Al Franken's Rival Isn't Laughing

[devilgrrl]

By PATRICK CONDON (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated Press
February 11, 2008 1:49 PM EST

HASTINGS, Minn. - In the 1980s, Al Franken was cracking jokes on "Saturday Night Live." Mike Ciresi, his chief rival for the Democratic nomination for the Senate this year, was serving as general counsel to the government of India in a landmark lawsuit over a catastrophic industrial accident.

A decade later, while Franken was writing books like "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big, Fat Idiot," Ciresi was leading the state of Minnesota's lawsuit against Big Tobacco, winning a $6 billion settlement.

Despite his impressive resume, Ciresi finds himself trailing Franken in the Democratic contest. The comedian-turned-candidate has raised millions more, lined up the most important labor endorsements and dominated news coverage.

To offset that, the multimillionaire trial lawyer is delivering a simple argument to Democratic regulars: He is more electable than Franken.

"Al Franken has made a living calling people names," Ciresi said in an interview.

more: http://enews.earthlink.net/article/nat?guid=20080211/47afd650_3ca6_1552620080211-295104856

[stillrockin]

1. Go Al!!!!

[Greyhound]

2. How is it fair that MN. has all these great people to choose from and most

of the rest of us are stuck with an assortment of rich kids that have inherited their lives, fortunes, positions, and "success" by merely winning the lucky sperm/ovum lottery?

[tnlurker]

5. I agree

I would like just one to move to Tn to take on Lamar Alexander this year. So far there are no announced candidates on the democratic side (that I know of).

[onehandle]

3. Now that Edwards is out, my cash is going to Al. nt

[hfojvt]

4. oh boo hoo hoo, I suppose he's crying all the way to the bank

Although it does seem as though Ciresi has more substantial experience. My question is, which one cares more about the working class. I am guessing his name is Al Franken.

[xchrom]

6. cheerleading for al!

:woohoo:

[HughMoran]

7. Go Frankenberry!

!

[Ikonoklast]

8. Resumes don't win elections

People do.

Ask Mitt Romney.

[Greyhound]

14. and how sad is that...

None of the greatest leaders this nation has had could ever be elected today, they were all too tall too ugly too short too long winded too educated not rich enough etc.

[ChazII]

28. So true. n/t

[formercia]

9. There are already too many lawyers in Congress.

Yeah, I know one has to understand the laws in order to legislate. That's what staffs are for.

If there were enough Congress persons who would just say: "Wait a minute, I can't understand this bullshit", then the laws might be understood by more people. Instead, these lawyer-legislators find ways to write so many loopholes into legislation that they are unenforceable.

[Horse with no Name]

17. It is by design

So that the poor schmucks that get caught up into it are sentenced one way--while their wealthier counterparts have attorneys that can find the loopholes that are put there just for them.
It isn't by mistake that Blacks are incarcerated at a higher rate for the same crime--it was designed that way.

[formercia]

19. Laws are for little people

The law doesn't apply to the elites.


Things are going to change. The easy way or the hard way.

[dpbrown]

10. It's because Ciresi comes off as Roger Moe

There's no spark. He has called in his chits with all the DFL insiders and elected officials, but still can't rise above the perception that he's bland and overly cautious.

[electron_blue]

11. This article implies there is only one rival. Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer also running

and worth looking at seriously.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/11/12/nelsonpallmeyer/

[DavidDvorkin]

13. Imagine Franken

as a member of subcomittee looking into problems in the broadcast industry, questioning a witness named O'Reilly.

[annabanana]

20. deeee-licious!. . . .n/t

[orleans]

23. !!

[Tom Joad]

12. too bad Minn. no longer has a progressive candidate.

[electron_blue]

15. What do you mean? See my link to Nelson-Pallmeyer.

Is he progressive enough for you?

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/11/12/nelsonpallmeyer/

[Tom Joad]

21. I just took a quick look at it

looks good. I was just talkin' about Franken, really, i know he ain't much of a progressive, nothin' like Wellstone.

[Tom Joad]

22. okay, took a longer look at it... He is fantastic

i think i read one of his book "Hunger for Justice: the Politics of Food and Faith (Orbis Books, 1980), way back... and he really inspired and informed me. (and believe it or not, i was just thinkin of it the other day...)
now what are you doing posting here ? go out and volunteer for this guy!! :-)

[originalpckelly]

16. "PATRICK CONDON"

OMG!

One letter, just one fucking letter!

[kmla]

18. *sniff sniff*

Hmmm.

Smells of desparation sometimes aren't pleasant.

If he's more electable than Al Franken, why is he struggling to convince his own party of this fact?

[MiniMe]

24. I'm looking forward to his speeches on the Senate floor

Could be some doozy's

[KharmaTrain]

25. Where's Tom Davis???

This sure shows my age...back to the days of the Franken & Davis days on SNL. I know he and Al are still good friends and he would pop on regularly to Al's radio show.

Things appear to be shaping up nicely for Al...I saw a recent poll that had him beating Normie's sad ass. Go Minnesota DU'ers...here's looking forward to making the debates in the Senate a lot more fun to watch starting next year!

[mdmc]

26. I will be donating to Al F.

This other dude should keep on truckin. I will let the MN sheeple decide.

[JCMach1]

27. Me too... love that guy!

[mdmc]

29. nice pic

:toast: