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NEWS FLASH (NOT): MN PUBLIUS BLOGGER WRITES FOR CITY PAGES THAT REPUBLICANS WILL BRING UP FRANKEN’S MEAN-SPIRITED JOKES; HIGHLIGHTS FRANKEN’S JOKE ABOUT RAPE
By Michael B. Brodkorb | January 2, 2008
"And yet it is Franken's past as an entertainer that has and will continue to dominate the political coverage of this race. It's not that Franken isn't thoughtful or doesn't show a depth of knowledge about the issues. It's that he has said many things in his role as a comic that were supposed to be antagonistically thought-provoking, funny, or ironic, but that in very different political context come across as polemic rants, or worse. (An example: 'Nobody likes getting an abortion. Except, perhaps, rape victims.' That's from his book, The Truth [with Jokes].)
If Franken wins the DFL nomination, we can count on months of Republicans dredging up these moments of comic indiscretion and using them to reframe the debate, not on Norm Coleman's mediocre record as a senator (where, with the exception of a few made-for-headlines splits, he has been an unyielding supporter of the last six years of divisive incompetence), but instead on ill-advised things Franken said to get a laugh. Al Franken has the potential to be a thoughtful, capable senator. And this race has the potential to be a political blood sport, annoyingly full of Stuart Smalley jokes." Source: City Pages, January 2, 2008
Click here for the complete article.
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This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.
Tags: 2008 U.S. Senate, Al Franken, Mike Ciresi, MN Publius, Norm Coleman, Sean Broom
Topics: 2008 U.S. Senate, Al Franken, Mike Ciresi, MN Publius, Norm Coleman, Sean Broom | 18 Comments »
18 Responses to “NEWS FLASH (NOT): MN PUBLIUS BLOGGER WRITES FOR CITY PAGES THAT REPUBLICANS WILL BRING UP FRANKEN’S MEAN-SPIRITED JOKES; HIGHLIGHTS FRANKEN’S JOKE ABOUT RAPE”
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January 2nd, 2008 at 6:59 PM
Depth of knowledge on the issues? LOL Franken couldn’t find his way out of a paper bag with two hands, a map, and a guide. Franken has no knowledge of the issues.
January 2nd, 2008 at 7:24 PM
Just curious where was all of this it’s a joke jazz when Trent Lott was being killed for making a comment to praise a man who lived 100 hundred years and served his country honorably. didn’t Franken and Broom attack Lott.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
January 3rd, 2008 at 7:32 AM
Franken knows veterans issues better than most veterans. Want to know which year republiCons broke government’s promise with Category 9 veterans?
Ask Al, he knows. He also knows it’s no surprise republiCons break promises to veterans.
Want to see Lapdog’s record of NOT supporting the Disabled American Veterans? Link here:
http://capwiz.com/dav/officials/congress/
Gee – looks like Kline doesn’t support Disabled American Veterans either.
You republiCons sure like soldiers and veterans, UNTIL YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
This is just another example of why GOP now stands for GreedOverPrinciples.
January 3rd, 2008 at 7:34 AM
Ummm, ‘scuse me, but: That’s supposed to be veterans Category 8…
January 3rd, 2008 at 8:26 AM
Tommy, once again you dig up partial facts that I am not even sure you understand the shit you do try to bring up. How about the pork spending your party likes to hang on such bills and then when it does not pass claim Republicans are against vets.
Obviously most see right through this as our military votes in huge numbers for Republicans because we have all seen how democRats support the troops.
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:13 AM
Trent Lott said if the guy who running under the flag of segregation as a Dixiecrat would have been president, we wouldn’t have all of these problems we have today.
You want to explain that one to me Walter. “States Rights” a code for maintaining the norms of segregation is what the former Democrats turn Dixiecrats turn Republican were supporting.
Go ahead and start dancing Walter, I’ll be whistling Dixie.
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:07 AM
Hey, Little Stones – care to belly up to the bar at the VFW and continue this discussion?
Two years ago, John Kline told the DAV he wouldn’t co-sponsor veterans legislation that was written by a democrat.
2 years ago, after receiving endorsement from the PiPress, John Kline blew off his next three engagements, including the Goodhue County Veterans Forum at the Zumbrota VFW.
