Mn Democrats criticize Al Franken's porn story

[FutureDemocrat]

A 2000 Playboy article may be a problem for the candidate and the DFL, some Democrats say.

By KEVIN DIAZ and CONRAD WILSON, Star Tribune

Last update: May 29, 2008 - 10:01 PM

WASHINGTON - A week before Minnesota DFLers endorse a U.S. Senate candidate, behind-the-scenes rumblings about a satirical Playboy magazine article written by candidate Al Franken eight years ago have broken into the open.

Among those weighing in are Democrat Jim Oberstar, dean of the Minnesota delegation in the U.S. House, and New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

On Thursday, Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., called the sexually explicit article offensive and potentially damaging to Franken and other Democratic candidates in Minnesota.

The Franken campaign and backers of the candidate said the work was merely satire and faulted McCollum for dividing the party.

"As a woman, a mother, a former teacher, and an elected official, I find this material completely unacceptable," McCollum said of Franken's piece, published in 2000 under the headline "Porn-O-Rama!"

"I can tell you it's not playing comfortably in St. Paul, and I can't imagine this politically radioactive material is doing very well in suburban and rural districts," McCollum said.

Minnesota Reps. Tim Walz and Keith Ellison expressed similar concerns in interviews Thursday with the Associated Press. Ellison said the Franken article made him "uncomfortable," citing passages on oral sex and bestiality. Walz called the piece "pretty inappropriate."

McCollum supported Franken rival Mike Ciresi, who dropped out of the race in March. She said she has not talked to Ciresi about the Playboy article, nor has she encouraged him to reenter the race, although others have.

Ciresi was not available for comment Thursday.

McCollum said Franken's piece came up at a weekly meeting of Minnesota Democrats in Congress on May 21. "The overwhelming majority of us thought it was a serious political problem," she said. "Others thought it was a problem but that it would blow over."

[tridim]

1. Sex is bad.. M'kay.

:eyes:

[meegbear]

2. Oh good gravy!

The people who raised a fuss about it were "GOP women", and I'm willing to wager that he wouldn't have to worry about how they will vote because of it.

This is classic letting the repugs control the dialog.

[gatorboy]

5. And the Dems seem to be doing their best Dunkin Donuts impression.

When are the Dems going to learn to tell the right to fuck off?

[still_one]

3. I think McCollum is in the wrong party, she should join the republicans

where they want to control what you say

What a bunch of B.S., and it only shows there are people in the Democratic party that are just as crazy as those in the republican party, only they have far more carzies then we do

These people should be more outraged at the hundreds of thousands of people we are responsible for killing, by invading Iraq

They should be outraged that there are over 50 million people who are uninsured

I guess what the republicans have done to us and the world in the last 8 years pales in comparison to a satirical article in playboy

[gatorboy]

4. A sexually explicit article....In Playboy Magazine!

What are these folks doing looking in a Playboy anyway, hmmmmm?

"We were just looking for the articles!" :rofl:

[blondeatlast]

9. Perhaps they had a good article on combining a Lous XIV buffet with a Georgian chandelier...

Ya suppose?

[blondeatlast]

6. After all, we know very well that politicians never engage in that filthy habit.

Sheesh. :eyes:

[msedano]

7. blow over? pardon me for...

repeating that punch line. does playboy archive content on the web, or will there be sign-ups at minnesota libraries as millions of outraged blue-noses slobber over the satire? maybe there'll be heated auctions on internet sites to buy up copies of back issues. maybe franken should perform an act of contrition and donate the money from the article, plus interest, to a worthy charity like the local archdiocese to retire some of that lawsuit debt.

[blondeatlast]

8. Welcome, Future Democrat--could you PLEASE explain the comment in your profile?

How can you be part of the Democratic base without being a Democrat? :shrug:

[EOTE]

11. I believe she's saying that she's already a Democrat.

But she's part of the future of the Democratic party. At least, that's how I interpreted it.

[blondeatlast]

14. Ah--that makes sense. Thanks. nt

[doodadem]

10. Get a life!

Franken was a COMEDIAN and writer, long before he was a politician. According to these people's warped criteria, no one is supposed to have a life before they get into politics.

[whoneedstickets]

12. Franken's simple response....

I promise not to write, do or say anything else during my time in office that draws undue attention to matters of perversity, deviance or rampant sexuality -- I cede this territory to my demonstrably able Republican colleagues.

[MilesColtrane]

13. I like Al,

but he's got too much baggage to ever succeed politically on any significant level.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

15. I know he plays well here but we have the *one*

person in Minnesota who Coleman has a snowballs chance in hell of beating on our ticket...