You'll Never Believe Which Senator Has Become the Trump Administration's Most Acerbic Critic

[NurseJackie]

One of the things I admire about Al Franken is that he KNOWS and UNDERSTANDS who the real enemy is: the GOP and Trump. He's too smart to waste his time attacking our own. Like me, he also understands that you have to find a good balance, and that if you can't get to "perfect" today, then "good enough" will be okay... as long as it's better than it was before.

Love his wit and laser sharp focus on the THINGS THAT MATTER and the THINGS THAT THREATEN US THE MOST!

Al Franken ROCKS!! (And when he smiles, I still see a glimmer of his Stuart Smalley character, and that makes me feel good too.)


http://people.com/politics/al-franken-journey-from-snl-to-senator/

Well over a month in Donald Trump‘s presidency, Democratic Sen. Al Franken is still not backing down on his harsh criticism of the now-commander-in-chief.

Franken, Minnesota’s junior senator, has been a staunch opponent of Trump‘s platform and policies, and strongly questioned the president’s cabinet nominees during confirmation hearings – namely, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has just now come under fire for lying under oath in one such hearing about meeting with the Russian envoy twice last year.

Sessions has since recused himself from any investigations into the president’s campaign, while still maintaining that he’s done nothing wrong.

Many have turned to Franken, 65, in the wake of the news for reaction. “I am very troubled that his response to my questioning during his confirmation hearing was, at best, misleading,” he wrote on Facebook last week, adding, “The American people deserve to know the truth about what happened between Russia and the Trump team, and I believe we need thorough and impartial investigations to get to the bottom of it.”

Franken, who was in attendance at the 2017 presidential inauguration, has, at times, injected his signature comedic levity into his disdain for Trump, joking during an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher last month about the Republican sentiment about the president’s actions thus far.

(Click the link... it gets better.)

[Cha]

1. Senator Al Franken is brilliant! So glad he's there for us..

he brings the Democratic Party together and goes after the asshole.

Mahalo, Jackie

[SunSeeker]

30. Exactly. Love me some Franken.

[Cha]

44. Kick4Al

[sheshe2]

2. Love you Al Franken

Bravo Sir!

[msanthrope]

3. Doggone it! I like him!!! nt

[TNNurse]

6. Lovely, thanks

[NastyRiffraff]

4. Al is one of my favorites

I was thrilled when he decided to run for office. He has a brilliant mind and isn't afraid to speak the truth.

[Kimchijeon]

5. Well it's no surprise to me

So glad he's my senator, he is awesome.

[GreenEyedLefty]

7. I love him! (And he follows me on Twitter. Well, his staff does anyway :))

He is so intelligent it's ridiculous.

[rug]

8. He'll forever be Mick.

[FakeNoose]

35. Woo-hoo!

[Docreed2003]

36. That's awesome! Thanks!

[LakeArenal]

37. This is totally awesome!!

[rhiannon55]

73. Wowsa! He was hot!

In more ways than one. Looked like quite a workout! Thanks!

[George II]

76. Hahahaha...I'd totally forgotten about that, great!

[mountain grammy]

9. He's becoming an outspoken leader.

He's well grounded and knows his stuff. Always prepared. Al Franken is working for all of us.

[IronLionZion]

10. If we attack each other first and throw each other under the bus

there will be no one left to fight the GOP.

And it has already been established that Trump can't be thrown under the bus. Trump is the bus.

[MrsMatt]

11. Frankly, getting a bit annoyed by all the

Stuart Smalley references - they are over 25 years in the past, and Franken has worked his ass off to be taken seriously as a senator. STOP. It's insulting to the work he's put in as our senator.

Those of us who are represented by Senator Franken have known about his passion, intelligence and character since before his first senate race.

[Pacifist Patriot]

15. I've actually given that quite a bit of thought...

as my life has seen dramatic career changes like his. I don't know him personally, so I can't say for certain. But he seems like the type to embrace everything he has done and appreciate the relative value.

I get the impression he wouldn't be the least bit embarrassed or bothered by references to past work. He knows their meaning, value, and relevance.

He's a lot of things to countless people at any moment in time. I bet he's okay with that.

[MrsMatt]

19. My issue is

that he's in a completely different place now - it's a distraction from the work he's doing now.

I'm not ashamed of my past, but I'd be rightly irritated if I was constantly defined by what I said or did a quarter of a century ago (Listen to what I'm saying NOW, not what silly things I did before).

[SleeplessinSoCal]

89. when Al Franken was Stuart Smalley, he was in NYC with Twump.

I suspect he's been a keen observer of his constant shenanigans in the city. And you know that Al has friends on both sides of the aisle.

His book "Why Not Me?" may actually help him to ascend to at least VP material.

[northoftheborder]

12. HIs attitude of sharp seriousness combined with a bit of wit and humor

just behind the sharp and accurate facts he's presenting, or the questions he's asking, make for a genius in action.

[SunSeeker]

32. Franken knows the power of humor and knows how to wield it.

We are very lucky to have him.

[JHan]

13. K & R .. especially for your commentary.

[NurseJackie]

27. :-D

[notdarkyet]

14. You can be smart and have a sense of humor, too. Al Frank has both. Trump

Has neither.

