Senator Franken

[Bando]

Minn. Supreme Court has ruled for Franken. I'll have a link in a second. Decision here (PDF).

[DrumsGoBang]

Damn you Lizard People!!

[TC]

Let the Al Franken Decade begin!

[Bando]

Coleman has conceded. (CNN)

[EasyEd]

I hope the recount that overturned the initial count was fair and just. If it was, congratulations to Franken. May you serve the people of Minnesota and the nation well.

[Boz]

Jun 30, 2009 15:49:33 GMT -5 EasyEd said:

I hope the recount that overturned the initial count was fair and just. If it was, congratulations to Franken. May you serve the people of Minnesota and the nation well.

While I agree with the sentiment ed, I would like to add my own personal prediction of: "Fat chance of that!"

It's not a secret that I'm no fan of Franken, yes because he is very, VERY far left, but also because I don't think he is a serious public servant. I credit him with his willingness to put his money where his mouth is, absolutely, but my expectation is that he will be an embarrassment.

If that turns out not to be the case, even though I will almost certainly disagree with his every policy position, I will acknowledge my error in judgment. We'll see over the next few years (I expect him to start off pretty quietly, but I don't expect that to last long).

[The Stig]

Jun 30, 2009 16:44:05 GMT -5 Boz said:

Jun 30, 2009 15:49:33 GMT -5 EasyEd said:

I hope the recount that overturned the initial count was fair and just. If it was, congratulations to Franken. May you serve the people of Minnesota and the nation well.

While I agree with the sentiment ed, I would like to add my own personal prediction of: "Fat chance of that!"

It's not a secret that I'm no fan of Franken, yes because he is very, VERY far left, but also because I don't think he is a serious public servant. I credit him with his willingness to put his money where his mouth is, absolutely, but my expectation is that he will be an embarrassment.

If that turns out not to be the case, even though I will almost certainly disagree with his every policy position, I will acknowledge my error in judgment. We'll see over the next few years (I expect him to start off pretty quietly, but I don't expect that to last long).

Unfortunately, I agree with you, even though I'm on the left myself. I expect Franken to serve himself, not the people of Minnesota.

[GIGAFAN99]

Jun 30, 2009 20:10:54 GMT -5 The Stig said:

Jun 30, 2009 16:44:05 GMT -5 Boz said:

While I agree with the sentiment ed, I would like to add my own personal prediction of: "Fat chance of that!"

It's not a secret that I'm no fan of Franken, yes because he is very, VERY far left, but also because I don't think he is a serious public servant. I credit him with his willingness to put his money where his mouth is, absolutely, but my expectation is that he will be an embarrassment.

If that turns out not to be the case, even though I will almost certainly disagree with his every policy position, I will acknowledge my error in judgment. We'll see over the next few years (I expect him to start off pretty quietly, but I don't expect that to last long).

Unfortunately, I agree with you, even though I'm on the left myself. I expect Franken to serve himself, not the people of Minnesota.

"In the matter of wh*re versus wh*re, the court finds the self-serving challenger wh*re shall be certified the winner over the self-serving incumbent wh*re."

[hoyarooter]

For those of us of a certain age, it will be impossible to take Franken seriously, and as a result, I agree with the above (well, perhaps not totally; maybe he'll only prove to be a semi-embarassment). Of course, I felt the same way about George Murphy. But I was correct about him.

[TC]

Jun 30, 2009 20:49:31 GMT -5 hoyarooter said:

For those of us of a certain age, it will be impossible to take Franken seriously, and as a result, I agree with the above (well, perhaps not totally; maybe he'll only prove to be a semi-embarassment). Of course, I felt the same way about George Murphy. But I was correct about him.

It's hard to take a lot of Senators seriously because of absolutely ludicrous things they say (Inhofe, for example) - I'm not sure what really qualifies any Senator as an "embarrassment". I'm sure he'll be a target of talk-radio and the Fox hosts, but I'm pretty sure he'll take the policy issues seriously.

In actual substantive difference, GIGA is probably close to correct - it's almost a "who cares" switch. Franken will side closer to the administration on health care matters, but Coleman was a solid cap-and-trade vote anyway, so there's really no difference there on who was seated.

[AustinHoya03]

The current Drudge headline + photo is pretty classic -- I'll attempt to recreate below (mods please excuse the image):





SUPER MAJORITY!

