Sen. Stuart Smalley?

Damon W. Root | September 16, 2008

At The Nation's Campaign '08 blog, John Nichols reminds us that funnyman Al Franken isn't out of the running for the U.S. Senate just yet. As of last week's Minnesota primary, it's now officially a three-way race between Republican incumbent Norm Coleman, Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate Franken, and Independence Party hopeful Dean Barkley. For those of you watching Ron Paul's Rally for the Republic two weeks back, Barkley is the fellow that Jesse Ventura nearly forgot to mention in the midst of his 9/11 conspiracy rant. Barkley served as chairman of Ventura's long shot gubernatorial campaign, served as Minnesota senator after Paul Wellstone's death in 2002 (appointed by Gov. Ventura, then replaced by the duly elected Norm Coleman), and worked as campaign manager for Kinky Friedman's independent run for governor of Texas in 2006.

Here's how Nichols breaks it down:

Because of his own high-spending campaign, sly moves to the political center and stumbles by Franken, Coleman had maintained an advantage in the race.

But Barkley, though his campaign is short on funds, has a big name and more than a little good will accumulated over many years of independent political activism. And, this year, Barkley seems to be drawing more from Coleman than Franken.

[...]

If Franken can secure the liberal DFL base, he might just make it to the Senate without a majority—as, it should be noted, Coleman did in 2002.

Whole thing here.

Comments

Minnesota|9.16.08 @ 4:10PM|#

Ha! And you thought we were weird when we elected Jesse Ventura!

|9.16.08 @ 4:21PM|#

Minnesota,

Your mother was lying. We're not laughing with you. We're laughing at you.

|9.16.08 @ 4:22PM|#

I hope he wins, or looses, whichever way convinces him to shut the fuck up.

|9.16.08 @ 4:25PM|#

If he can bring his mad wrestling skillz to the Senate floor I am all for it.

Ska|9.16.08 @ 4:33PM|#

Al Franken was a wrestler? And I thought he was just a fucking douchebag.

|9.16.08 @ 4:39PM|#

LOL, Looks like the entire US Government has become one giant 3 ring circus! How pathetic.

Jiff
http://www.FireMe.to/udi

DannyK|9.16.08 @ 4:41PM|#

He's funnier than Norm Coleman, so I support him. At least we can get some entertainment value from congress!

|9.16.08 @ 4:56PM|#

He's funnier than Norm Coleman, so I support him. At least we can get some entertainment value from congress!

Then Norm Coleman must be a real boor. I've seen one (1) Al Franken bit I found amusing. He is not a comic genius. Not even comicly gifted. If your bartender isn't funnier than Al Franken, you need to find a different place to drink.

That said, Coleman and Franlin are a turd and a douche. You decide which is which.

|9.16.08 @ 4:56PM|#

Al Franken was a wrestler? And I thought he was just a fucking douchebag.

He can be both, you know. And he is!

Orange Line Special|9.16.08 @ 5:02PM|#

Those seeking some background on StuartSmalley should check out this site. I don't know who runs it, but he has a lot of revealing information on MrSmalley. Plus, lots more on his former co-workers at that RadioNetwork. It really is a great site, and I check it out on a daily basis or even more often!

Did I mention how great it is?

|9.16.08 @ 5:39PM|#

Any state that would elect Stuart Smalley is a state I don't want to live in or visit. Sad, sad, sad...

Naga Sadow|9.16.08 @ 5:44PM|#

J sub D,

Of course, Franken is comically gifted. Have you seen his face? I submit this addition in that spirit. If your bartender is not as funny as Franken but just as funny looking you may continue stopping in for a drink. But only ONE drink.

lunchstealer|9.16.08 @ 5:47PM|#

I'm writing in Jack Handy.

Naga Sadow|9.16.08 @ 5:47PM|#

Lefty,

Damn you! You just reminded of the movie!

"I deserve good things, I am entitled to my share of happiness. I refuse to beat myself up. I am an attractive person. I am fun to be with."

|9.16.08 @ 5:53PM|#

I've seen one (1) Al Franken bit I found amusing.

You've probably seen a lot more that that. He was one of the head writers during the 70s/early 80s period of SNL.

BDB|9.16.08 @ 5:56PM|#

If there's one Republican incumbent in a purplish-blue state that will pull it out this year, it's Norm Coleman. Franken is too much of a fuck-up to win.

Brandybuck|9.16.08 @ 6:02PM|#

I remember years ago, before Bush, before Clinton, before old Bush, a saw Franken do a skit on SNL. It was lame, dull, unfunny and pointless. He was talking about nothing at all. Not even politics. But all my liberal friends were laughing their asses off. Weird.

Stuart Smalley|9.16.08 @ 6:05PM|#

I will be Senator because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and dog gone it people like me.

mike|9.16.08 @ 6:11PM|#

Al Franken has no chance. Barkley simmply knows it's pointless to bring Franken down until Coleman is at a beatable level.

Franken doesn't pay his taxes enough said.

Paul|9.16.08 @ 6:29PM|#

Congress. Bah! Bunch of out-of-work astronauts and C-List actors!

|9.16.08 @ 6:29PM|#

Good god, before you know it we'll be electing former child celebrities, music artists, porn stars, and TV news anchors.

-|9.16.08 @ 6:31PM|#

Hey, if dandy Charlie Rangel doesn't have to pay his taxes to stay in congress, then why should sweet Al Franken?

|9.16.08 @ 6:41PM|#

You've probably seen a lot more that that. He was one of the head writers during the 70s/early 80s period of SNL.

I may surely have seen skits that he helped write that I liked. On skits he was in one (1). I tried to read one of his books once. Thank goodness for public libraries because I'd have been pissed if I'd paid for it. He just doesn't connect with me.

Hanna|9.16.08 @ 6:58PM|#

Minnesota Senate Star Tribune Coleman 41, Franken 37, Barkley 13

Coleman +4

Historically, the StartTribune overstates the Democratic candidate by 10 points, give or take. Plus, the following ad is running on every channel 24/7:

http://hoosieraccess.com/blog/2008/09/13/norm-coleman-ad/

|9.17.08 @ 12:32AM|#

I fully support the idea of our current punditry being moved en masse into congress as it would make our lawmaking sessions more entertaining, like those British parlimentary scream-fests.

|9.17.08 @ 8:04AM|#

"I've seen one (1) Al Franken bit I found amusing.

You've probably seen a lot more that that. He was one of the head writers during the 70s/early 80s period of SNL."

I've never particular cared for Franken but accusing him of being a blow job queen is going way below the belt, joe.

Andy|9.17.08 @ 5:26PM|#

Yeah, uh we elected Amy Klobuchar in '06. If you don't live in MN and you know who that is, congrats.

It's not about how bad franken is. It's about whether he's worse than Coleman. And Coleman is a huge tool. For some reason, Ventura won't hit Franken with anything harder than "he hasn't lived here for awhile". He's a huge liberal, have at him on taxes, environment, etc. But who cares how funny he was in the 80's?

Oh what the hell, Stuart Smalley isn't remotely funny. But Franken has been pretty funny on Letterman before, if I remember correctly.

|9.17.08 @ 5:30PM|#

Franken AND Davis had some decent tools in the bag as writers (in their day), and like many comedy writers, Franken should have stayed in the bullpen and away from the camera/mic.

As a performer (OK, Stuart excepted) he has been god-awful.