Al Franken: A breath of fresh air at a watershed moment in 1996 amidst centrism and compromise

[CreekDog]

Remember how refreshing it was to see our side, for probably the first time in years, hit back?

Remember how funny it was and satisfying to see someone defend our ideas and kick Rush Limbaugh in the teeth using the same tactics Limbaugh himself used?

Remember how almost nobody else in power on our side, acted like this?

And even though Al Franken is a basically polite and dignified man, he didn't let his good nature be used by folks like Limbaugh to play him or his ideas for fools. Al is basically a nice guy, but if you're a jerk to everybody else, he will suspend that and go after you.

He's not the only one who helped turn us away from the mess of weakness that characterized the 1990's, but he was one of the most important. You and I remember all too well watching in horror as Republicans assailed everything we cared about and many of the "leaders" in our own party would chime in and say "well, they have a point" :grr: :wtf:.

Not Al. At a time when we all saw copies of Limbaugh's first and second books on the bookshelves and the best we could do was James Carville in slight opposition, Al Franken came on the scene and said what nobody else would say:

These guys are lying to you and they're acting like jerks.

It took a very good satirist and comedy writer for a tv show for goodness sakes to realize that he had a role to play. A role that hundreds of our leaders with higher profile should have played but wouldn't --didn't even seem to know how.

Back before the internet was the big time it is now, Al Franken was going on CSPAN and talking politics, while SNL was languishing. Then in 1996, Al's first book to take on right wing political books came out.

Good job Al. I can't believe that a political book that my non political friends raved to me about back then would be so instrumental in the fight for the dignity of our ideals and that it would come down to a comedy writer to help get us there (and later to other comedians like Jon Stewart too).

I'm glad you objected yesterday and I'm glad you objected to what you saw in the mid-1990's. :patriot:

[ezgoingrl]

1. Found my copy again just day before yesterday.

I had been a Dem for about 2 years when I read that book, laughed my butt off. It was awesome.

[laughingliberal]

2. I have never fogotten watching him on C-Span with Brian Lamb one morning during that time

A Rush fan called in and said, "You called Rush a liar! Well..well, you're a liar!" Franken, just calm as you please, "I don't lie." Rush fan stutters, "But...but...you...you called Rush FAT." Deadpan as hell, Franken replies, "Rush is fat."

It was priceless. I love this guy.

[kenny blankenship]

3. Al is the best. I gave that book to my sister way back when.

I sure hope daily contact with several dozen of the most boring, puffed up, corrupt, hypocritical jackoffs in the whole country doesn't grind down his great soul. Imagine having to call them "my esteemed colleagues..."

[Jamastiene]

4. Well said

[DFW]

5. I still have my copy

I don't know how often I have reread chapters out of that book

[CreekDog]

6. bah.

:D

[opihimoimoi]

7. Al kicked ass....even Olily was embarrassed too