[Nevada Hoya]

Yes, I was secretly hoping that he would not win. I sort of felt like he was Pat Paulsen running for president.

[Boz]

Me too, Nevada.

Except for the "secretly" part.

;D

[theexorcist]

Jun 30, 2009 21:17:59 GMT -5 TC said:

Jun 30, 2009 20:49:31 GMT -5 hoyarooter said:

For those of us of a certain age, it will be impossible to take Franken seriously, and as a result, I agree with the above (well, perhaps not totally; maybe he'll only prove to be a semi-embarassment). Of course, I felt the same way about George Murphy. But I was correct about him.

It's hard to take a lot of Senators seriously because of absolutely ludicrous things they say (Inhofe, for example) - I'm not sure what really qualifies any Senator as an "embarrassment". I'm sure he'll be a target of talk-radio and the Fox hosts, but I'm pretty sure he'll take the policy issues seriously.

In actual substantive difference, GIGA is probably close to correct - it's almost a "who cares" switch. Franken will side closer to the administration on health care matters, but Coleman was a solid cap-and-trade vote anyway, so there's really no difference there on who was seated.

TC:

Can you give an example or two of Inhofe putting his foot in his mouth? He's stubborn, but I don't think he's a walking loon.

[kchoya]

Jul 1, 2009 15:45:34 GMT -5 theexorcist said:

Jun 30, 2009 21:17:59 GMT -5 TC said:

It's hard to take a lot of Senators seriously because of absolutely ludicrous things they say (Inhofe, for example) - I'm not sure what really qualifies any Senator as an "embarrassment". I'm sure he'll be a target of talk-radio and the Fox hosts, but I'm pretty sure he'll take the policy issues seriously.

In actual substantive difference, GIGA is probably close to correct - it's almost a "who cares" switch. Franken will side closer to the administration on health care matters, but Coleman was a solid cap-and-trade vote anyway, so there's really no difference there on who was seated.

TC:

Can you give an example or two of Inhofe putting his foot in his mouth? He's stubborn, but I don't think he's a walking loon.

Maybe it is these comments, made while discussing TC's personal favorite proposal:

Inhofe said the much-anticipated conclusion of a Senate race in Minnesota that will give Democrats the 60 votes needed to overcome Republican filibusters would not be enough to save the climate change bill.

“I’ll tell you what a lot of people are thinking, and that is it looks like things are going to be over and we are going to get the clown from Minnesota,’’ he said.

“They are not going to get more than 35 votes.’’

Asked if he was referring to Al Franken as the clown from Minnesota, Inhofe confirmed he was.

“I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. I don’t know the guy, but … for a living he is a clown,’’ the senator said.

“That’s what he does for a living.’’

[TC]

Jul 1, 2009 15:45:34 GMT -5 theexorcist said:

TC:

Can you give an example or two of Inhofe putting his foot in his mouth? He's stubborn, but I don't think he's a walking loon.

"Global warming is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people" is the one I was thinking of. I'm sure you could look into his statements regarding Obama's foreign policy and the military cuts that were talked about a couple of months ago and find some doozies too.

Anyway, my statement was not that he's a walking loon like Michelle Bachmann - it's that we have a political culture that accepts absolutely absurd statements. Even if Franken is as bad as Boz's worst nightmare - and I don't think he'll be anywhere close - it'll be somewhat par for the course.

[SFHoya99]

I have no real feeling either way about Franken ... but I'm not sure why people assume he'll be awful as a Senator. He's not an idiot. Entertainers have been good politicians/leaders before. It's not like Congress is a gathering of Mensa.

And as a guy who hasn't spent his life in politics, I'm not sure why we're questioning his motivations. I expect him to be more ethical than the average pol, at least from his point of view.

[hoyarooter]

Jul 1, 2009 15:10:42 GMT -5 Nevada Hoya said:

Yes, I was secretly hoping that he would not win. I sort of felt like he was Pat Paulsen running for president.

Thanks for the flashback. I had a Pat Paulsen for President poster in my room freshman year.

[jerseyhoya34]

James Inhofe comments on 9/11 attacks, ironically given at a think tank:

“One of the reasons I believe the spiritual door was opened for an attack against the United States of America is that the policy of our government has been to ask the Israelis, and demand it with pressure, not to retaliate in a significant way against the terrorist strikes that have been launched against them.“

[Elvado]

Minnesota did I believe elect a professional wrestler as its governor. People get the government they deserve which scares the hell out of me.