Posted on 07/06/2009 11:33:21 AM PDT by MplsSteve
After Al Franken is sworn in to the U.S. Senate this week, the nation will be watching to see how the former entertainer performs in a theater where cooperation trumps controversy and wise politicians survive wiseguys.
Preparing for his new role, one of the first people Franken sought out was Tamara Luzzatto, chief of staff for Hillary Clinton when she was in the Senate.
"A number of people have told me to study the Hillary model of being a senator," Franken said after they met last February. "Put your head down and do the work."
Franken appears determined to establish credibility as a serious lawmaker. No acerbic wit. No bombastic attacks on conservatives.
Goodbye Stuart Smalley, the goofy, mincing self-help guru from "Saturday Night Live." Hello, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."
"We're going to see a new Al Franken," said analyst Steven Schier, who teaches politics at Carleton College. "Or at least the same Al Franken we've seen in recent months, an Al Franken on Valium, so to speak -- very low-key."
Franken's attempts at a muted tone will likely be tested by the news media horde that will greet his arrival in the Capitol, along with a jam-packed legislative agenda.
"It's going to be about as crazy as one can imagine," said longtime Franken friend and Congress observer Norman Ornstein, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. Without a chance to catch his breath and ease into the job, Ornstein said, Franken's arrival will be "like being dropped into the middle of a tsunami."
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
That asshat is too old to change. He is what he is.
“I like how at his press conference he said he wanted to be considered “number 2 from Minnesota”.........
fecAl Franken, MN’s #2.
“I thought Hillary = Caligula’s horse. I’m so confused.”
Hillary is hereby demoted to merely “horse.”
Franken will never be taken seriously.
Never.
He has a goofy background.
He is a pervert.
He is an extreme leftist.
He is a tax cheat.
His temper will come out.
He was clearly elected for the sole purpose of pissing off conservatives. I, for one, will not give the guy a break or the benefit of the doubt.
Its hard to fathom how the state can vote for one of the worst senators (Franken) and one of the best congressman (Bachman). There must be a lot of common sense outside the metro area and a total lack of it inside the metro area.
Disagree we may with Humphrey, but he does not belong in that list. Remember, HHH threw the commies out of the DFL. He was also pro-2A, for the same reason that the Founding Fathers intended - as a last defense against domestic tyranny. And here we are.
I knew I didn’t like Norman Ornstien, now that I know he’s a “longtime friend” of franken, I know why.
..just another worthless perversion of our system by the hyphenated group, Deadbeat-Americans electing one of their own.
It will only cause more grief and misery to millions of regular Americans...
What a jerk this guy is...how embarrassing for Minnesota.
You're not alone.
My state elected a musclebound moron as governor and Barbara Boxer as senator. Oh, and Pelosi too.
Look for the Franken jokes to start flowing.
Sadly I am soon to move to northern Minnesota and will have dumb and dumber for my Senators. Franken will proceed to be be an Obama lapdog and will push legislation most Minnesotans will find odious. His anti-gun positions will not play well in most of Minnesota and he may be the key vote to give us economy killing cap and trade. I would be willing to bet he will NOT be re-elected unless ACORN is able to stuff ballot boxes better than Hugo Chavez.
The US Parliament of Whores
http://lugar.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=315229&;
Will Rogers said that Congress was far funnier than he was. Except that every time they made a joke, it was a law. And every time they made a law, it was a joke.
Regards,
TS
RAT corruption foisted this schmuck on the nation. Thank ACORN too.
Is there a mechanism in Minnesota to recall or remove Senators?
Do you think there my be enough “buyer’s remorse” or anger over the recount to recall (insert derogatory adjective here) Franken?
Wincing more or less than when you hear the words "President Barack Hussein Obama"?
“Fellow bums...er, Senators....”
Harry Reid was concerned about the Senate Democrats’ reputation as clowns, so he brought in a professional.
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