optimisticMrs. Rattus and I attended a fundraiser-rally for Al Franken (Senate candidate) a couple of days ago.
The personal invitation (not a recording) was probably an acknowledgment of a fairly generous contribution to a Congressional campaign in 2006. So we went.
He's a Mensch!
(He'd know what it means, but I'm not sure about 99.9% of the rest of the crowd at the renovated Poor Farm in rural Minnesota).
(On second thought, the host spent some time in NYC, so he'd probably know too).
Anyway, Franken's come a long was from SNL.
He's a good platform speaker -- has learned how to use his comic talents appropriately without sounding like a standup comic.
I've been following him for a couple of years, and can see the development.
Most impressive, he's obviously done his homework and his a good grasp of the issues -- he answers questions easily and thoroughly.
In particular I like his position (I was going to say stance, but then I thought of Larry Craig) on medical coverage -- just slightly to the right of Paul Krugman
Since the recumbent incumbent (Norm Coleman, a carpetbagger from the old country (NY)) won the seat with an asterisk (the last minute death of Paul Wellstone) I think that Franken has a really good shot at getting the seat back.
Well, that does it for now -- later, who knows?