For all you folks worried about losing Al Franken's Senate seat.....

[brooklynite]

Link to tweet

[tonedevil]

1. We should be happy...

because there is no way a nut case like this will ever be elected to the Senate? I am assuming your point since you didn't actually state it, but it seems to me that strategy led to donald sitting in the executive chair.

[EffieBlack]

9. I hoped weve learned about underestimating crackpots and overestimating American voters

But apparently not.

[Hortensis]

25. A Bachmann-Pawlenty redux, "god" against "establishment"?

We have to win this seat, and I'd love poor Pawlenty to find himself up against those wackadoodle populists and religious freaks Bachmann attracts, but my withers are somewhat wrung at the very thought nevertheless.

Will he run seems to me the bigger question. If the very thought of Bachmann helps keep him retired, good. He's far too well known and potentially formidable for our good.

That said, let's not forget that Minnesota's overall a liberal state, and this senate seat will be filled by MN's voters, not some rural district's.

[Motley13]

54. What about the nut case we have now, male nut case ok, female nut case no

I agree with you that she can't be elected, but after Nov 2016, it seems anything is possible

And there is no way I could listen to her or Jim or the new Tammy Faye

[tonedevil]

55. To which nut case...

do you refer?

[Motley13]

58. sorry, I didn't make myself clear, there are so many, but numero uno nut case

in the WH

[tonedevil]

59. It appears...

that nut cases are available wholesale now.

[MineralMan]

2. C'est pour rire!

[mn9driver]

3. Hopefully Senator Bachmann will send a thank you note to Senator Gillibrand.

Anyone laughing this off isn’t paying attention.

[LexVegas]

5. ...

[oberliner]

32. The Gillibrand bashing is out of control

[LexVegas]

36. It's laughable now. nt

[crazycatlady]

42. I agree

I never thought a Democrat would be Public Enemy #1 on a Democratic forum.

[Kirk Lover]

47. And it's pissing me off at this point. n/t

[Pachamama]

6. Not laughing at all

This is a bigger possibility than most realize...

[delisen]

26. Overconfidence is our enemy and we hold him close.

[leftstreet]

20. +1

[lunamagica]

30. I'm nor laughing. This isn't funny at all

[Vinca]

4. OMFG!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. So who's running? Michele Bachmann?

Can't run right over to Twitter on here all of the time

[Raster]

10. Yes, she is currently consulting with God to make her decision...

...no snark: That's what's she's saying.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

12. Oh geez

[FSogol]

19. God will get back to her when he stops laughing.

[delisen]

29. Lots of evangelicals claim God brought us Trump.

and lots of "anti-establishment" voters on the left assured us he would be better than our candidate.

I don't think we should be laughing

[bluestarone]

23. just wondering if she is

talking to moores God if so NO WORRY

[madinmaryland]

52. This is a picture from her consultation...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Fortunately, running for Senate means running state-wide.

Her old district, CD6, is full of crazies, Trumpers and religious whackos who would probably vote for her again - but she has no chance in the 4th and 5th districts, which are mostly Dem and where most of the people live. However, if she does run (at the urging of God, of course), she will be well-funded by the GOP, who would love to take advantage of the Senate Dems' colossal fuckup, the railroading of Al Franken. Franken is still popular here and polls indicate that the consensus is that he was not treated fairly. No doubt he will campaign enthusiastically for Tina Smith and his support will help her hold that seat. Still, no dirty trick is beneath the GOP, and Bachmann must be defeated. She's Sarah Palin mated with Roy Moore, but possibly even more stupid than either of them.

[nadine_mn]

18. Ugh but there are so many deep red pockets across the state

I'm hoping the cold snap has re-wired us all back to our senses.

I just can't deal with this crap.

[onenote]

50. She barely won her red district in 2012.

She eked out a victory by just a little more than 1 percent. She didn't run for reelection after 2012. The repub elected to fill that spot won with a much larger margin in 2014 and even larger in 2016. In short, she's not particularly popular in her own district, let alone in the rest of the state.

[peggysue2]

11. We can chuckle all we want . . .

at the possibility of a Bachmann return. But then, we chuckled at a Trump presidency, did we not?

Means keeping the pressure on, fielding the right candidates and doing the work. Because if God whispers in Bachmann's ear, you know she'll get the funding from GOP mega-donors, probably be heralded by Brietbart and Fox and twitter bots as the Second Coming.

