Al Franken for MN Senate 2008
Well, I suppose since I am both Minnesotan and a political nerd, I should have something insightful to say about Al Franken running for Senate against slimy Sen. Norm Coleman in 2008. Sigh. I guess. But only because you've been begging me for it. What can I say, I am nothing if not responsive to the demands of my readers.
Al Franken decided about two years ago he would run for Senate in Minnesota when he bought a house or condo or something in Minneapolis. (He is from St Louis Park originally.) He made it official yesterday. Apparently the Star Tribune doesn't consider him very credible... "Seriously, Franken's Running For Senate" is their headline of his announcement. Nice unbiased coverage, Strib. Waytago. Or maybe they are trying to make it sort of a play on words, since Franken's a comedian and all. Or was. Whatever.
God, I just couldn't care less about this. Would I vote for Al Franken? Maybe. Let's give the guy a year or so to see how he responds to the criticisms and the oppo-research and all the other shit they dig up about him and air liberally all over the media and talk-radio. My hunch is that he has said and done too much in his past that is too extreme to make him a viable candidate outside of Minneapolis. But, this is a state that voted for a former boa-wearing wrestler for Governor (for chrissakes), so who can really handicap things at this point? He sure beats the hell outta Mike Ciresi in my book. Who has done amazing things in taking down big tobacco, but seems more interested in buying himself a Senate seat and hearing himself talk than really doing anything, IMO. I'm sure he's a great person, don't get me wrong. I just have never found him particularly inspiring.
Smilin' Norm is going to be tough to beat. He is a giant douche, probably in my 5 least favorite senators,* and for all intents and purposes sucks at his job. But he is pretty good on TV. He is starting to make nice speeches about opposing escalation in Iraq (but one million bux says if there is ever a BINDING resolution in the Senate, he won't vote for it). And, most importantly, he's an incumbent. And Minnesota likes splitting its Senators between the parties. And if you think McCain is the '08 nominee (I do), then MN also has the leading Veep candidate on the GOP side as its sitting Gov, meaning GOPers up and down the ticket are going to get a lift in 08. Not to mention the lift with having the convention in the Twin Cities.
*Yes, I have lists of these sorts of things.
Meaning, I really don't know if Franken is a good candidate or a bad candidate or a credible candidate or what. I think Amy could have taken down Norm, but she's already in. Rybak (Minneapolis mayor) might have it in him. Coleman (St Paul mayor) doesn't. Tim Walz is reportedly not interested and is leaning towards supporting Franken since Al helped raise a shit can of money for him in his tight race. And I am not sure who that leaves. Mike Hatch? Puuhhhlease. This guy needs to be done running for stuff. Judi Dutcher? Her too. Not sure who that leaves, really, and like I said, Norm (that fucking douchey-douche-douche-douche) is going to be tough to beat. At this point, 18 months away from the election, all I can say is that Franken, by the fact that he'll have near unlimited resources, has as good a shot as anyone else.
5 comments:
i think franken would have a chance in any state where he was a native. people don't have a particularly high standard for qualifications or behavior when it comes to statewide office (as opposed to nationwide). a sizable number of senators and reps have been elected due soley to past athletic accomplishment (jim bunning, steve largent, tom osborne, heath shuler to name just a few). And of course there is always Jesse and Ahnold. as long as franken can talk a better game than coleman (which seems likely) and has the money (which is certain) he will have a chance.
And the cradle of scandinavian lutheranism will again elect a new york-based jew for senate. WELLSTONE!
Ironically, Norm Coleman was also a liberal Jewish New Yorker who moved to Minnesota for political gain once. He just drank a little too much of the Clinton third-way juice and done became a Republican in '96.
Coleman is such a douche. Every time I hear him on MPR or something my ears start bleeding. Partially b/c of his accent which I find irritating as a Midwesterner, and partially because he's a power hungry asshole.
Right now, I'd vote for Franken. Hell, I'd vote for almost anyone to get Coleman out of office.
Ask me how I really feel about Normy, I'm being so shy now...
For what it is worth, some think that Ramsey County Attorney Sue Gaertner is Amy Klobuchar v2.0... check her out yourself here.
i think what is so unexciting about franken entering the race is the very excitement franken himself has failed to generate.
he has been hemming and hawing about entering for years. finally deciding to make it official, he does so with a complete lackluster television interview where he looks:
- as if he is devoting more energy to appearing as a "serious candidate" than the rabble-rouser people love him for;
- as if he's lost without cue cards (or at least some right wing pundit's exclamations of which to respond to); and,
- like a typical kenwood fuck.
to me, he has yet to prove himself as the pro-active, populist candidate that he clearly aspires to be.
rybak: forever mayor, never national player (he wears two different color socks for god's sakes).
ciresi: has purchased minnesota. can't walk into any new institution (read: MIA, central library, guthrie, etc.) without bumping into the Ciresi Gallery, Ciresi Reading Room or Ciresi Smoking Lounge. tacky, but he is a go-getter.
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