Video: “Hi, I’m Al Franken and I’m running for the United States Senate”
posted at 3:26 pm on February 14, 2007 by Ian
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I thought he did a good job (from a PR standpoint) of getting his message across. He starts with a heartwarming tearjerker and ends with a nice “progressive” message. It’s obvious that he’s pretending to tone down and unfortunately, some of the electorate in Minnesota will fall for it. It was also clear he either got personal lessons from Bill Clinton or watched some tape. Watch for the perfect timing of eye squints and lip usage.
More: Here’s what I mean about toning down:
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
“I’m old enough, I’m Liberal enough and, gosh darn it, Soros likes me!”
mojo on February 14, 2007 at 3:30 PM
Failed Radio Host to Run for Senate
Cute. I’m sure the gay community will give him a free pass, being he’s allegedly a comedian.
JammieWearingFool on February 14, 2007 at 3:42 PM
I got about halfway through it and had to stop. Perhaps he gets his message across, but it strikes me as long and boring and fake.
tiekitwist on February 14, 2007 at 3:46 PM
Didn’t Minnesota elect an ex-wrestler?
natesnake on February 14, 2007 at 3:46 PM
Apparently he’s learned nothing from Mad Marcotte.
Can you imagine the quotes somebody could dig up from Stuart Smalley?
Good luck, Al. Don’t drop out too soon, okay? You’ll be wonderfully entertaining for a while!
Professor Blather on February 14, 2007 at 3:47 PM
the preview of the “1/2 hour news hour” satire show on Fox is hilarious.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=YjIfaMwIFxU
jp on February 14, 2007 at 3:47 PM
Am I the only one who (honestly) thinks he’s slightly retarded.. there’s just something about him, the way he talks or something… there’s something off, I’m not sure.
RightWinged on February 14, 2007 at 3:49 PM
ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz………
Huh?
What?
Oh sorry Boss, I was just…uh…working on that project for tomorrow.
infidel4life on February 14, 2007 at 3:50 PM
He and Ellison should get along fine, birds of a feather.Just watch .
bbz123 on February 14, 2007 at 3:53 PM
LOL
Opinionnation on February 14, 2007 at 3:55 PM
Definitely a paste eater.
bloggless on February 14, 2007 at 3:58 PM
Is this a parody or Rove conspiracy? I cant wait to vote against Mr. Smiley.
infidel on February 14, 2007 at 3:59 PM
One small step for Franken, one giant leap for ineptitude.
fogw on February 14, 2007 at 4:00 PM
This guy can win, not only because this is the Minnesota crowd, but also because Mr. Coleman of today is not the same guy who won in 2002.
Diagnosis – spine depletion.
Entelechy on February 14, 2007 at 4:02 PM
If he wins, does that mean he’ll run for president next?
Rick on February 14, 2007 at 4:10 PM
Good performance. And all in one take. He’ll have the advantage that Reagan had whereby he is so comfortable and experienced in front of the camera, and that will serve him well.
On a side note, being Jewish, I am always impressed how Minnesota has a long history of electing Jewish politicians…it’s not like there’s a huge Jewish contingent there.
asc85 on February 14, 2007 at 4:10 PM
Since we won’t have Marcotte to kick around this is a great chance to use someone’s own words to smear their character. Thank you G_d.
Bill C on February 14, 2007 at 4:12 PM
“Hi, I’m Al Franken and I’m running off
to join the circusrun for the United States Senate”Lawrence on February 14, 2007 at 4:16 PM
blew it again… preview button, anyone, anyone?
;)
“Hi, I’m Al Franken and I’m running
off to join the circusfor the United States Senate”Lawrence on February 14, 2007 at 4:17 PM
The man is too goofy looking to be taken seriously. I didn’t like him in the SNL days and I certainly don’t like him now.
Pulchritudinous Patriot on February 14, 2007 at 4:24 PM
Muslim, Democrat what is the difference? Well I haven’t actually seen a Dem cut off somebody’s head they are more into the supply side economics.
I do find it funny that the Islamic outposts in America are for the most part up in the snow belt. Maine, Michigan, Minnesota. Maybe they just are picking on states that begin with an “M”
Oh wait this was about Fraken berry running for Senate wasn’t it. Sorry I went off on a tangent like his radio show.
