What's with Franken today anyway?

[Skidmore]

I generally don't have a problem with his broadcast but his question to day has been about Cindy Sheehan and whether * should see her. He keeps saying that, in fairness to *, he understand how seeing her could set a precedent and he would have to meet with all families. So what. If * can send other people's children to die in a war-whether based on lies or not, he should have to stand and look them in the eye and tell them why. As far as I'm concerned, there is no question here to be asked.

[NYCGirl]

1. He also said that, personally, he thinks Bush should meet with Sheehan. NT

[Skidmore]

3. I heard him say that, but

I don't think * deserves any expressions or concerns for what is fair to him. He made and continues to make the choice to send people to die.

[redqueen]

2. Yeah that's a pretty nonsensical thing to say.

Presidents meet with individuals who identify a movement / cause all the time, and I've never heard anything about these meetings setting precedents.

[Booster]

16. Yeah, and they don't have them arrested for Nat'l Sec reasons.

Talk about setting a precedent; if he does this, HE will be the new turdblossum.

[JDPriestly]

4. Franken is a puzzle.

He seems to have lost his edge. Is success going to his head? He doesn't sound like a real liberal anymore. What is going on with him? Is he selling out? I wish he would explain what's up.

[NYCGirl]

5. As a broadcaster, it's important to open up discussion, sometimes

bringing up views you don't personally hold. He's not Limbaugh, for god's sake.

[K-W]

6. As a Franken fan for years I havent seen any change EOM

[jane_pippin]

7. Sorry, I missed it but since you heard it, do you think

there is any chance he was trying to make a point by being sarcastic?
You know, something along the lines of, "Oh sure, he meets with her then he'll have to meet with all the grieving mothers and that's hard work. He's got Tee-Ball games to go to..." Something like that?

Again, I don't know, I'm just asking to give Al the benefit of the doubt. I'll listen when I get home from work later and am able to.

[Connie_Corleone]

8. He was also questioning what Cindy said to Blitzer was all true.

He said that earlier in his broadcast. Franken felt that Sheehan was upset and might have exagerrated(spelling?)how Bush responded to her when she first met him (i.e. Bush not knowing her son's name, didn't want to talk about her son, not using his name during the conversation, acting in a happy mood while talking to her.)

I turned Franken off after that.

[jane_pippin]

9. Really? That's odd and sad. n/t

[K-W]

10. Hearsay is as hearsay does.

Has Cindy's story been corroborated? If not it is one woman's story.

Al introduced it accurately, mentioned her comments and said that he had no trouble believing them. What more to do you want? Is he supposed to take every quote from an anti-war person and assume it must be true?

[Connie_Corleone]

11. I guess her husband can corroborate her story?

But then why should we believe him either?

We're talking about a woman who lost her son in Iraq, not just some anti-war protester off the street.

Also, it's not the first time she has described her visit with Bush that way. She said the same thing during the DSM hearing.

[K-W]

13. Her son dying in Iraq has nothing to do with this.

and that proves you arent being objective. It doesnt matter where her son died. Franken had her quote, was not aware of corroberation if it exists, and prefaced it by saying it was possible her story isnt exactly what happened, because he couldnt varify it was.

He shouldnt have speculated on her mental state, I will certainly concede that, but you are blowing this out of proportion.

[Connie_Corleone]

17. How am I blowing it out of proportion?

I just posted what he said. He didn't say anything about verifying what she said. He felt that her comments were due to her being upset about her son dying in Iraq.

[K-W]

19. That isnt what he said.

He didnt say he felt her comments were anything. He speculated that her comments might have been influenced by what must have bee a very emotional experience, which was a roundabout way of saying to his audience that he didnt have any corroboration so they were taking her word for it.

Like I said, he shouldnt have speculated on her mental state and should have been more straightforward, but he wasnt smearing her.

[dogday]

12. Isn't he thinking about running against Norm Coleman?

He is pulling a Hillary and trying to move to the center of the party. The conservative center at that.

[K-W]

14. No..

The fact that Al jumps through hoops to make sure he comes off as fair has nothing to with his Senate run and has been his style his entire career that Ive seen.

Like it or love it, it doesnt speak in any way to his ideology which is not centrist or conservative at all.

[dogday]

15. I have listened to him for a while and it has just

been lately that I have noticed a change in his beliefs. I know he has been a moderate Democrat and likes everything referenced. But lately he has taken positions on situations that I really thought it was a centralist view to say the least. Is he running?

[K-W]

18. Alot of that isnt true.

Change in his beliefs? Care to name one change in his beliefs?

I know he has been a moderate Democrat

Al has never been a moderate democrat.

But lately he has taken positions on situations that I really thought it was a centralist view to say the least.

Which positions would those be? I also question the wisdom of any analysis that tries to place all opinions on some scale of right to left.

I have no idea if he is running or not.

[dogday]

20. Your opinions of Al are yours, My opinions

are mine. Don't try to make your opinions mine, it won't work....

[K-W]

21. If you cant backup your claims that doesnt make them opinions.

You claimed that you noticed a change in his beliefs. That is not an opinion, that is a matter of fact. Please present the beliefs you have noticed him changing.

You stated that you "know he has been a moderate" again this is not a statement of opinion. You state that you "know" this about him. But Franken has always been a liberal democrat. One of his biggest political heroes is Paul Wellstone. At no point in time has Al (Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them)Franken been a moderate.

And lastly you claimed that he has taken centrist positions recently. Again this is a claim of fact that you have not supported with even one example.

Either backup your comments or dont, but dont pretend that you can make unsubstantiated claims about people and just call them opinions and nobody can challenge them.

[dogday]

22. I don't see it that way

You do, are you saying that your way, is the only way? I used to think he was very Liberal... When he started AA he was Liberal, he to me has began a moderate position on things like

Election Fraud which I don't remember him mentioning.
Downing Street Memos Which he did not mention at first.


I would have to wait to hear Randy if I wanted to hear about some liberal views. And yes I do feel that way. I have felt like he is moving center and I ask a valid question, which is not all that unusual for candidates to do.

You must believe yours is the only opinion in the world? I don't know, I have my own views and I am sorry that they are not in your liking. I don't think I am wrong, do some research on Al on this board and see if people are not complaining lately about the way he is.