These people will not give up until they're kicked out the door and crushed (politically speaking).

Bachmann is a loon but she must be taken seriously in the on-going pushback.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

13. Isn't Minnesota sort of a "purple" state

It can and does elect Republicans (though Bachmann is probably a little too cuckoo for a statewide race but who knows nowadays?)

[Saboburns]

17. Yes Minnesota is a purple state.

Just like America is a purple country. Which elected Donald Trump to be President.

The lesson I took is to not discount any Republican, no matter how outlandish.

[nadine_mn]

14. All part of the "replace men in power with strong women in power" smh

Michele Bachman is extremely popular to many here in Minnesota and to underestimate that would be foolish.

Thanks Senate Dems...esp Gilibrand! Boy you really stood up for women by railroading Franken out and allowing this nutjob homophobic bigoted religious freak a chance to further set back women's rights and the rights of all Americans.

But hey she's a woman, and any woman is better than man right

I'm angry and disgusted and pissed and frustrated at how Franken was treated. I'm not denying male privilege has helped to foster an environment of misogyny and harassment of women. I'm not saying that we wouldn't be better off with more women in power. But be careful what you wish for...I'd rather have a strong progressive (regardless of gender) than an alt right conservative woman.

[delisen]

28. well said.

[Towlie]

15. She'll always be known for her influence in popularizing the phrase "batshit crazy."

[Denzil_DC]

16. WTF?! Is this supposed to be good news?

Every second of exposure idiots like Bachmann gets distracts from worthwhile issues such as those Franken was championing in Congress till he was stabbed in the back.

If you're going to clutch at relying on wingbats running against Dems for potential electoral success, take a good, loooong look at yourself.

[Hortensis]

22. If you care about the issues, support those fighting for

them. Franken was one among many, not one. You know his name instead of others because he went on national TV.

[Egnever]

24. Yea like this appearance on TV

One of the few on TV actually holding the Trump mobs feet to the fire.

Many my ass

[Hortensis]

31. Another senator would have done it. He didn't write

those questions he delivered all by himself, you know. They were part of a strategy developed in conference with colleagues. He's one of many, not one.

[tonedevil]

37. History suggests...

you are wildly over optimistic regarding the bravery and outspokenness of Democratic Senators. Senator Franken has stood out because of his willingness to speak out and the intelligence he displays when he does speak out.

[Hortensis]

43. Nonsense. How can you know so little about our history?

Everything you value and are afraid of losing was fought for and created by people you somehow imagine don't exist.

Conservatives ruthlessly determined to stop us are nothing new. We've had to fight them for every advance and to keep every advance from the very first days of our union.

Now, please stop fighting for the conservatives. Dispirited Democrats, failing in courage and conviction are exactly what they need to win.

Others have been before us in moments of discouragement, but after this was composed sensible people on our side of the ocean rediscovered their conviction and made America's greatest era so far happen.

THE SECOND COMING

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: a waste of desert sand;
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Wind shadows of the indignant desert birds.

The darkness drops again but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

[tonedevil]

44. OK

[RhodeIslandOne]

21. She was too scared to run against Al

So pat yourself on the back for giving her a dog door to crawl thru.

[NCTraveler]

27. Not sure why this wouldn't be for general consumption.

I see this as a good thing. It would increase our shot to hold the seat.

[brush]

33. That nut job will not be the only repug running. I doubt she'll be their candidate.

[NCTraveler]

45. I highly doubt she will be the only one running.

She does have access to national money. As I said, that is a good thing.

[TeamPooka]

34. We should be concerned. With two Senate seats up for MN in Nov now it will be hard to win both

It's a scenario that allows the public to split their vote and send one of each to DC.
This is why we don't have both Senators elected at the same time.

[nadine_mn]

40. It's almost like it was part of a GOP plan to get

Rid of a strong Democratic voice who was cricitical of the trump regime and asked hard questions to certain elfin AG and cause Democrats to turn on their own rather than any real issue of sexual harassment.

But that would be crazy talk...no this was all about stopping that nefarious side hugger Franken and standing up for anonymous accusers or accusers who coincidentally had ties to Don jr and Roger Stone. Accusers who have suddenly gone quiet. Never in a million years would anyone dream of the GOP co-opting a movement like #metoo for their own gain.