LakeRuins on February 14, 2007 at 4:25 PM
Is this failed comedian even from Minnesota?
Why has Minnesota suddenly become a haven for Nation of islam retirees and sad sack radio hosts?
Does anyone check the water in Minnesota?
darwin on February 14, 2007 at 4:27 PM
Big deal! Franken is singing the”our whole family used welfare programs and we’re ok” song.How many years did his wife support him when he was a starving actor?Now he wants Minnesotans to hook him up to the government teat and elect him? Sponging loser!
Nice try you Franken.My mom was left with 9 kids when she was 39 years old and we all worked.Paid for your family’s welfare checks too.Franken is taking part and perpetuating the entitlement mentality.
Who is selling the vomit buckets? Ok,how much do I owe ya?
spazzmomma on February 14, 2007 at 4:27 PM
So is he saying that Air America was a “welfare program”?
LakeRuins on February 14, 2007 at 4:40 PM
If MA can elect Kerry/Kennedy, CA Pelosi/Boxer and PA Murtha/Alzheimers then I am sure MN can elect Franken. Somebody has to get Gitmo ready for O’Reilly and Coulter.
Limerick on February 14, 2007 at 4:40 PM
Snozzzzzzzer. I’m sorry but I couldn’t stand it any longer. Whadda A-hole.
x95b10 on February 14, 2007 at 4:43 PM
stuart smiley…al frickem…who the heck is that…never heard of the guy…looks like a fat geek…or murthascum’s butt cheeks…with glasses…
areseaoh on February 14, 2007 at 4:44 PM
I expected to read the type of comments from the commentators here and I feel the same way as most, but…. to be honest, I thought the presentation was refreshing.
CharlestonCritic on February 14, 2007 at 4:46 PM
I expected to read the type of comments from the commentators here and I feel the same way as most, but…. to be honest, I thought the presentation was refreshing.
That’s probably because you’ve never seen the “real” Al Franken. The real Franken is a humorless, vicious self serving hypocrit who made sure he made as much money as he could before Air America radio sunk. Anyone like Franken who sells the virtues of “entitlements” has nothing but his own interests in mind, not the country’s.
darwin on February 14, 2007 at 5:00 PM
Gee willikers, he’s just so darn…articulate! Franni is so lucky to be around such a nice guy.
Since Franken is an actor, he may be able to stay in character for 20 months, but I would be surprised if his dark side didn’t parade out strongly in the same way his fellow Minnesota-nice Keillor did in describing the evil of Republicans in Homegrown Democrat.
eeyore on February 14, 2007 at 5:01 PM
“Tom and I would like to take this opportunity to advocate the violent overthrow of the United States government.”
– Al Franken, SNL, mid-70′s
mojo on February 14, 2007 at 5:27 PM
I’ve been around the block a few times and know darn well who he is and his political stance. You don’t read well, because if you did, you would note that I said I agree with most commenter’s here including your assessment of him, I simply said that I felt his presentation refreshing.
CharlestonCritic on February 14, 2007 at 5:30 PM
Dennis Miller isn’t from Minnesota, is he? I wish her were. What a race that would be!
robblefarian on February 14, 2007 at 5:34 PM
That was Al Franken when he’s taken his lithium. When he’s off his meds, he’s a deranged lefty with anger issues. It’s not gonna take long for him to get in a tight corner and fly off the handle. Franken is the guy who body slammed a heckler at a Democratic campaign event. So let him mount the stage and be the target of the slings and arrows of piercing questions he can not dodge with a quip. We should see a meltdown in short order.
I like the way he mentioned global warming in those calm, reassuring tones as if it were a rational issue all reasonable people should do. I almost forgot how freaking crazy it was.
And Paul Wellstone is Franken’s hero? Wellstone the former self-confessed car thief? Wellstone who jumped out of his car and joined any demonstration he saw without even knowing what was protested? Wellstone who wanted to debate Bush Sr the first time he met him in a receiving line at a political event to welcome new senators? “Who is this chicken shit,” Bush Sr asked his aides. I recall an article in George magazine that reported the senators snickering as Wellstone passed them in the hall. No doubt Franken would be worthy of the same respect.
I certainly do look forward to Franken being one big donkey pinyata for all of us to beat on.