Last year, John Kline was the only elected representative that refused to meet with the DAV.
You can spin all you want, little stones – real veterans know how John Kline has stabbed veterans in the back.
John Kline places party politics over bi-partisanship when it comes to veterans.
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:30 AM
DJZ:
What Trent Lott did was a person who he knew as an adult who was 100 years, who had served his country honorably, who was the first Southern Senator to hire blacks, and who had run for President said the country might have been better off if Thrumond (compared with other people who had been elected President) had been elected President. He was given H*** for it.
Given that standard since Franken’s jokes are racist (that is why Lott was attacked wasn’t it), given that standard since Franken’s jokes are tastless (Lott was at least showing respect to the target of the comment unlike Franken’s), etc. You should be outraged at Al Franken and not want to support him. But you defend Al Franken.
I have always viewed Lott’s comment as an effort to praise a 100 year old man celebrating his birthday who had serve his country honorably not an endorsement of racist behavior.
If you want an act which is racist and wrong what about President Clinton awarding the medal of Freedom (the nation’s highest honor) to Senator Fullbright who opposed the Civil Rights Bill of 1964. If I’m getting grief for defending Lott that was a far worse act than what Lott did. Lott was in effect offering only his praise not the nation’s.
So I have no problem. “State’s right” should be letting Minnesota with no punishment from the federal government determine what the drinking limit is. Minnesota voters to say if a woman can have abortion and under what circumstances. That’s what real state’s rights are. The Southern states went to segeration because the Supreme Court endorsed it in the 1800′s. Oh my God the Warren Court shouldn’t have reversed it unless you assume that the Supreme Court does make bad decisions which should be reversed!
So I have no problem. By the way my brother-in-law is from the South so I have no problem with Southerners. It kind of sounds like you do.
And to four putt Tommy:
I might of disagreed with Paul Wellstone on a lot of issues. Wellstone to the best of my knowledge never went and made jokes accussing somebody of being a murderer (jokes on Bob Dole).
If Wellstone could campaign for the left wing’s agenda without making bad jokes why endorse somebody who has to make the bad jokes? It shows the person might not be as qualified to do the job.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
January 3rd, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Mike–
Am I missing something or is there a purpose to this?
Sean
January 3rd, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Twoputt, I am more than able to go to my local VFW, I how ever would never go to see you, I do not have much to do with raving liberals.
Are you concerned with my service record or maybe you just felt I would not have one.
January 3rd, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Sean: I was about to ask you the same thing regarding your analysis.
January 3rd, 2008 at 3:28 PM
Oh! Check out that wicked zing! Did you find something faulty in my analysis? You cherry picked from it to bolster your own conclusions– so clearly you found some purpose in it no? Or do you post a lot of pointless stuff on your website?
Sean
January 3rd, 2008 at 6:45 PM
Hey Sean:
I do believe you owe me six bucks from your website where I proved Mark ritchie told a bunch of lies.
The point Sean is so simple. If Trent Lott did something wrong you have no business supporting Al Franken is because he’s worse. Your average Minnesotan doesn’t like jokes where a man who served in World War II is called a murderer from a 1960′s tv series. You apperently don’t get it.
By the way how do I get my six bucks?
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
January 3rd, 2008 at 7:32 PM
Fellow conservs,
Sean doesn’t get it because you type too fast. Type slooowwweerrr and use small words so the libs can keep up.
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:23 PM
All this time I thought you wingers liked comedy, I mean for seven years you have blindly followed, obeyed and defended the biggest Presidential joke in this country’s history.
Walter;
May I suggest a book
“How to tell the difference between racist comments and a political joke” by David Duke and Jon Stewart.
I believe most “average” Minnesotans have read it.
Pretty soon that “average” Minnesotan is going to quit laughing and start asking “What has Norm Coleman done to make my life better?” and ” Am I better off today then I was seven years ago”
These are the two questions that the GOP doesn’t want asked and that they fear the most.
Hey Sean;
How much do you pay for Bush lies?
