# How's Al Franken's Senate bid going? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 12, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239 "2008-02-12T01:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 59
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1161 "2009-07-01T18:30:28Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > The WSJ is now owned by Rupert Murdoch, so that’s why it looks like worldnetdaily these days. Kind of sad, actually. It used to be a legitimate publication. I think the wacko-ness of its editorial page significantly pre-dates its takeover by Murdoch. (Not sure if anything has changed with the **reporting** at the WSJ which, at least before Murdoch, was quite good and seemed to be largely immune to the biases of the editorial page.) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1162 "2009-07-01T18:35:51Z")
I don’t know. I can see pre-Murdoch WSJ railing against the possible socialization of America that they think is going to happen the instant Franken sets foot in the chamber, but I can’t see them railing against his election as a STOLEN ELECTION. That is [del]literally[/del] lifted right off the Freepers. They’ve been in despair since yesterday over it. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1163 "2009-07-01T18:51:14Z")
Pre-Murdoch, the WSJ editorial page was conservative, but it was still sober. It’s now just childish. I think **jayjay** is right. You used to be able to distinguish between an WSJ editorial and the kind of thing you see on Free Republic or a Michelle Malkin blog. They’re now just tilting into the same kind of shallow, un-serious, unsophisticated, amateur demagoguery you can find on any AM radio station or newspaper comments page. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1164 "2009-07-01T18:55:12Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Pre-Murdoch, the WSJ editorial page was conservative, but it was still sober. It’s now just childish. I think **jayjay** is right. You used to be able to distinguish between an WSJ editorial and the kind of thing you see on Free Republic or a Michelle Malkin blog. They’re now just tilting into the same kind of childish, unsophisticated, amateur demamgoguery you can find on any AM radio station or newspaper comments page. I’d love to see a Bill Buckley/Sean Hannity mashup, if only to illustrate just how far the American Right has fallen in the last 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![MN\_Maenad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@MN\_Maenad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MN_Maenad)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1165 "2009-07-01T19:20:48Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > The WSJ sums things up nicely:[The ‘Absentee’ Senator Franken wins by changing the rules.](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124640687950076679.html) I love that they have the cojones to say that after 2000. I guess a recount and a legal battle are different when your favored candidate wins. Then again, I know some Bush-hating Franken fans who are going the other way today. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1166 "2009-07-01T19:30:45Z")
Come to think of it, was anyone here willing to soil themselves by watching Bill O’Reilly last night, to see if his head would actually explode? I was going to, but missed the window. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1167 "2009-07-01T19:36:21Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > What he said. ☹ > ETA: And no, the term will end as originally scheduled. The machinations of Coleman have stolen 6 months from the term, roughly. And Franken does not get back pay, either – his pay starts when he is sworn in. So Coleman has effectively ‘stolen’ $87,000 from Franken, too. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1168 "2009-07-01T19:45:47Z")
No worry there, the first week’s check from ACORN will more than cover it. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1169 "2009-07-01T19:58:19Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > No; his term ends the same date it would have if the election results had been undisputed. At least one can be happy with the knowledge that because Coleman will have to pay for the legal costs, the Republicans did lose a lot of change that would had been used against other democrats in the next elections. The price for the obstruction was a heavy one IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1170 "2009-07-01T20:00:52Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > No worry there, the first week’s check from ACORN will more than cover it. Huh? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1171 "2009-07-01T20:04:41Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Huh? He’s being snarky. The right-wing blogs are boiling with anger over the “stolen” election and blaming ACORN, George Soros, Satan, Obama, liberal activist judges and every Democratic Secretary-of-State that’s currently serving. And I’m only barely exaggerating. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1172 "2009-07-01T20:08:11Z")
You forgot ACORN, George Stephanopoulos, Air America, Bill Ayers, and the Communists. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1173 "2009-07-01T21:07:44Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > And Franken does not get back pay, either – his pay starts when he is sworn in. So Coleman has effectively ‘stolen’ $87,000 from Franken, too. Well, Franken didn’t exactly ‘work’ for the past 6 months either. Wouldn’t really be fair to pay him for nothing, would it? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1174 "2009-07-01T21:15:23Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > Well, Franken didn’t exactly ‘work’ for the past 6 months either. Wouldn’t really be fair to pay him for nothing, would it? 😛 You don’t think he spent any time boning up on the issues he’s going to be dealing with? And assembling his staff, etc, ect? ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1175 "2009-07-01T23:19:18Z")
As long as he was not boning up on his staff- there’s been quite enough of that thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1176 "2009-07-01T23:21:30Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > You forgot ACORN, George Stephanopoulos, Air America, Bill Ayers, and the Communists. And the US Census Bureau. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1177 "2009-07-01T23:23:17Z")
Where did this newest Republican lie spring from, the one about ACORN being involved in the U.S. Census? ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1178 "2009-07-01T23:32:39Z")
Near as I can tell: [ul] [li]Voter registration is one of the things that ACORN does, (maybe?) the main thing.[/li][li]Voter registration drives are punctuated and temporary, and as such require the hiring of temporary staff during periods of high activity[/li][li]The US Census canvassing is punctuated and temporary, and as such requires the hiring of temporary staff during periods of high activity[/li][li]ACORN has access to such people and have some limited data on reliability, etc[/li][li]The US Census may hire some of the same people that ACORN did, based on their say-so[/li][li]The US Census may pay ACORN for this recruiting service[/li][/ul] Am I dong OK here? I welcome any additional incriminating information. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1179 "2009-07-02T00:12:44Z")
> [@stolichnaya](#): > > Am I dong OK here? I welcome any additional incriminating information. The Census Bureau does what they call ‘partnerships’ with community organizations, especially those with connections to underserved populations. They work with those groups to encourage people from such groups to complete their Census forms. They also use those groups to advertise the available Census jobs (thinking that workers from minority populations will have better success dealing with those minority populations). I believe ACORN is one of the many community groups that is such a Census ‘partner’. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1180 "2009-07-02T00:14:05Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > And Franken does not get back pay, either – his pay starts when he is sworn in. So Coleman has effectively ‘stolen’ $87,000 from Franken, too. [shrug] Franken doesn’t get that $87k, Coleman doesn’t get it – it’s simply a saving to the U.S. Treasury. (Not sure it’s a **net** saving; I don’t know how much those federal appeals cost the government.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239.md?page=58) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239.md?page=60)