Al Franken as Senator=what?

more of the same? Would he really be the liberal he calls himself? Or would he become part of the inner-circle of turncoats that the repubs can count on to get bills passed?

I'm just curious to see how my fellow Duers feel about his potential candidacy.

Coleman is so freaking evil that I wouldn't care if Al sold us down the river for a bag doughnuts.

if he gets elected. Don't bash him if he turns out to be more DLC than DNC.

Take what I said in reason. I mean, if Al starts voting for Frist for Senate Majority Leader, of course that'd suck. But if he just winds up being somewhat mealy mouthed, like most DLCers...that I could tolerate. There are gradations of acceptability.

It could get him killed, too.
Missouri's Carnahan met a tragic death, too. I really don't think these were accidents.

First, Al has NO political experience. NONE. Not even any "government" service. I'm SICK of celebrities becoming politicians just because they have a "name" and "connections".

Second, he can't speak straight. He hems and haws about too much and uses "um" and wanders adrift.

Also, he WAFFLES, which I can't stand. It's like he is considering what he is saying anymore, with a view toward his "electability".

Unless this changes, I vote NO.

I've seen him on tv and listen to him on the radio many times, and he does sometimes stall here and there, but nothing serious. He is one of the more articulate voices that liberals have out there to put down the robots on Cable TV. He is the best at decifering b/w the facts and the lies. I personally think Al has a knack for debate and he isnt the regular celebrity type that most of us come to expect.

While Mike and Randy and John Conyers were the standard bearers, Al just refused to jump into the fight.

THAT pissed me off, too.

He just said that he didn't come out against it because he didn't think theres was systematic fraud. He documented the irregularities and said that it was fishy, but he didn't jump out on a limb.

Which would you choose? (If you only had a choice of the TWO and no others)

NORM's election was FIXED. HAD to be, Mondale was leading by 6 points and EVERYONE was going to vote for him in Wellstone's name.

The first priority is to ensure the elections here in Minnesota (and elsewhere) are NOT RIGGED.

The second priority is to have a true progressive candidate run against Coleman. I like Patty Wetterling but she's a bit weak. I'm not sold on Amy Klobuchar because I heard she's divisive and I have NO idea what her platform is, even though I have asked for it.

Then there is a DEVELOPER, Kelly Doran, who just announced today. This guy has NO experience and, IMHO, is a DINO.

Coleman's seat is up for grabs in '08.

I drifted off into the current race, talking about "progressives" who might be viable.

I meant to say it's not just between those two. We have other problems at the moment, and that means who is going to win in '06, before we see we're up against in '08.

Franken would be FAR more impressive. (The time I heard Coleman was that film clip of the Galloway testimony. Now THERE would be Senatorial timber!). Otherwise, if there was a progressive candidate there, with a lot more government experience, Franken should probably step aside.

A movie actor doesn't seem to turn off voters these days, but a comedian (sort of wiseass to boot) might be a different matter. However, a WRESTLER??? ... maybe I better shut up while I still can. (Mmmmmmfff!!).

does he have any experience at all that would possibly prepare him to be Senator. Just because his is a hilarious writer, comedian, talk show host doesn't mean he can be a Senator.

then why can't a Dem celebrity become a Dem Senator....to replace a Republican NeoCon Supreme one, at that?

That's the problem with us Dems, sometimes. We think to doggone much. It's not like there's a magic Dem Senate Candidate in Minnesota who would do any better. :shrug:

I mean, we are talking about the same state that elected The Body Ventura as Governor, or we not?

I don't know how much "respect" Al would get on the Senate floor, with the Stuart Smalley past and all.

I mean Ahnuld can't really live down his past either, can he? And look what a rotten job he's doing, and how he's falling further into a hole.

I think the Republicans figured out that if they could pass old Ron Reagan off as a politician and he could move from CA Gov. to president, they could do the same with Ahnuld, but THIS time it would be a NAZI, which would complete their "new world order" ideology.

Franken is a good guy but I don't know how well he'd fare. He might just lose the race for us. Then again, I don't know who else could run...I was hoping for Mike Ciresi but apparently that's out.

Listening to his program, I'd say he knows a hell of a LOT more about politics than a lot of people currently holding office..

But I thought he decided not to run in the '06 election? :shrug:

Did he change his mind? :) :) :)

when the subject comes up he is extremely coy.

residency (he's a native Minnesotan), just in case.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=97466

Coleman is just a suit, Franken would be a big improvement on what we got now.

I just know that he is a self-proclaim liberal, who probably would be the front runner if he decided to run.

If he doesn't have any ambitions other than the senate, I feel we will be OK. If he has higher ambitions, he will be more focused on being as centrist as possible so that nothing will come back to bite him.

Look at Hillary, everyone knows she was the liberal in her marriage and now she is holding hands with newt to better her chances in 2008.

I hate this notion that someone has to be a "born" politician. As if it were a divine right, or an aristocratic inheritance. Or that someone needs some sort of prescribed experience, that most of us aren't privileged to obtain, or take part in.

i don't get too excited over him though he seems to be a nice guy and can be amusing...

isn't that a contradiction? How can you be a progressive and a DLC democrat at the same time?

"I am all alone in this world, and everyone is wrong except me."

So hes a little boring. Hes very smart, can connect with people and has a decent resume:

Making Bill O'Lierry look like the fool he is

Going on USO tours

A good friend of Wellstone

Well known in Minn and throughout the progressive community

Coleman (Likoud-MN) has neglected the problems of his own state with his UN and international witch hunt and neocon agenda. Most voters see this. Franken would be great at making him look like the nut he is in soundbites and the media.

He's very knowledgeable about politics, and there's no way he'd be a turncoat. He does get side-tracked a lot on his radio program, going off on a tangent. I have a feeling he'd be a lot more organized when giving a speech. He'll be here in Minneapolis Saturday night for a DFL fund raiser. My husband and I have tickets, so I'll get a chance to hear him at a political function very soon. As for Norm, well, what can I say other than that he is a big embarrassment to us Minnesotans.

She'd play much better statewide than Al Franken would!

and who is she?