Even at a buck apiece I could buy that nice new Lexus
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:19 PM
Wow HCDFL:
What a dumb joke! Did you steal that from Al Franken? I keep saying that the public knows they don’t want their lives made worse. They all have seen the “Do Nothing” Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid Congress in action and know it will be a do nothing Democrat President. Coleman will win easily especially with Fraken being highlighted by the positive tone of the Illnois man’s campaign. Norm is a positive person who fits the personality of Minnesota. Al is a negative person who will be hated more every day.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
January 4th, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Walter:
I agree the public doesn’t want their lives made ay worse than the are already are under Bush and the Republicans.
The latest employment numbers are out and they set a record…..low for jobs created, 18,000. While the government grew with an additional 31,000 jobs created. So much for that bath tub idea.
America needs to create 150,000 jobs/month just to keep up with the amount of workers entering the job market each month.
Wages increases have only kept up with inflation, that means wages are flat and at the same level they were at in 2000.
All this while corporations have been enjoying record profits.
I think America is fed up with supply side economic, and the lack benefit to most Americans.
I thought I went through this before with you Walter, but do tell, what didn’t get done, what bills weren’t passed, and by the way how has your life improved because of Bush’s tax cuts?
The republican have used cloture( filibuster, 60 votes) over fifty time this year and will pass the record of 58, in a two year session, Bush and his staff have vetoed or threaten veto 110 times this year. The “Uniter” and the Republicans, are the reason that you think they didn’t get’er done.
Why do the Republican demand up or down votes for judges and then turn around and demand 60 votes for almost every other vote taken?
Wasn’t Norm against the filibuster before he was for it?
I suppose that when Al talks about Norm’s record, you might think that he is being negative, and maybe that is because his record has not been a real positive one for the people of Minnesota.
Hey, Minnesota ask yourself this question “What has Norm Coleman done to make my life better?”.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:32 PM
Boy HCDFL where do I begin:
You’re crying about the filibuster now. It didn’t take the threat of filibuster for over 40 Democrats Senators to write a lie claiming that Rush Limbaugh had attacked the troops. Rush put the letter up for auction with the understanding that the proceeds will go to charity. That letter got two million plus from the bidder. Rush matched it. The Senators who signed the letter not a single sole who signed it matched it like Rush asked. It was a stunt for Move On dot org! That’s what Reed and Pelosi have been doing is stunts. Not passing real legislation.
I keep telling you HCDFL and you seem to keep not wanting to listen, but the tax cuts on the Federal level caused the revenues to come in greater than expected! What part of greater than expected don’t you get? We have more money to spend now than we would’ve have for Hurricane relief, schools, etc. Because of the economic growth that got generated. It meant jobs and a stronger economy. And the economy since the tax cuts passed have survived two big jolts that would’ve sent it into recession (Hurricane Katrina and the mortage crisis)
You want a way to show how the Democrats ideas are wrong. We have a mortage crisis. Why? Because people were give mortages they weren’t qualfied for. Why? Because lawmakers in the past thought the tough standards for mortages were causing blacks and the poor not to be able to get mortages so they were putting heat on the lenders to help them get mortages.
The end result. The mortage crisis which we have today. And it’s the same thinking that you want to us to keep schools bad, make the medical situation worse, our costs for energy is bad since the average liberal solution is no coal or nuclear plants and lets not drill for oil spiking the price of oil.
So you want me to pay more for the gas of my car because you don’t want a few thousands acreas out of like 19 million drilled for oil in Alaska.
You want me to pay an extra $1.00 or so per kilowatt for power because you want to force Xcel energy to build a bunch of wind power plants that will take more land than just one coal or nuclear power plant.
Wow what horrible compassion for the poor and middle class you think you represent.
As for judges keep in mind the constitution says that people for appointments must be approved by a majority vote. It doesn’t say 60%. The only thing higher than 50% in the constitution is two thirds for like treaties and veto overrides. It’s the Senate that has created the filibuster rule. Republicans have good reason to say an up and down vote for judges. The Democrats used the filibuster in order to keep a bunch of people who were worthy to be judges because they didn’t have 51 votes to say.
And to answer your last question. Norm Coleman has done a lot of things to make your life better. You just foolishly think they things he has done like support the tax cuts that have caused the economic growth and expanded the econmy didn’t happen.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN