The news was not unexpected. Franken has been calling members of the Minnesota congressional delegation to get their input on a run, and he announced this week that he would be leaving his show on Air America Radio on Feb. 14. He told listeners he would be making a decision on a race soon.

In a statement, Minnesota Republican Party Chairman Ron Carey said he was confident Minnesotans "will reject Franken's divisive, scorched-earth attacks." The state Democratic Party declined to comment.

Should he win the Democratic primary in Minnesota, Franken would take on Republican Norm Coleman (news, bio, voting record), a first-term senator who is among the Democrats' top targets. Coleman declined to comment Wednesday.

Franken, 55, was born in New York City, like Coleman, but grew up in St. Louis Park, a suburb of Minneapolis. He was a performer and writer on television's "Saturday Night Live" before writing best-selling books combining humor and politics.

link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070201/ap_on_el_se/franken_senate;_ylt=AkoDSXsRUaYCLtRy8ZdkG_.MwfIE;_ ylu=X3oDMTA4NGRzMjRtBHNlYwMxNjk5)

finally this day has arrived

finally this day has arrived

Welcome to congress, Mr. Franken.

He's going to crash & burn.

But give him credit for trying. :|

Gods Speed Al Franken :|

Your using the term 'comedian' out of context. :hmm:

This is the funniest thing I've heard from him in decades

:not: :not: :not:

Oh, he's totally going to win.

Maybe Ron Jeremy should run, or the easter bunny...

Oh c'mon! We're talking about a State that elected a Big Time Wrestler. ;)

Fact is truly stranger than fiction.

This is the funniest thing I've heard from him in decades

What do you mean, decades?

This is the FIRST funny thing he has ever done!

Oh c'mon! We're talking about a State that elected a Big Time Wrestler. ;)

Fact is truly stranger than fiction.

Tell me about it; I live in California. ;)

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b3/cornfucius/terminator1.jpg

:not: :not: :not:


OMG! He spoke. (sort of)

Tell me about it; I live in California. ;)

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b3/cornfucius/terminator1.jpg


I can't help but think that he's won his victories with the slogan, "Vote for me or I'll kill you." ;)

Franken's foolish candidacy proves that the media is overwhelmingly leftist and actively works against the right.

He has been a serious hate-monger, a name caller, and an extreme actor on the political stage. He has been in altercations where he threatened physical violence to other commentators and has made all sorts of pugnacious and outrageous statements showing his unbridled hatred for those with whom he disagrees.

So far, NONE of this unbalanced behavior has been highlighted by a fawning media.

The AP in their two reports today didn't even MENTION he is liberal, much less bring up his outrageous behavior.

Now let us wonder what would have been said if, say Ann Coulter (a person with EXACTLY the same style as Franken) had announced she was running for office. The stories would have been JAMMED with phrases like "Outrageous Conservative", or "Controversial" Ann Coulter runs for office!

But, Franken is given a complete pass and treated as if he is a level headed statesman instead of the unhinged idiot he really is.

The press is filled with slobbering, lefties who do not "report" the news but create it.

I can't help but think that he's won his victories with the slogan, "Vote for me or I'll kill you." ;)

Naw, I've met him. He actually is very nice. I didn't vote for him, but I think he is very personable, and I can't be all that critical of him as "da governator".

Franken's foolish candidacy proves that the media is overwhelmingly leftist and actively works against the right.


Either that or they truly think it is a joke. ;)

Naw, I've met him. He actually is very nice. I didn't vote for him, but I think he is very personable, and I can't be all that critical of him as "da governator".

Oh no, I'm sure he is; it's just one of the weird things that get stuck in my head. Much like when Reagen was running and I though, we're really going to elect Bedtime for Bonzo?

In fact I did a little AP news investigation....

This is amusing for it's total ridiculousness. In the AP story about upcoming Senate campaign of Al Franken, the soon to be ex-Air America ranter and supposed comedian, AP seems to have forgotten to mention he is a liberal.

The short AP blurb doesn't mention it at all: Short AP Version (http://www.breitbart.com/news/na/cp_w013163A.xml.html).

And the long piece gives no hint of Franken's leanings until the last line of the report: Long AP Version (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070201/ap_on_el_se/franken_senate).

And even the long piece does not state Franken's leftist positioning as a fact, but couches it as the claim of a political science professor. And they don't even introduce the label until the very last paragraph of a ten paragraph story.

Franken faces major challenges, said Larry Jacobs, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota. Besides needing to establish himself as a serious candidate, Franken has staked out left-wing policies that make it questionable whether he can win independent voters, Jacobs said.

Here is how the piece starts (in the short version)

WASHINGTON (AP) - Comedian Al Franken has decided to run for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota in 2008, challenging incumbent Republican Norm Coleman, a senior Democratic party official said Wednesday.

No mention of Franken's leftist proclivities there.

Now let's contrast that with how the AP worded the first segments of several of their stories on Republicans who have recently announced they are running for office. (Bold emphasis mine)

Mike Huckabee Announcement (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/28/AR2007012800357.html)

(First section) WASHINGTON -- Conservative Republican Mike Huckabee, seeking to repeat the success of another former governor from Hope, Ark., said Sunday he is taking the first step in what he acknowledged is an underdog bid for the White House in 2008.

Duncan Hunter Announcement (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/25/AR2007012500745.html)

(Fourth section) The 14-term conservative from California, who has made no secret of his White House aspirations, set up a presidential exploratory committee earlier this month.

Brownback Announcement (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/20/AR2007012000186.html)

(First section)TOPEKA, Kan. -- Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback figures he has an edge with Republican voters that other presidential rivals don't - unquestioned conservative credentials.

