Monday, January 29, 2007

Al to the Rescue

Al Franken eyes a U.S. Senate seat from my home state:

Comedian Al Franken is having trouble competing with Rush Limbaugh on the radio. Now he’s trying to figure out how he’d fare against a conservative at the ballot box. He’s reached out to Democrats in recent days for advice on a possible Senate run against Republican Sen. Norm Coleman next year.

“It’s unknown how people will respond to a comedian running for the Senate,” Franken said. “I need to figure out a way to let people know I’m extremely serious about Minnesotans and their lives.”

I don't know why he thinks it's imperative to be "extremely serious". Norm Coleman is a loathsome figure, a "moderate" Republican with a few too many ties to Democratic idealogy he once claimed as his own. Though it could be merely my distaste, I think Norm is prime for an upset. Of course I don't plan on contributing either way, but that goes without saying.

But what if Al did run, not as a "serious" Democrat, but as the comedian who people, or at least liberals, really like? Franken has made his mark by being "funny"; it doesn't make any sense to throw that all away in order to play pretend--though I guess that is what politicians do best.

It's way too early to be concerned with this Senate election, still two years away, but, unlike almost every other election in the country, this one holds the prospect of entertainment. Not that I find Franken funny, understand, but watching Normy squirm will be mildy enjoyable.

"I do not believe in democracy, but I am perfectly willing to admit that it provides the only really amusing form of government ever endured by mankind." - H. L. Mencken

2 comments:

troutsky said...

He comes across as smug.Of course, so did Jesse Ventura.

A Wiser Man Than I said...

I think he's more smug than Jesse, I only hope he's as funny.