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 ...
There’s no recall mechanism that I’m aware.
Impeachment and removal of a US Senator would have to come from within the Senate. And that body, regardless of who’s in control, is loathe to eject a fellow member.
The closest they came was back in ‘81 when Senator Harrison Williams (D-NJ) got tangled up in Abscam and decided to resign rather than face possible impeachment proceedings.
Buyers remorse will happen. And it won’t be the first time either. Back about ‘99 or ‘00, a lot of Minnesota voters looked at Gov Jesse Ventura and said “I can’t believe I voted for that bloviating piece of garbage”.
MN also elected Jesse Ventura and Paul “Red” Wellstone. It can’t bother ‘em too much to be represented in the Senate by a Clown.
Honestly, I just watched his acceptance speech here..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAo8Ufq0B2I&feature=related
Even though he is loony toons, he sounds just like every other politician, same old BS and platitudes. What a said day for Americans.
Yes, by all means Al F, don’t be yourself, ‘cause that’ll NEVER work.
He will always be the 'Senator-Select'.
A disgrace to the State of Minnesota and an abomination to the United States Senate.
One wonders if the election were held today, whther the outcome would be the same. I think not. They would not add this individual to the mix in light of all that has transpired since the election.
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