Tantor on February 14, 2007 at 5:43 PM
Acting – although, I wouldn’t call him a “master thespian”
Rick on February 14, 2007 at 5:45 PM
Minnesota elected a muslim. They might as well go for a moron.
Calling him a comedian implies that he is funny. A joke, yes. Funny, no.
doingwhatican on February 14, 2007 at 5:59 PM
“Hi,
I just came off a failed radio show that no one listened to and had to be subsidized, and well, we didn’t really manage the financing and budgeting the way it should have been, but, gee, trust me to know just what to do with your tax dollars. Which of course, you’ll need to supplement in order to help the working families of Minnesota. Gosh.”
naliaka on February 14, 2007 at 6:06 PM
“You don’t read well, because if you did, you would note that I said I agree with most commenter’s here”
Touchy aren’t we?
CharlestonCritic, I see you’ve chosen an apt screen name. Not everybody has seen the real Al Franken, so I was just adding my two cents worth. Don’t get all huffy over Franken comments, it isn’t worth it.
darwin on February 14, 2007 at 6:16 PM
His handlers are going to have a hard time if he hits the bottle like he’s known too he’s bound to get into a fight with someone at rally or even a debate…oh I’m I hope someone dares to ask him about Air America taking money away from that boys club that should be fun.
mlong on February 14, 2007 at 6:18 PM
“I hope someone dares to ask him about Air America taking money away from that boys club that should be fun.”
I don’t think we can count on the MSM to do that. Maybe some brave soul who won’t mind getting pummeled by his body guards will be able to sneak it in.
darwin on February 14, 2007 at 6:26 PM
I wonder….if he lost would he threaten his opponent with physical violence?
trader67 on February 14, 2007 at 7:19 PM
Didn’t Al graduate from Whats-A-Matta U ? I’ll be right back I gotta go read a couple Shakespears.
sonnyspats1 on February 14, 2007 at 7:58 PM
In announcing his intent to run for the Senate, Al Franken has finally uttered a funny line. Finally, Franken has told a joke that is actually funny.
I read this and laughed so hard I nearly fell out of my chair.
LewWaters on February 14, 2007 at 8:31 PM
Your right. BTW, “huffy”, sounds like something my wife would say to me. Well excuse me! :)
CharlestonCritic on February 14, 2007 at 9:24 PM
Good grief. Since when has running for office have to entail telling hard-luck, woe-were-us stories?
Also: FRANKENLIES.COM: The truth about the lies of Al Franken; Franken debunked (I don’t suppose the MSM will cover anything on here now, will it?)
DPierre on February 14, 2007 at 9:38 PM
I am always impressed how Minnesota has a long history of electing Jewish politicians…it’s not like there’s a huge Jewish contingent there.
There is a large idiot liberal contingent there, willing to elect idiot liberals of any race, creed, or color (Jewish, Muslim, whatever).
Lehuster on February 14, 2007 at 11:34 PM
Tone down???? His entire career has been pretending. He is a Democrat’s wet-dream. “Say what is popular, believe in what you can not talk about, and use your celebrity status to gain votes….”
Watch how fast the left and the Dems embrace him if he catches any fire what so ever, I doubt it, but the 2006 elections proved me wrong.
Here is a good bed time story, imagine this guy in a seat of power in the United States Senate with a Democrat President in 2008………… pleasant dreams…..
PinkyBigglesworth on February 15, 2007 at 1:33 AM
Franken is party to the theft of >$850,000 from a boys and girls club — money earmarked for Alzheimer’s patients and inner city youth sports programs.
He is an outspoken LIAR (like all liberal Democrats), and he ceased being “funny” years ago.
If MN elects him, I’m all for having MN voted OUT of the United States and occupied by US troops.
georgej on February 15, 2007 at 6:33 AM
Here’s one Minnesotan that won’t fall for it.
RedinBlueCounty on February 15, 2007 at 6:44 AM
Yes, we did, and we all received a nice sales tax rebate check two years in a row because he made a campaign promise to return a tax revenue surplus back to the tax payers. How’s that for a first! A Governor that kept a campaign promise!. Jessie was the first, and no doubt the last, Governor that gave some back to the little man as oppose to just sticking it to us.
I have a step-dad that’s a true blue Liberal and I actually got him to admit a few years ago that Jessie “wasn’t that bad” of a Governor. That’s saying a lot as my step-dad is a man that follows the liberal march beat by beat.