About campaign of Sam Brownback and Duncan Hunter (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/22/AR2007012200962.html)

(First section) WASHINGTON -- Two of the Republicans' most conservative presidential hopefuls promised anti-abortion activists on Monday that if elected, they would work to overturn the Supreme Court decision legalizing the procedure.

Lots of mentions of "conservative" leanings in their reports of Republican announcements for candidacy. So, why not mention Franken's leftism especially since it isn't just an incidental fact with Franken himself saying he is loudly and proudly a leftist?

Yet, AP won't even accede to the candidate's own self-labeled positioning.

Why can't the AP force themselves to identify liberal candidates as such?

Hey mobile. Why is your franken source yahoo news (undoubtedly the peak of political reporting), and all other candidates sources washington post (undoubtedly having the lowest number of political readers)?

Why can't the AP force themselves to identify liberal candidates as such?

Maybe they feel that the title of Franken's popular book "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot" speaks for itself. :shrug:

All those sources were actually AP reports not Wa Post OR Yahoo.

If you look closely at the bylines you will see they are all AP reports that were just picked up by Wa Post and Yahoo and Brietbart, etc..

Oh no, I'm sure he is; it's just one of the weird things that get stuck in my head. Much like when Reagen was running and I though, we're really going to elect Bedtime for Bonzo?

:rofl:

All those sources were actually AP reports not Wa Post OR Yahoo.

If you look closely at the bylines you will see they are all AP reports that were just picked up by Wa Post and Yahoo and Brietbart, etc..

Lets wait to call Franken 'liberal' untill he

A. Joins a party

B. States his positions

C. Announces that he's running for senate.

Regarding the storys you posted--1 was a story about an anti-abortionist rally, 1 features a statement about being conservative by the candidate, and the other two feature conservative republicans already in sit... Franken is a comedian first, and outside of the political spectrum known for such. Dont worry mobile--Im sure that when he announces his bid, they'll mention his political affiliation.

with all respect MV I want my vote back! I didnt know he was a liberal :P they either arent listening or dont care-Bill Murray never said he was a republican and I figured it out myself...

Bill Murray is not a Republican.

Then again, he isn't running for any office either.

And Franken has been asking the Minnesota DEMOCRATIC PARTY about his candidacy for the last year or so. SO I think we can safely say he is a Democrat!!

Still, the main point is that they leftist media will never say a word about his behavior like they would a Republican with a similar background.

But, I should say that S.Sloth's post above is proof that the left wants no "proof" and won't accept any at all. It is EASY to discern Franken's leanings. But, sloth simply won't even accept the candidates own words.

Mobile... I really think that if franken runs, word will leak that he's written a few books, hosted a few talkshows, and is generally a liberal... But, maybe the media will keep his former job and books under raps, and no one will ask him questions, and he'll state no positions and have no platforms. And then everyone will be fooled and vote for him, just cause.

Bill Murray is not a Republican.

Then again, he isn't running for any office either.

And Franken has been asking the Minnesota DEMOCRATIC PARTY about his candidacy for the last year or so. SO I think we can safely say he is a Democrat!!

Still, the main point is that they leftist media will never say a word about his behavior like they would a Republican with a similar background.

But, I should say that S.Sloth's post above is proof that the left wants no "proof" and won't accept any at all. It is EASY to discern Franken's leanings. But, sloth simply won't even accept the candidates own words.

Murray sure sounds like one sometimes-it was a joke anyway-the days of the dark stigma attahed to the words "left" or "liberal" are pretty much gone=youre saying the same thing I did it's easy to discern Franken's leanings so why does it matter if they omit saying it?

The news was not unexpected. Franken has been calling members of the Minnesota congressional delegation to get their input on a run, and he announced this week that he would be leaving his show on Air America Radio on Feb. 14. He told listeners he would be making a decision on a race soon.

In a statement, Minnesota Republican Party Chairman Ron Carey said he was confident Minnesotans "will reject Franken's divisive, scorched-earth attacks." The state Democratic Party declined to comment.

Should he win the Democratic primary in Minnesota, Franken would take on Republican Norm Coleman (news, bio, voting record), a first-term senator who is among the Democrats' top targets. Coleman declined to comment Wednesday.

Franken, 55, was born in New York City, like Coleman, but grew up in St. Louis Park, a suburb of Minneapolis. He was a performer and writer on television's "Saturday Night Live" before writing best-selling books combining humor and politics.

link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070201/ap_on_el_se/franken_senate;_ylt=AkoDSXsRUaYCLtRy8ZdkG_.MwfIE;_ ylu=X3oDMTA4NGRzMjRtBHNlYwMxNjk5)

Why not? He'll fit right in with the rest of the clowns.

it's easy to discern Franken's leanings so why does it matter if they omit saying it?

Several points:

#1- Most people do NOT pay attention to politics. They will see Al Franken and be told he is from Saturday Night Live and that will be all they know of him unless more is revealed.

#2- If the AP treated ALL candidates with the kid gloves they treat leftist candidates with, then there WOULDN'T be anything to say about it. But they always go our of their way to label "conservative" candidates (sometimes even when they really aren't) and almost NEVER label leftist ones.

#3- The AP thinks that saying "conservative" is a black mark and they hope the word conjures up certain things. But Democrats and leftists are just candidates. To their minds saying "conservative" is akin to bigoted, racist, baby killers. Democrat candidates to the AP are just regular politicians and they see no need to label them.

Welcome to Washington Senator Franken. :) :D :cool: :nice::beer: :cooldance :luck: :w00t: :usa: