# The Al Franken... Six-Year Senate Term? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 1, 2007, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366 "2007-02-01T02:52:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/81 "2007-02-15T17:33:30Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] …I hadn’t known he was so loose with facts… [/QUOTE] Uh, **Lib** , you **do** know that…uh, how to word this…that site isn’t perzackly…I mean, it isn’t really…oh, never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/82 "2007-02-15T17:46:49Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] BTW, here’s Franken’s [campaign website.](http://www.alfranken.com/) [/quote] I find it interesting that on his website, and in this thread, no one talks about his positions on major topics. He’s been to Iraq 3 times, but how does he feel about foreign wars, especially this one? Domestic policy? National health insurance? Taxes? Presidential powers? Farm policy? If we don’t get down to those issues, we are electing a celebrity just for being one. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/83 "2007-02-15T18:09:22Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Uh, **Lib** , you **do** know that…uh, how to word this…that site isn’t perzackly…I mean, it isn’t really…oh, never mind. [/QUOTE] Funnily enough, I know what you’re trying to say. But assuming his references are correct, then he is right. Franken has twisted people’s words by taking them out of context, lopping off dependent clauses, and even misstating them altogether — all to suit his purposes. And that’s what he himself has called “lying”. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/84 "2007-02-15T18:10:06Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] I find it interesting that on his website, and in this thread, no one talks about his positions on major topics. He’s been to Iraq 3 times, but how does he feel about foreign wars, especially this one? Domestic policy? National health insurance? Taxes? Presidential powers? Farm policy? [/QUOTE] Most of that is covered in his books. And the election is still a year and a half away – no doubt he will add a lot of policy & position statements to the website long before then. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/85 "2007-02-15T18:52:40Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] That was interesting, thanks. I hadn’t known he was so loose with facts. But inasmuch as he has settled on a career in politics, I guess it makes sense. [/QUOTE] I wouldn’t trust that website if I were you. A lot of conservative websites have tried to smear Franken as dishonest. They ususually do this by lying through their teeth while demonstrating a total inability to recognize a joke. Admittedly, I’m not familiar with that specific site, so maybe it’s the exception. But I rather doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/86 "2007-02-15T18:55:31Z")
Hey, at least Jesse Ventura actually had positions. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/87 "2007-02-15T19:01:19Z")
[QUOTE=dahfisheroo] Hey, at least Jesse Ventura actually had positions. [/QUOTE] Have you **never** read any of Franken’s books, or listened to his radio show?! ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/88 "2007-02-15T19:04:10Z")
I’m torn on this one. Franken winning, or even just running for Senate will mean that I have to see a lot more of him. The race will be covered nationally, and he’ll be on TV a lot. That sucks, because Franken is one of the most annoying human beings on the planet. However, if he wins then he’ll do a good deal of damage to the credibility of Democrats nationwide. Once he’s a Senator his actions and words will reflect on the Democrats as a whole much more than they do now. Even now just as an author and radio host he still hides under the “satire” shield to keep from getting sued, right? He won’t have that anymore if he’s a Senator. People will be listening to him and what he says will turn off most Americans. Yeah. I guess I’m for this. Go Franken! ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/89 "2007-02-15T19:15:10Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Have you **never** read any of Franken’s books, or listened to his radio show?! [/QUOTE] Glutton, that was a passing joke on wrestling, calm down. I really think that seeing that you are such a true believer in the Franken machine, you need to move up here, so your vote can count!! Yaaaaaaaay, Franken! It’s about 9 degrees right now, clear, with some accumulated snow on the ground. Seriously, why are you such a cheerleader on a possible senator for MN? I know we’re all kind of stupid up here, and need to be told what we really want in our politicians, (I thank you kindly for your persistence in trying to educate me on the wonderfulness of all that is Franken,) but why do you care? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/90 "2007-02-15T19:19:05Z")
[QUOTE=dahfisheroo] Seriously, why are you such a cheerleader on a possible senator for MN? I know we’re all kind of stupid up here, and need to be told what we really want in our politicians, (I thank you kindly for your persistence in trying to educate me on the wonderfulness of all that is Franken,) but why do you care? [/QUOTE] Because the Senate is a **national** body. If it were about the governorship of MN I wouldn’t much care. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/91 "2007-02-15T19:19:39Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] I wouldn’t trust that website if I were you. [/QUOTE] Oh, I didn’t. I didn’t presume for a minute that it was offered as a legitimate offset to the fanboi page. For one thing, “right-wing smear page” was a clue. But I checked it out anyway, in particular the section with Franken interviews. Unless the site is giving such things as publications, dates, and times incorrectly, then what they accuse Franken of is reasonable. Take Schwarzenegger, for instance (“Franken Lies with Leno on the Tonight Show”). Franken said that Arnold likes what Hitler did with his (Hitler’s) speaking ability: [Schwarzenegger] said in an interview that he liked the way Hitler spoke and presented himself, which is, you know, he was a charismatic speaker, but he also liked … what [Hitler] did with it.Arnold in fact said the opposite: But I don’t admire [Hitler] for what he did with it. Like I said before, _if the writer is not lying_, then Franken is. Quite honestly, I have trouble believing that Arnold would have said he admires what Hitler did with his speaking gift. That, to me, lends credence to the writer over Franken in that instance. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/92 "2007-02-15T19:27:07Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] Oh, I didn’t. I didn’t presume for a minute that it was offered as a legitimate offset to the fanboi page. For one thing, “right-wing smear page” was a clue. But I checked it out anyway, in particular the section with Franken interviews. Unless the site is giving such things as publications, dates, and times incorrectly, then what they accuse Franken of is reasonable. Take Schwarzenegger, for instance (“Franken Lies with Leno on the Tonight Show”). Franken said that Arnold likes what Hitler did with his (Hitler’s) speaking ability: [Schwarzenegger] said in an interview that he liked the way Hitler spoke and presented himself, which is, you know, he was a charismatic speaker, but he also liked … what [Hitler] did with it.Arnold in fact said the opposite: But I don’t admire [Hitler] for what he did with it. Like I said before, _if the writer is not lying_, then Franken is. Quite honestly, I have trouble believing that Arnold would have said he admires what Hitler did with his speaking gift. That, to me, lends credence to the writer over Franken in that instance. [/QUOTE] Actually, that quote was widely attributed to Schwarzenegger. > **[CNN.com - Schwarzenegger disputes alleged pro-Hitler quote - Feb. 24, 2004](https://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/10/03/schwarzenegger.hitler/index.html)** ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/93 "2007-02-15T19:38:05Z")
[QUOTE=Richard Parker] Actually, that quote was widely attributed to Schwarzenegger. > **[CNN.com - Schwarzenegger disputes alleged pro-Hitler quote - Feb. 24, 2004](https://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/10/03/schwarzenegger.hitler/index.html)** [/QUOTE] I don’t think wide attribution qualifies something as fact. Your own source says that a correction/clarification was issued that same week. That was February, 2004. Franken appeared on Leno in November, 2005. I think an accusation like that — of full-bore positive admiration of Hitler’s deeds — is the sort of claim that requires extraordinary proof ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/94 "2007-02-15T19:45:07Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Because the Senate is a **national** body. If it were about the governorship of MN I wouldn’t much care. [/QUOTE] So, what do you expect the freshman senator from MN to accomplish for the nation, in addition to his own constituency? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/95 "2007-02-15T19:50:56Z")
[QUOTE=dahfisheroo] … you need to move up here, so your vote can count!!.. [/quote] > [@](#): > > …It’s about 9 degrees right now, clear, with some accumulated snow on the ground… Lies! Lies! It is desperately cold, minus 40, with a windchill of godawful! Brass monkey balls litter the highways, sparrows nestle against witch’s tits for survival! And don’t even get me started on the ice spiders! (Jeez, **dah** , whatsamatta you?..) ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/96 "2007-02-15T19:56:41Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Lies! Lies! It is desperately cold, minus 40, with a windchill of godawful! Brass monkey balls litter the highways, sparrows nestle against witch’s tits for survival! And don’t even get me started on the ice spiders! (Jeez, **dah** , whatsamatta you?..) [/QUOTE] Ice spiders. Fuck, that’s funny. Best one today, thanks, **luci**. I had no fear, the brutal cold keeps the riff-raff out. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/97 "2007-02-15T19:58:20Z")
[QUOTE=dahfisheroo] So, what do you expect the freshman senator from MN to accomplish for the nation, in addition to his own constituency? [/QUOTE] Universal health care, maybe – he’s certainly for it. And against prolonging the Iraq occupation. At least he would be one more Senate vote on the left-progressive side and one less for the Pubs. Every little bit helps. ---
**Author:** ![usar\_jag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/98 "2007-02-15T20:01:47Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Lance Murdoch] Add to that the fact that the 2006 Senate race in MN was a blowout win for a Democrat in her first statewide race. [/QUOTE] Well, the fact that our junior Senator was running against one of the hugest tools in politics probably had nothing to do with it… 😉 I’m not a Franken supporter, but it will be a great campaign. He’s already come up with a great one-liner comparing himself and Coleman: “I’m the only New York Jew in the race who actually grew up in Minnesota.” (paraphrased) ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/99 "2007-02-15T20:02:19Z")
Wow, they actually exist. Who knew? [http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.pgmuseum.org/ice/Ant35.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pgmuseum.org/Gallery36.htm&h=292&w=432&sz=29&hl=en&start=59&tbnid=fjCkjWpQ1-lkBM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=126&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dice%2Bspiders%26start%3D40%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DGGGL,GGGL:2006-41,GGGL:en%26sa%3DN](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.pgmuseum.org/ice/Ant35.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pgmuseum.org/Gallery36.htm&h=292&w=432&sz=29&hl=en&start=59&tbnid=fjCkjWpQ1-lkBM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=126&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dice%2Bspiders%26start%3D40%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DGGGL,GGGL:2006-41,GGGL:en%26sa%3DN) To scale the infamous MN ice spiders in relation to humans. [http://moblog.co.uk/blogs/2328/moblog\_271ff9a15812e.jpg](http://moblog.co.uk/blogs/2328/moblog_271ff9a15812e.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366/100 "2007-02-15T20:08:07Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] I don’t think wide attribution qualifies something as fact. Your own source says that a correction/clarification was issued that same week. That was February, 2004. Franken appeared on Leno in November, 2005. I think an accusation like that — of full-bore positive admiration of Hitler’s deeds — is the sort of claim that requires extraordinary proof [/QUOTE] My point was that in the context of a guy talking off the cuff on the Tonight Show, it is easier to view this as a mistake than a lie. It isn’t uncommon at all for people to miss retractions/clarifications (though I would characterized what happened in this situation as a dispute). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-al-franken-six-year-senate-term/390366.md?page=6)