Thursday, December 04, 2008
Should Republicans want Al Franken to win?
With Saxby Chambliss' victory in Georgia (thus at least theoretically preserving the filibuster for Republicans), which should non-Minnesota Republicans prefer: Norm Coleman's vote, or Al Franken as the most nationally famous Democratic Senator on cable television every night?
The answer, it seems to me, is no slam dunk.
10 Comments:
By 
Georg Felis, at
Thu Dec 04, 08:15:00 AM:
Not even the worst of the Eeyore Republicans should want a filibuster proof majority for Obama, because the phrase "Remember that disaster? I had nothing to do with it." is not a path to victory, but a recipe for defeat.
What we need is an articulate speaker who is capable of standing up and saying "We are voting against this legislation because..., and instead want this piece of legislation because...", who can get on TV and still sound intelligent despite all the editing and spin they will be subjected to.
By TigerHawk, at
Thu Dec 04, 08:26:00 AM:
Yeah, well, that may be very difficult to come by.
By 
, at
Thu Dec 04, 08:35:00 AM:
Al Franken ran a dishonest and unethical campaign against Norm Coleman. He should not be rewarded with a 'celebrity' Senate seat. Remember that he would be a Senator for SIX YEARS. That's a long time after the intitial joke wears off.
Because he is not good enough, or smart enough, and frankly a lot of people don't like him.
-David
By , at
Thu Dec 04, 09:12:00 AM:
Obama is not safe from democrats yet. Please consider the fact that several 'republican' senators are not reliable votes for their (and perhaps other) "wobblies" could still tip the balance to Reid's 'regressors'....
By , at
Thu Dec 04, 09:55:00 AM:
No. Obviously. Let's have coffee from now on before blogging.
By Dawnfire82, at
Thu Dec 04, 11:47:00 AM:
Reducing our electoral system and its results to simple party mathematics and welcoming a fool into the Senate because it would be funny highlights the sad state of our nation's politics.
George Washington certainly would weep. (quietly, on the inside, where no one could see him)
By , at
Thu Dec 04, 05:59:00 PM:
I do not want Al Franken in the US Senate, I respect the US Senate too much to want a clown like Franken as a Senator.
By @nooil4pacifists, at
Thu Dec 04, 09:06:00 PM:
The humor value isn't enough to favor Franken. Given there are several "squishy" Senate Republicans--Maine's Susan Collins and Olympia Snow come to mind--we need all the votes we can get, especially on judicial confirmations.
By Assistant Village Idiot, at
Thu Dec 04, 09:32:00 PM:
It's not the humor factor, it's the hope that he would massively irritate independents.
But as anonymous noted, it's six years. It's not a slam dunk.
By JPMcT, at
Fri Dec 05, 05:33:00 PM:
Is Franken any more riduculous than Pelosi, Frank, Murtha, Biden or Reid??
It will be a difficult for the folks at "The Capitol Steps" to make a living parodying a parody.
