# 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:** 60
**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, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1181 "2009-07-02T00:17:24Z")
I wonder if Franken will write any more books after he’s spent some time learning about government from the inside? That would be kewl! ---
**Author:** ![MeDrewNotYou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@MeDrewNotYou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeDrewNotYou)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1182 "2009-07-02T00:53:29Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I never took the WSJ for a satirical news outlet. I’ll have to give them a second look. > > Stupid question time (REALLY stupid question): Does Al get to serve six years from today? It’s also worth noting than Franken has no seniority when it comes to committees and such. Other new Dem senators from November, like Kay Hagan in NC, have 6mos under their belt that Franken doesn’t have. So if the two were on the same committee and there was to be a new chairperson, she’d get the nod even though they were elected at the same time. This basically sucks for Al, since seniority is a big thing in the Senate. ---
**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 2, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1183 "2009-07-02T00:58:53Z")
I wonder if they’d waive that a little bit for Al, given the circumstances. Naw, on second thought, probably not. I hear they can be pretty high school about their pecking orders. ---
**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 2, 2009, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1184 "2009-07-02T00:59:07Z")
Hell, Gillibrand (NY) and Burris (IL) have seniority over Franken right now, even though neither one was sworn in until well after this Congressional session began. ---
**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 2, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1185 "2009-07-02T01:01:05Z")
Man, how green do you have to be to be junior to freaking Burris? ---
**Author:** ![MeDrewNotYou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@MeDrewNotYou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeDrewNotYou)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1186 "2009-07-02T01:35:00Z")
I’m tempted to look for a video of Franken’s initiation, but the thought of Harry Reid and Ted Kennedy paddling him is frankly too disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1187 "2009-07-02T02:13:46Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > And a Political Science degree from Harvard…so there’s that. Not gonna fly. I know too many Political Science majors. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1188 "2009-07-02T02:28:37Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > (Not sure it’s a **net** saving; I don’t know how much those federal appeals cost the government.) Net saving. Minnesota has to pay all of those in-state expenses. Franken won’t become the Feds’ responsibility until he’s sworn in. ---
**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 2, 2009, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1189 "2009-07-02T03:16:23Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I wonder if they’d waive that a little bit for Al, given the circumstances. > > Naw, on second thought, probably not. I hear they can be pretty high school about their pecking orders. Just ask that newbie Dem from the Keystone State, Arlen Specter. Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![MeDrewNotYou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@MeDrewNotYou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeDrewNotYou)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1190 "2009-07-02T03:19:55Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Just ask that newbie Dem from the Keystone State, Arlen Specter. Ouch. I _think_ he’s getting retroactive seniority with the Dems starting in 2010 (assuming he wins, of course), but I’d have to double check. ETA: Just found a link. They’ll _reconsider_ giving him back seniority after the midterms. Knowing Harry Reid, he’ll probably give him the Majority Leader position. 😛 [http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/05/senate\_democrats\_deny\_specter.html](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/05/senate_democrats_deny_specter.html) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1191 "2009-07-02T03:32:30Z")
> [@MeDrewNotYou](#): > > Knowing Harry Reid, he’ll probably give him the Majority Leader position. 😛 Not if the ‘Our Country Deserves Better PAC’ manages to [Defeat Harry Reid](http://www.ourcountrydeservesbetter.com/issues/defeatharryreid.html) It _could_ happen! ---
**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 2, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1192 "2009-07-02T04:10:39Z")
> [@MeDrewNotYou](#): > > I _think_ he’s getting retroactive seniority with the Dems starting in 2010 (assuming he wins, of course), but I’d have to double check. > > ETA: Just found a link. They’ll _reconsider_ giving him back seniority after the midterms. Knowing Harry Reid, he’ll probably give him the Majority Leader position. 😛 > > [http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/05/senate\_democrats\_deny\_specter.html](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/05/senate_democrats_deny_specter.html) I’d _rather_ have Spector as Majority Leader. I’m not even kidding. I think he’d be better. I’d also like to replace Pelosi while we’re at it. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1193 "2009-07-02T04:14:07Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > 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’. Cool, that makes sense. So, ACORN is helping the U.S. Census. Any other identified groups that we know of? Is there a website or a list of these community partners? ---
**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, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1194 "2009-07-02T04:49:59Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > Cool, that makes sense. So, ACORN is helping the U.S. Census. Any other identified groups that we know of? Is there a website or a list of these community partners? Tons of 'em. See [http://2010.census.gov/partners/](http://2010.census.gov/partners/) for info on becoming one (though there doesn’t seem to be a list given anywhere). Seems to include lots of college groups, like fraternities & sororities, city groups (Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, City of Bloomington, MN Planning Council, City of Salmon, Idaho, Red Lake (MN) Tribe Education Council, Iowa State Assn. of Counties), ethnic groups (Asian American Justice Center, Brazilian Abroad Media), and professional groups like the American Statistical Assn. Seems like they want to partner with almost everybody! And some groups have an obvious interest in this: the city & county governments all depend on census numbers to determine how much tax money comes to their jurisdictions. And the ethnic communities all want to make sure everyone in their community is counted. ---
**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 2, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1195 "2009-07-02T05:09:48Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I’d _rather_ have Spector as Majority Leader. I’m not even kidding. I think he’d be better. I’d also like to replace Pelosi while we’re at it. Why the hell hasn’t Schumer muscled him out yet? ---
**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 2, 2009, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1196 "2009-07-02T11:59:14Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Why the hell hasn’t Schumer muscled him out yet? Schumer? You mean “Michael Mukasey would make a fine Attorney General” Schumer? ---
**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 2, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1197 "2009-07-02T12:59:29Z")
The Coleman-Franken interregnum was the fourth-longest since we began the direct election of U.S. senators: [http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/07/01/minnesota-joins-ranks-of-longest-senate-sagas/#more-58642](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/07/01/minnesota-joins-ranks-of-longest-senate-sagas/#more-58642) ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1198 "2009-07-02T13:29:48Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Not gonna fly. I know too many Political Science majors. 😃 Ok, but it’s more than a blue kool aid drinking joke book. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1199 "2009-07-02T16:54:16Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Tons of 'em. > See [http://2010.census.gov/partners/](http://2010.census.gov/partners/) for info on becoming one (though there doesn’t seem to be a list given anywhere). Thanks for the fill-in. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1200 "2009-07-02T18:20:24Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I wonder if Franken will write any more books after he’s spent some time learning about government from the inside? That would be kewl! ‘Al Franken is a Big Fat Idiot’ is going to be worth reading only if it is written by Al Franken. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239.md?page=59) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239.md?page=61)