famously even-handed (ever hear of the term 'Minnesota nice'? And as far as that goes, I'm not a Coleman fan, but I find him to be one of the more moderate GOP water carriers, overall. If they're gonna beat Coleman they need someone a heck of a lot more like Wellstone and less like the mirror image of Ann Coulter, which we have already healthily established Franken to be.

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 07:57:17 AM EST
    Why not? I will vote for him. But just check out who he is up against, do you think he can win? Go, "Al"

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#4)
    by desertswine on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 08:04:24 AM EST
    Well he's good enough... he's smart enough... and doggone it, people like him.

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 08:05:06 AM EST
    mirrors give off reverse images, coulter lies, franken tells the truth

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 08:15:50 AM EST
    I find him to be one of the more moderate GOP water carriers, overall. Really? Isn't Coleman the guy who called for Kofi Annan's resignation with no evidence that Mr. Annan had specifically done anything wrong in the Oil for Food deal, but has ignored every Bush administration corruption scandal from Iraq? That said, I am not a big Al Franken fan and am certainly not sure he should be running for Senate. Every stupid thing he says -- and there will be quite a few -- will be fodder to enflame the conservative Red Menace throughout the country. Leave him on Air America being unfunny in the afternoon.

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 08:18:35 AM EST
    I'm not a big fan of Franken, but I'd vote for him, just for the "stir the pot, shake things up" factor. If elected, I don't think he'd be bought by special interests, which is all I ask for from a Dem. or Repub, though there probably isn't a Dem or Repub in Washington who hasn't been bought. We could use one.

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#8)
    by glanton on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 08:34:40 AM EST
    Poppy: Don't mistake my comment for anything other than comparative by nature. I mean, when you've got people like Frist, Santorum, and Thume in there, Coleman doesn't seem quite as demagogic, does he? Re the Annan stuff, that campaign was going to happen no matter who got appointed to the chair of the committee. The anti-UN climate in this nation has reached a fever pitch. kdog and others: The question is not whether we who post on this site would vote for him: it's whether Franken's candidacy would cast a big enough net to overtake Coleman. Re Wellstone's death, and Coleman's subsequent victory: Come on, y'all. That was the Dems' fault; they turned the man's funeral into a political rally and the Minnesotans didn't like it. Can't say as I blame them. Wellstone was a hero to many in that state, as well as to me personally--the man cast some damn lonely votes during his career; he deserved better.

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 08:51:53 AM EST
    Although I don't have a vote - living in Chicago - I would love to see Al giving speeches in the Senate. It would defintely be a breath of fresh air.

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 08:52:03 AM EST
    Not really a new story; Franken's been talking about this for a long time, including on his Air America show.

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 08:55:28 AM EST
    The anti-UN climate in this nation has reached a fever pitch. Although off topic here, glanton hits home with a very good point here. The fact that Coleman would still use such harsh rhetoric and when comparing him to some of the others could be consider somewhat of a moderate indicates the ferocity with which many regard the UN. It seems like we need someone else to blame other than ourselves so many have adopted the UN. Now though can there be true moderates? The with us or against us mentality has forced many moderate/centrists further right.

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 08:58:55 AM EST
    As has been said, I'm a fan of Franken as a radio talk show host, but not really as a serious liberal politician. That being said, Norm Coleman is one of the top 5 GOP sleazeballs in the Senate right now and needs to be removed.

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 09:12:02 AM EST
    If The Exaggerator can get elected Al Franken can be considered a serious liberal politician

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 09:43:30 AM EST
    ugh. the comment above is pretty much true. which is just more evidence that the end of the world is nigh. al franken is funny. but he's got more of a knack for inflammatory rhetoric than he does for policy and diplomacy. i guess it depends on what you're looking for in a senator.

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#15)
    by kdog on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 10:02:27 AM EST
    Glanton...I think Franken could win in Minn., as posted above they elected Ventura, they seem to like a maverick.

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 10:02:46 AM EST
    Oh, yes, please, please, please. I mean, some dumb-*ss thought they should get a carpet bagger in against Obama, it'll be good to see it swing the other way. -C

    Re: Al Franken Considering Senate Run (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 21, 2005 at 10:04:31 AM EST
    al franken is funny. but he's got more of a knack for inflammatory rhetoric than he does for policy and diplomacy. i guess it depends on what you're looking for in a senator. First they have to get elected. Do you think the rightwing Republicans consider any of those issues. Franken has been politically active his entire life. He might be too left for you but his political experi