'Wild Man' Franken Assaults Dean Critic

NewsMax.com ^ | 1/27/04 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

The Democratic Party's official talk radio host got violent yesterday, in an altercation he described as an effort to protect free speech.

Attending a Howard Dean rally in New Hampshire, unfunny funnyman Al Franken physically assaulted a heckler in the crowd, wrestling him to the ground in a bid to silence him.

"I got down low and took his legs out," Franken boasted to the New York Post afterwards.

The altercation was witnessed by NBC Washington Bureau chief Tim Russert, who called Franken's antics "unbelievable."

"One of the Lyndon LaRouche guys got up and started screaming and yelling," Russert told radioman Don Imus Tuesday morning.

"The press guy for Dean tried to grab onto him and remove him and he couldn't do it. All of a sudden, Al Franken jumped out of the media gallery ran down and grabbed this guy on the leg and started wrestling him to the ground.

"It was unbelievable, He was really into it," the NBC News star said.

Missing the irony of his use of violence to silence a heckler, Franken explained, "I'm neutral in this race but I'm for freedom of speech, which means people should be able to assemble and speak without being shouted down."

The volatile comic is well known as a troublemaker in media circles. At last year's Washington Correspondents Dinner, he stormed up to a table where Fox News star Alan Colmes was seated and verbally berated him for not being liberal enough.

Colmes' Fox News colleague Brian Kilmeade interceded in a bid to get Franken to cease and desist, but the confrontation only grew more tense.

"I thought we were going to come to blows," Kilmeade later said.

After one guest shot on "Hannity & Colmes," Franken chased Sean Hannity down the hall to his office. Hannity later told his radio audience that he had to call security to have Franken removed from the building.

Last month the combative comedian confirmed that he'll anchor a liberal talk radio network bankrolled by wealthy Democratic Party donors. His debut was set for next month, but it's not clear how party fatcats will react to the latest Franken imbroglio.

Franken's unidentified victim has not yet said whether he'll press charges against the former Saturday Night Live star.

[NittanyLion]

Heavy drug use will make people do strange things...

[sirshackleton]

Don't mess with Stuart Smalley.

[thucydides]

Franken had to take drastic action. The heckler was a LaRouche man, and given the wacko electorate, they could turn from Dean or Clark to LaRouche in a flash.

[Travis McGee]

The liberals are so angry that violence is all they have left.

[mom-7]

Another demonrat off the deep end.

[Enterprise]

"Franken's unidentified victim has not yet said whether he'll press charges against the former Saturday Night Live star."

Absolutely not! It is important for Franken to attend as many RAT rallies as possible!

[UNGN]

Is there ONE Democrat who ISN'T Imploding?

[God luvs America]

Missing the irony of his use of violence to silence a heckler, Franken explained, "I'm neutral in this race but I'm for freedom of speech, which means people should be able to assemble and speak without being shouted down."

Liberal hypocrisy at its' best....freedom of speech for only those who think like us is more like it....think numb-nuts fraken would sit by passively were he in an audience where our President was giving a speech?

[OXENinFLA]

Please tell me there's Pics of this, or better yet Video.

[LisaMalia]

Franken's unidentified victim has not yet said whether he'll press charges against the former Saturday Night Live star

I'm against frivolous lawsuits, but I'd like to see this guy sue Franken for a few million.

[jla]

After one guest shot on "Hannity & Colmes," Franken chased Sean Hannity down the hall to his office. Hannity later told his radio audience that he had to call security to have Franken removed from the building.

For Sean's sake, I hope this isn't true. Can you imagine running from Al Franken?

[bmwcyle]

Put the dope in jail.

[Taliesan]

Of course, Franken will also intervene the next time some college kids heckle Ann Coulter during a speech.

Or maybe not.

[Frank_Discussion]

Yeah, I would expect he can wait until after the General election to sue meester Franken.

[OXENinFLA]

I'm sure that was for legal reasons.

[marlon]

You know that cocaine induced parinoia can sure make you do some strange things.

[unixfox]

Franken's unidentified victim has not yet said whether he'll press charges against the former Saturday Night Live star.

I say press the charges and make this piece of filth pay a hefty price.

[Dan from Michigan]

That's what I was thinking.

[AppauledAtAppeasementConservat]

Maybe I should go heckle Mr. Franken so he can come and jump me. WOuld be a great excuse for me to put his nose into his frontal lobe and laugh at his corpse before it drops to the floor.

[Types_with_Fist]

You have to admit....the guy's a constant source of entertainment.

[Bikers4Bush]

God please let the victim press charges.

[Kieri]

The liberals are so angry that violence is all they have left.

Which is why Franken will be a hit with his limited radio audience. Only the rabid "let's kill conservatives!" crowd will listen to him. The slime giving his show financial backing will continue to support him.

