# Barney Frank - wants to temporarily be a Senator **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 5, 2013, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117 "2013-01-05T00:08:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/1 "2013-01-05T00:08:31Z")
I like this idea. I usually don’t agree with Frank on just about anything. But, he’s got some valuable experience in finance legislation. Why not use it? The appointment is only for a few months. > **[Meet the Press: Inside Takes on the Latest Stories with Kristen Welker](https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press?lite)** > > Follow Kristen Welker as she uncovers breaking news events with the experts on NBCNews.com. Find coverage on the latest in politics, news, business, and more. > [@](#): > > Frank has changed his mind citing the Senate’s expected focus on fiscal issues, where Frank could use his expertise as the former top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee. A caretaker appointment would be short-term, just for a few months until the special election is set. > \ > But that [fiscal cliff] deal now means that February, March, and April are going to be among the most important months in American financial history." ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/2 "2013-01-05T02:25:48Z")
I’d love this, if only because watching heads explode is the most fun you can have in winter. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/3 "2013-01-05T02:28:32Z")
Sorry it’s only for three months. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/4 "2013-01-05T05:47:38Z")
Since MA has a Democratic governor, I think he’s got a good chance. But I’m not sure how much it will matter; the House is the nightmare scenario right now. The Senate is much saner. ---
**Author:** ![Randvek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a6a055/32.png) [@Randvek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randvek)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/5 "2013-01-05T15:17:45Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Since MA has a Democratic governor, I think he’s got a good chance. But I’m not sure how much it will matter; the House is the nightmare scenario right now. The Senate is much saner. There are very few periods in American history where “the Senate is much saner” isn’t true. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/6 "2013-01-05T21:08:01Z")
Does anyone think this could be him setting himself up for a run when they have the actual election? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/7 "2013-01-05T21:16:25Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Does anyone think this could be him setting himself up for a run when they have the actual election? The Massachusetts Democrats seem to have all lined up behind Rep. Markey to run for that seat. I think Massachusetts voters already know who Frank is- a couple of months in the Senate wouldn’t make a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/8 "2013-01-05T21:23:41Z")
Am I the only person who sees Barney Frank’s name and always see it as Barney Fife? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/9 "2013-01-05T21:25:27Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Am I the only person who sees Barney Frank’s name and always see it as Barney Fife? nm ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/10 "2013-01-05T21:36:28Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Does anyone think this could be him setting himself up for a run when they have the actual election? I doubt it. He seemed pretty serious about retiring earlier, and he’s passed up several good openings to run for the Senate in the past. And if he wanted to run for the Senate, he’d probably be better off just openly throwing his hat in the ring, rather then trying to pull a sneaky bait-and-switch. (plus, I imagine paperwork for running in the Dem primary needs to be filed in pretty short order. He wouldn’t really have time to claim that he had a “change of heart” a couple months down the road). Interestingly, if appointed, he’ll have missed going down in history as the first openly gay Senator by a few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/11 "2013-01-05T22:14:59Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Am I the only person who sees Barney Frank’s name and always see it as Barney Fife? No way. Barney Frank has balls of steel. They may be disco balls of steel, maybe they’re fabulous, but he’s got 'em. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/12 "2013-01-05T22:31:59Z")
I find it pretty amusing that in a few weeks it looks likely that Elizabeth Warren will be my senior senator. John Kerry had to wait over 24 years to get there. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/13 "2013-01-05T22:48:59Z")
I’m tickled half to death that she’s a Senator,period. Sic 'em, Lizzie! And I’m not just saying that because she’s so hawt! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/14 "2013-01-06T00:44:10Z")
Frank has confirmed he doesn’t want the job long-term. I’ll bet Patrick won’t do it, so he won’t distract from the special-election campaign. I think that would be a mistake, because interest in the race will require some external stimulation to keep Brown from returning. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/15 "2013-01-06T01:10:46Z")
> [@Randvek](#): > > There are very few periods in American history where “the Senate is much saner” isn’t true. The Civil Rights struggle-era was one; that was when Southern diehards were filibustering civil rights legislation by reading from telephone books during Senate floor debates. Not sane. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/16 "2013-01-06T01:12:46Z")
> [@waterj2](#): > > I find it pretty amusing that in a few weeks it looks likely that Elizabeth Warren will be my senior senator. Why **did** it take this long to get the votes counted? Were there “Lizard People” write-ins, like when Al Franken ran in 2008, or what? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/17 "2013-01-06T01:15:26Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Am I the only person who sees Barney Frank’s name and always see it as Barney Fife? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/18 "2013-01-06T02:05:51Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Why **did** it take this long to get the votes counted? Were there “Lizard People” write-ins, like when Al Franken ran in 2008, or what? Huh? I haven’t heard about anything unusual in the vote counting. Just that until Kerry is confirmed as Secretary of State and leaves office, she’s the junior senator. She took office Thursday. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/19 "2013-01-09T18:40:40Z")
One of Gov. Patrick’s advisers tweeted that there are “better options” for the temporary Senate seat than Barney. I suspect they’re somewhat pissed at Barney for going public before discussing it with them. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barney-frank-wants-to-temporarily-be-a-senator/646117/20 "2013-01-09T19:06:28Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Am I the only person who sees Barney Frank’s name and always see it as Barney Fife? Dick Armey et al. apparently see it as “Barney Fag”.