Doggone It, Will People Like Sen. Franken?

He now seems more comfortable cracking jokes

(NEWSER) - Senate colleagues expecting humor from funnyman and freshman lawmaker Al Franken have gotten just the opposite, though insiders say the Minnesota senator is getting into the groove and loosening up a bit. Since taking office last year, Franken has snapped at administration officials , Joe Lieberman , and Republican legislators. Now, he’s the model of bipartisanship with numerous across-the-aisle bills, and he’s even making jokes. More»

Senate minority leader not amused by funny faces

(NEWSER) - There was too much of the funnyman about Al Franken for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell yesterday. The comedian-turned-senator was presiding over the Senate as McConnell made a speech opposing Elena Kagan's confirmation to the Supreme Court . Franken appeared to be shifting in his seat and making faces, which McConnell took as mockery. "This isn't Saturday Night Live, Al," McConnell told Franken. More»

(NEWSER) - Eight months after the election, Al Franken finally became Minnesota’s junior senator today, Politico reports. Joe Biden swore the former funnyman in on the same Bible late Democratic Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone used. “Congratulations Senator,” said the vice president, causing the Senate gallery to erupt in cheers. Though only some 25 other senators showed up, the public and media had packed the chamber. More»

But doggone it, people like him

(NEWSER) - Al Franken the comedian is finally becoming Al Franken the senator, and his Senate colleagues were quick to demonstrate yesterday that, doggone it, they like him, writes Dana Milbank in the Washington Post. The only humor at a welcoming press conference was (apparently) unintentional, as Majority Leader Harry Reid intoned, “When people find out he's a smart guy who's serious about issues and a hard worker, they'll be pleasantly surprised.” As for Franken, Milbanks says, "His brief speech was so boring it was laughable." More»

During campaign he was wonky and even a bit boring

(NEWSER) - Liberals may be hoping for biting wit and conservatives for embarrassing shtick, but according to Bob Benenson of CQPolitics, Al Franken is likely to disappoint both when he finally arrives in the Senate. Throughout his campaign Franken displayed an impressive mastery of Minnesota issues and made clear his candidacy was not a lark. Some Dems even began to think of the SNL star as boring. More»