RedinBlueCounty on February 15, 2007 at 7:01 AM
If MN elects him, I’m all for having MN voted OUT of the United States and occupied by US troops.
georgej on February 15, 2007 at 6:33 AM
Please, Please do.
Last night on the news they had a poll taken that said Normy would whoop him but look at the past here. (i.e. the nutty professor, rastler and on and on)
The only reason this clown moved back to Minnesota was to run for the senate. The minute he loses he’ll be gone again.
oakpack on February 15, 2007 at 7:43 AM
How apropos, he talks out of the side of his mouth.
Alden Pyle on February 15, 2007 at 8:59 AM
As bad as he is, he is no more of a joke than 90% of the current Dem Senators.
JayHaw Phrenzie on February 15, 2007 at 9:25 AM
Think of any quality of life indicator–life expectancy, education level, cultural offerings, low incidence of crime, your choice. Minnesota consistently ranks as one of the best states. Idiot liberals…..
Franken will run and he will win.
honora on February 15, 2007 at 10:10 AM
“Minnesota consistently ranks as one of the best states. Idiot liberals…..”
Minnesota is obviously free to govern itself as it wishes. It’s when people who share those ideals try to force them down the throats of others who disagree is when we run into problems. Franken loves “entitlements”? Fine, keep them in Minnesota. That’s what liberals don’t understand. Forcing your views of “how things should be” on people who don’t feel that way is not good, not good at all. What’s worse, is you rob our pockets to perpetuate your ideals. That is really, really, not good.
The obvious answer is to dismantle countless programs that the federal government shouldn’t have instituted in the first place. Leave it up to the individual states and their citizens to deal with issues as they see fit … that’s how our country was envisioned, but certainly isn’t the way it is now.
darwin on February 15, 2007 at 10:46 AM
I’m betting that he does very well in the election, if not win it. As someone else said here, he’s very comfortable in front of the camera.
dalewalt on February 15, 2007 at 10:52 AM
I’ll tell you why he is running for the Senate… Now that Air America has failed he needs a well paying job where he can sit around and do nothing. The solution: The Senate.
csbpublic on February 15, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Franken(footinmouth) will be taking a “short bus” express around to talk about the issues.
JetBoy on February 15, 2007 at 1:34 PM
What would Al’s new slogan be for his Senate race?
“I’m serious.”
??
Hmmm…the Great “Communicator.”
Allah Pundit, what say you and/or Michelle put together a clip just to show how serious Al is on…well, just about anything you can think of. No, really. I’m serious.
Kokonut on February 15, 2007 at 3:28 PM
stuart smiley…is that a Jewish name…???…no wonder he changed it to al frickem…
areseaoh on February 15, 2007 at 3:40 PM
Let’s see – he couldn’t say anything intelligent over the (private sector) airwaves sufficient to hold listeners, so he’s getting into politics? Right – got it.
SpartRan on February 15, 2007 at 6:49 PM
One of my favorites, Colin Quinn hands Al Franken his own ass.
Al and his “Air America” cohorts appeared on the Comedy Central show Tough Crowd, hosted by Colin Quinn. In a discussion of the Iraq/Abu-Ghraib scandal, Franken claimed that Golda Meir, the former prime minister of Israel, once said,
We will someday forgive the Palestinians for killing our children, but we will never forgive ourselves for killing their children.
Oops. What Meir actually said was,
We can forgive you for killing our sons. But we will never forgive you for making us kill yours
Timber Wolf on February 15, 2007 at 7:39 PM
How about setting up a betting pool to see how long til he slips up and succumbs to cracking jokes like his old self again after some 30+ years being the (not)comedy man himself?
And now he’s “serious” ?
Seriously, now. C’mon.
“Hi. I’m Al Franken, and I’m serious.”
The message has been approved by the Al Franken for Senator campaign.
Kokonut on February 15, 2007 at 10:05 PM
I think running for Senate is absolutely the FUNNIEST thing Al Franken has done in his entire career.
I love the part where he says his wife’s famly made it because of socialist security and the like.
This idiot’s the best thing to happen to the right since Al Gore.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
RightWingRocker on February 16, 2007 at 1:23 AM
You are not the only one. And (honestly), I got as far as the boots part and that was as much as I could stand.
Glynn on February 16, 2007 at 2:07 AM