[klook]

57. Caution, NSFW!

Fortunately the Senate is rid of that masher Franken -- he was definitely our biggest problem!

I assume no tag needed, but it never hurts to reassure other less astute DUers.

[nadine_mn]

65. ooh dear lord the humanity - won't someone think of the poor puppy

groped by this villain! Call the ASPCA! call PETA! get Sarah McLaughlan to sing a song about this stat!

I got the facebook update that a page I was following changed the name to "Former" Senator Al Franken and I almost busted out crying.

[riverwalker]

35. I have no words

The fate of our country is at stake, but Senator Gillibrand declares touching a butt 10 years ago during a photo is priority. To demand we lose Franken just when we need him most is unforgivable. I will not forget.

[stonecutter357]

38. Cool Story, Bro .

[jalan48]

39. And Trump had about zero chance of becoming President.

[onenote]

66. And Trump lost in Minnesota

And Democratic candidates for US House seats in Minnesota garnered 100,000 more votes, collectively, than republican candidates.

As someone from an even more "purple" state than Minnesota (more of our House members are repubs than Democrats even if our two Senators and governor are Democrats), I can tell you that having Bachmann run would be a good thing for the Democratic candidate, even if she doesn't get the nomination, since she'll force her opponent to the right, just as Gillespie was forced to the right in Virginia.

[Demit]

41. And Gillibrand paved the way. What instincts!

Make a freshman senator have to defend a seat the same year she is installed, then have to defend it all over again two years after that. That's some shrewd politics right there, yessiree.

[NCTraveler]

46. About as shrewd...

As having a building public scandal, not sticking up for yourself in any way, and telling all of your colleagues you are going to drag it out for a long time. Very shrewd. lol.

[brush]

51. Building public scancal, huh? Guess you didn't notice no "accuser" has...

come forward since the repug hit job on Franken that Gillebrand fell for succeeded.

[NCTraveler]

60. Not sure what makes you think I didn't notice?

Of course it calmed. He didn't fight for himself and resigned. Political hit jobs normally go away when the target cowers, throws his colleagues under the bus and resigns.

[brush]

61. Ahhh...you got that wrong. He was the one thrown under the bus.

And many Weinstein, Spacey and other abusers victims kept coming forward after they were ousted.

[NCTraveler]

63. He wasn't thrown under any bus.

That simply didn't happen in reality. At this level you don't get to tell your colleagues your only game-plan is to let the clouds hang over your head for awhile. Whitewash that move all you want. It's what started every bit of it.

[brush]

69. Naivete is not cute in senators nor DU posters. Stone, Tweeden and Hannity started it...

and a certain gullible senator fell for it, even the "It's my right as an entertainer" line and then the waist hugger accuser.

Beyond pathetic.

[lamp_shade]

48. We laughed when trump threw his name in the hat. Remember?

[Scurrilous]

49. LOL

[mahatmakanejeeves]

53. Trump? Doesn't stand a chance. What kind of idiot would vote for Donald Trump?

Wait, this is something else?

[eissa]

56. Trump's candidacy was a joke, and a child molester was almost elected in Alabama

I don't understand where this over-confidence is coming from. If recent elections taught us anything, it's to never underestimate your opponent, no matter how unhinged or unqualified they are.

Oh, and because it can't be said often enough, fuck you Kirsten Gillibrand

[onenote]

67. And Trump lost Minnesota.

Having Bachmann jump in the race would be good for the Democratic candidate. That's not overconfidence, it's experience. She's quite unpopular and unlikely to win a statewide race, but she would force her primary opponent to the right, which will help the Democratic candidate, just as Gillespie being forced to the right was good for Northam in Virginia.

[Motley13]

62. MN is usually prettyy good, but don't forget they elected Jesse Ventura

& Michele Bachman

but also Franken (love him) & Amy Klobuchar (could be a contender for prez)

[Danmel]

64. The wife of the Buffalo sabres coach

Is running for the start. Karin Housley. Trumpie who currently serves in the Minnesota Senate.

[Hugin]

68. At least we still have the moral high ground.

That's worth something, somewhere... else.

[sarcasmo]

70. Nuclear War is a little more stressful than Al's seat.