Joshua Green did a nice multimedia profile of Al Franken for The Atlantic earlier this month. As you may or may not know, Franken is running, in Minnesota, for the U.S. Senate this November, against the incumbent, Republican Norm Coleman. When Franken announced his candidacy, he wasn't taken particularly seriously, but he has since moved well ahead of other Democratic contenders for the nomination, voting for which takes place on 7 June. Recent polls also show him closing in on Coleman, who has been viewed for some time now as one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the Senate.
I have liked Franken, and considered him far more than a comedian, ever since I read Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right. As funny as the book was, it was also a serious and thoroughly researched critique of the right-wing noise machine.
You can read Green's article here and watch the video here. You can also download the video, or just the audio portion of it, from the iTunes store. Search for "The Atlantic: American Ideas." Both are free.
If you get really inspired, you might also visit Al Franken's official campaign site.
I'll leave you with this parting thought, straight from the candidate's mouth, via the video page linked to above:
A satirist looks at a situation and sees the inconsistencies and hypocrisies, and he cuts through the baloney and gets to the truth. I think that’s pretty good training for the Senate, don’t you?
4 comments:
Franken has a chance but only a slim one. A couple polls I caught showed Coleman leading by 7 points and 10 points. Franken could make that difference up but I was actually surprised to see this story about how independent Coleman really is. Not surprising being that not too long ago he was a Dem.
I have liked Franken, and considered him far more than a comedian, ever since I read Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right. As funny as the book was, it was also a serious and thoroughly researched critique of the right-wing noise machine.
That was exactly my experience. It's ironic you mention this now: I actually was looking for something to read as I fell asleep last night and pulled that book off the shelf for the first time in years. I randomly opened it to Chapter 36: The Lawyer and the Waitress - A One Act Play.
But your description is right on: He's much more than a comedian, and his book is serious and well-researched, despite the propensity of the wingnut right to compare him to Rush Limbaugh.
I sure hope he beats that pig Coleman. I see Sean Hannity is spreading lies that Franken "cheated on his taxes" and "didn't pay his taxes," which are both grotesque distortions of what really happened.
Let's face facts: the right is just openly willing to lie about anything to advance their agenda.
But then, that's the whole point of "Bearers of False Witness, and the False Witness They Bear." ;) (God's originally suggestion for the title of the book, from the Introduction, as I'm sure you recall.)
Sornie:
Your link had a typo in it. Here it is, corrected. Thanks for that.
The conventional wisdom is that any time an incumbent member of Congress polls at 50% or lower, he or she is vulnerable. So, I think there's time for Franken to close the gap, especially once the rest of the Democrats are out of the race.
Twin:
Glad Franken, and his book, resonate with you. Thanks for expanding upon my feelings.
Yeah, that Hannity, huh? His ignorance, boorishness, and willingness to lie keep him near the top of my list of people I'd like to see stricken with permanent laryngitis.
Franken's chances of being Minnesota's next senator are less than let's say 3%. Should Ventura enter the race it's a toss-up, but if he does then I think that he's going to be the favorite. I think he'd be great in Wahington with his non-nonsense style and moderate libertarian leanings. A great State like Minnesota deserves a great Senator (well, 2 Great Senators but there's only one up for election) and Venture could and should be that man. As Ventura himself said, the best choice of the current two bums running, one a slimey career politician Republican hack and one a johnny-come-lately New Yorker who wants to come back and use his home state as a launching platform for his decidedly non-Midwestern values is none of the above... until Ventura stops surfing in Baja California and declares, which I hope he does soon.
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