'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.

[RandallFlagg]

THAT'S one benefit of concealed carry....

[Hoboken]

Sooo, Al, you violently shut this guy up by attacking him from behind in the name of "Freedom of Speech"?

Man, you've got some screws loose!

[LisaMalia]

Can't rumble just right now. Ted cut his leg in a tree/chainsaw accident a while back down in Texas.

I'd still put my money on Ted, injured leg and all. Tie one arm behind his back too. Then we could all sit back and enjoy....:)

[AppauledAtAppeasementConservat]

Sad thing is whoever does end up defending themselves against this lunatic is gonna need a legal defense fund that would make Clinton's pale in comparison.

[hattend]

bttt

[AppauledAtAppeasementConservat]

"You'll really laugh when Franken's propped-up radio show tanks. God knows who he will assault then."

I can't help but think that he'll be short on conservative guests...

[expatpat]

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."

Yes, indeed. Should be:"...freedom of speech, which means people should be able to assemble and speak without being knocked down.

Re your tag-line, Steyn thinks Dean is a sane man trying to act crazy, while Clark is a crazy man trying to act sane.

[AppyPappy]

Yeah but he doesn't want to be seen "on the losing side" and he just did.

[tcuoohjohn]

Yeah...kinda embarassing.

[fortunecookie]

When I first started reading this article, I thought Franken-stein described what he wanted to do to hecklers. (Has he heard of free speech???) But that he actually tackled a heckler!! And boasted of it!! Wow, people have been committed involuntarily for things like this. Or arrested.

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

Ummm, he needs medication, alright. Not the kind he's taking, but something equally powerful. Calling Dr. Phil...

[tcuoohjohn]

Yeah...kinda embarassing.

[Howlin]

This is beginning to scare me; obviously they consider this a fight to the death.

[anonymous_user]

I hope Ragin' Al attacks the wrong person someday, like a group of protestors from Black Belts for Bush.

[fortunecookie]

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

We need to get posters or t-shirts that say this!! I think it's all they ever had - the anger and violence. The rest - just a facade. It still amazes me that so-called 'intellectuals' (or is that self-described?) of the left will work hard to persuade you of how 'right' (no pun) they are until you disagree with them. Then the claws and hissing come out. Like someone flipped a switch, they go right to insults and violence. No discussing or arguing their points, just anger.

[MistrX]

The 'Al Franken Decade' was a long, long time ago.

[Armedanddangerous]

That wing nut would chase me exactly far enough for me to reach a chair which would end up being broken over his head. Then I'd truss him up and lock him out in the cold without his pants.

If you remember, he is constantly threatening people. Didnt he threaten to meet Oreilly or someone in a parking garage and beat him up? One day, really soon, he will challenge someone who will take him up on it.

[macrahanish #1]

Franken would s*** himself when Ted got in his face.

[AppauledAtAppeasementConservat]

"Frankenstein claims to be a black belt in karate and is a body builder. If true, he might have an edge over any opponent."

Looks more like he's mastered "drunken monkey" rather than karate...

[Revolting cat!]

I'd kill the mofo fat sissy and then pick 12 righteous FReepers to serve on the jury!