Remember, Franken is catering to his intended audience with these verbal and physical assaults. He's a GREAT spokesman for liberals, don't you think?

[Dan from Michigan]

I wouldn't press charges. I'd rather just kick his ass instead.

[Enterprise]

Sure, what's the hurry? Most places have a year filing period for criminal complaints and civil lawsuits. Wait until after the elections are over, then jump on him with both feet! Maybe by then he'll have gone over the edge a LOT of times!

[Defendingliberty]

Franken like all Democrats believes in “Freedom of Speech” for Democrats only. This sounds like the same tactics of the Brownshirts.

[Frank_Discussion]

If you can avoid a fight, do. Otherwise, you open yourself to being sued by your attacker, claiming you started it. Horrible, but true.

Hannity had the "call security" option, and he was right to take it.

[suzyq5558]

Oh wonderful another volatile dimwit on the loose.
has the whole dim party degenerated into barbarism? never mind i know the answer.
I read this morning he shoved his way to the front of the line at the airport,the guards wouldn't let him through and he kept yelling that he couldn't miss his flight and threw such a snit fit that it would make a drag queen blush.
all the journalists started yelling at franken that they had been in line forever too,so he could just wait his turn.

[finnman69]

I hope he sues the crap out of Franken.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

The liberals are so angry that violence is all they have left.

The last gasp of a dying breed........

[RandallFlagg]

Please, let this mouth-foaming moronic loser cretin slob do this to a conservative who can defend him/herself; preferably a former SEAL....

[Porterville]

Cool, a perfect poster boy.

[finnman69]

I want to see Franken rumble with Ted Nugent....

[maggief]

"Frickin' Franken's Freakin' Fracas"

[Frank_Discussion]

"Maybe by then he'll have gone over the edge a LOT of times!"

I hadn't thought of that. Yeah, let him build up a history of violence to back up the case against him. Very shrewd!

I was merely thinking of all the negative PR he could generate for the Dims.

[NautiNurse]

people should be able to assemble and speak without being shouted down

That street runs two ways, Franken. Idiot.

[ASA Vet]

make this piece of filth pay a hefty price

Someday the piece of filth will confront someone with the training and will to make him instantly pay a hefty price.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

You guys (and gals) have to see this!

Please FReepmail me if you want on/off this ping list.

[Enterprise]

"I was merely thinking of all the negative PR he could generate for the Dims."

The more the better.

[macamadamia]

Franken jumps from the crowd as...The Dickless Wonder, Batman's toyboy.

[maggief]

Here's CNN's spin:

...The crowd began cheering "Howard Dean, Howard Dean," drowning out the LaRouche supporters as they were removed from the room.

Franken, a comedian and self-described liberal well-known for his attacks on the Bush administration and conservative-leaning media, helped carry out one of the disrupters. In the process, Franken's glasses were knocked off his face and broke in two.

Putting them back together with electrical tape, he quipped he had been "deputized" by Dean's security. (snip)

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/01/27/elec04.prez.democrats.larouche/

[AppauledAtAppeasementConservat]

ROTFLOA!!! That was too funny! I needed a good laugh this morning and I thank you for it.

[cmak9]

After one guest shot on "Hannity & Colmes," Franken chased Sean Hannity down the hall to his office. Hannity later told his radio audience that he had to call security to have Franken removed from the building.

Losing respect for Hannity here. He should have beat this jerk to a pulp.

[Dionysius]

Never in his life has he been funnier.

[paul51]

Put the dope in jail

After you kick the crap out of him

[cmak9]

If you can avoid a fight, do. Otherwise, you open yourself to being sued by your attacker, claiming you started it. Horrible, but true. Hannity had the "call security" option, and he was right to take it.

Yeah, you are right. I retract my comment about losing respect for Hannity, though I think my temper might have made me beat him to a pulp anyway.

[Defendingliberty]

Attacking a northeastern heckler is no big deal...I want to see him come to the south and try that....

[AppyPappy]

Actually, working this guy up is not as bad for Franken as doing it at a Dean rally as Dean is imploding.

[Frank_Discussion]

Hannity can be a blind hothead sometimes (God luv 'im!) but in this case he had a cool head. Probably the best reaction he could have had.

[Labyrinthos]

Can you imagine running from Al Franken?

I can't imagine myself running from Al, but I can imagine Sean bolting. Nothing against Sean, but he would have been in a no win situation. If Sean loses, then how humiliating is that. And if Sean kicks fat Al's behind, then the AP reports "Conservative Talk Show Host Assaults Al Franken."

Now if Al want to wrestle with me, that's another issue. I know I'm couple years older than Al, but at 6'2" and a very fit and and muscular 200 lbs., Al would be crying uncle in about 30 seconds.