The Suspense Is Killing Us. Over and Over and Over...

Hey!

Did you know Al Franken just might run for Senate in Minnesota in 2008?

No, really!

It says so right here!

But shhhhhh - it's a big secret:

No professional comedian has ever been elected to the U.S. Senate, according to Capitol Hill historians, but Al Franken is seriously thinking about trying to become the first.

By the end of next year, Franken said he expects to decide whether to move from New York City to his native Minnesota to take on Republican Sen. Norm Coleman in 2008. If he runs, he would seek to reclaim the seat of his hero and friend, the late Democratic Sen. Paul Wellstone.

This is, what, the third "maybe he'll run!" piece since the beginning of March. At this rate, by the time people have to start announcing for the 2008 election sometime in early 2006, we can expect about two dozen more such puff pieces on Franken's supposed political career.

However, it does quote MNGOP chair Ron Eibensteiner:

Ron Eibensteiner, chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party, said Franken would have little chance of defeating Coleman.

"After a failed movie career and a failed radio career, maybe Al Franken wants to top things off with a failed political career," he said.

Eibensteiner said that he doesn't think Franken will run and that he's only seeking publicity to boost his career. If he is serious, Eibensteiner said: "I would love to see Al Franken stand in a middle of a cornfield in southern Minnesota or in the middle of a hog farm up in central Minnesota. I would love to see the expression on his face."

Democrats, meanwhile, say Franken would be a serious candidate.

"He has a populist appeal that clearly can be engaged in Minnesota, not just among Democratic-Farmer-Laborites, but swing voters," said Mike Erlandson, Minnesota DFL Party chair."Populist", in the DFL of 2004, means "people might vote for him". It's the party that just nominated Patty Wetterling to run for Congress, on the sole qualification that her son was kidnapped.

Which makes her more qualfied, at any rate, than our "Senior Senator":

And Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., said Franken would have high name recognition.

"Listen, after Jesse Ventura, any career path can lead to higher office," Dayton said.

Even chuzzlewitted silver-spoon playboy!

Or lame talk show host.

Hmmmm...

Posted by Mitch at May 25, 2004 07:13 AM