Free Republic

Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Al Franken didn't exactly leave 'em laughing in Northfield. Earlier this month Franken was at Carleton College, where the late Sen. Paul Wellstone was a professor, for a student rally related to a special election in the state Senate District 25. After the rally in the great space of Sayles-Hill some students crowded around to take photos with the "Saturday Night Live" alum. Franken's spokesman Andy Barr said via e-mail Tuesday that Al "remembers having a spirited convo w/ College GOPer at the urging of some of the kid's College Dem pals. Seemed like everyone...

Minnesota Senate candidate Al Franken, a Democrat, announced today his campaign had raised more than $1.3 million in the first quarter of the year, finishing the period with over $1 million in the bank. Franken, a former "Saturday Night Live'' performer and more recently a liberal radio talk show host, raised the money since announcing his candidacy on Feb. 14. The campaign is still finalizing its numbers. The filing deadline is April 15. Franken and fellow Democrat Mike Ciresi are hoping to take on GOP Sen. Norm Coleman, although Ciresi has not yet filed a statement of candidacy. Coleman's campaign...

Comedian and U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken said in a taping of the "Late Show with David Letterman" on Wednesday that the country needed an "Apollo project" to create more renewable energy. Franken took a poke at President Bush in arguing that the country should be abiding by the Kyoto Protocol, the treaty that requires 35 industrial nations to cut greenhouse gases. The Bush administration argues that Kyoto would hurt the U.S. economy and objects that high-polluting developing nations like China and India are not required to reduce emissions. Franken told Letterman: "One of the dumbest things that this president...

Al Franken: No Decision on 2008 Senate Run Al Franken has moved his radio show from New York City to his home state of Minnesota, but he still isn't ready to announce a U.S. Senate run for 2008. The comedian and host of "The Al Franken Show" on Air America radio, began broadcasting his show from Minneapolis last week. He says he made the move because, "I just always consider myself a Minnesotan." While Franken acknowledges the new locale might not bring as many guests into the studio, he won't address whether it's a step toward an eventual Senate candidacy....