[moonscape]

53. A good sense of humor requires intelligence. n/t

[LuckyLib]

56. So true. Only a handful in Congress have his intelligence.

The rest are dunces, feeding at the public trough.

[Red Mountain]

16. I've alway been bit disappointed

By his 'potential' versus his actual impact.

Still love him.....but would prefer to see him become more aggressive.

He could do it.

[George II]

17. He's not taking any crap from that administration, and I love the smooth way he does it.

[NurseJackie]

24. "Smooth" ... yes! That's a great way to describe it. He doesn't lose his cool...

... and he keeps focus on the REAL enemy. I've seen some that prefer to "eat their own" (so to speak) when they lose track of what's really important. Al Franken is a ROLE MODEL that we can all aspire to be more like.

He's got laser sharp focus AND humility.

[Docreed2003]

39. Exactly...

The "awe shucks" veneer he played with Jeff Sessions when he asked the question about Russian contacts...the man already knew the answer but Sessions played right into it...he's very smooth, very smart and I appreciate his leadership!

[True Blue American]

18. Al should be

In leadership. So should Sherrod Brown. They are the dogged workers in the Senate,along with many of the women. Barbara Boxer,Diane Feinstein.. We also have many younger.

Al really went after Sessions,disagreed with Grassley when Grassley lied,too. Al did not back down.

I would include Susan Collins in this,although she is Republican she is senseable.

[mcar]

20. He's doing a great job

As are Warren, Gillibrand and Booker, to name a few.

I love that our Dems are speaking out!

[KG]

21. bit a ram in a party full of sheep.

[rurallib]

22. Franken loves ti stick pins in self-inflated buffoons

and watch them deflate.
And he has a great arsenal of pins

[NBachers]

23. Al's really coming into his own. He's one of the good guys that fights for us- he's always prepared.

[Dopers_Greed]

25. Franken has done a fantastic job as senator

He could be a threat to Trump/Pence/Putin (or whoever is President in 2020).

[Lucinda]

26. KNR

[underthematrix]

28. I have one of his books. He's supersmart, funny and practical.

He never loses sight of the prize - a more perfect union

[zentrum]

29. K&R

[aikoaiko]

31. I'm really glad he has found his anti-Trump A-game

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has also been just as tenacious with less acid, but equal verve.

Of course, different Senators can serve different roles and use different styles to resist Trump and position the Democratic party for wins in subsequent elections.

I'm grateful that there our other senators who realize we must be more than simply the anti-Trump party and are willing to talk about how the Democratic party can serve more Americans better. Hope and change is still the slogan that motivates me.

[brewens]

33. One of the reasons he can do something about things that matter is he isn't owned by

Goldman Sachs. That's one of the reasons he can be trusted.

[NurseJackie]

34. Which Dems are owned by Goldman Sachs?

[stevenleser]

67. The reason you haven't gotten a response is the answer is zero.

And that isn't what that poster hoped to imply.

[NurseJackie]

70. People are catching on to their divisive games and insinuations...

... that the Democratic Party is "corrupt" or "morally bankrupt", etc etc etc.

We're better than that. We're smarter than that. We're stronger than that.

[JudyM]

40. That is important; hopefully more of them will start to back away from the trough now that it has

become a more transparent issue.

[Jakes Progress]

42. So totally unuseful.

Not to mention just opo lies.

[FiveGoodMen]

47. The only claim made in that post regards transparency

Is that what you're calling a lie?

[stevenleser]

68. No that's not the only claim and it's certainly not the only implication

speaking about transparency, how about being fully transparent and honest with your posts.

[Jakes Progress]

83. But

that would get someone tossed.

[stevenleser]

84. You say that like it's a bad thing

Folks who are here to disrupt and be divisive don't belong here.

[Jakes Progress]

96. Yep.

[beam me up scottie]

50. Yes, we can always hope.

Now that the corruption of big money in politics is even more obvious than ever more people will wake up and realize that needs to change. I'm not overly optimistic but no person in their right mind would disagree with you.

And we're fortunate that Bernie, Elizabeth and other progressives are willing to keep fighting for that change.

[George II]

59. Unbelievable....

I wouldn't be surprised that if someone here posted that he/she loved apple pie, someone else would post that the apple orchard was financed by Goldman Sachs.

[stevenleser]

69. Yep. Folks wanting to make wild and unsubstantiated attacks on Democrats belong

at JPR or Free Republic, not here.

[IronLionZion]

61. No matter how many Goldman Sachs execs Trump appoints to his Cabinet

Some DUers will still claim Dems are owned by Goldman Sachs.

[Honeycombe8]

38. I love him. Smart man...great at getting his point across. He gets to the heart of things.

And he can still be humorous sometimes.

[Jakes Progress]

41. One of the truly great ones.

He is so smart that he must have to slow it down for most of his colleagues.

(Oh, I love your sig line. As good and smart and useful as Frankin is, sarandon is just the opposite - evil, stupid, and harmful.)

[raven mad]

43. You really, really, really don't want to know Jeff Sessions............ really.

Slime (oh, crap, that disses slime which does have a function).

ROCK ON, Sir Franken - I've loved you from get-go!

[sheshe2]

45. Kicking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[murielm99]

46. There is the face of the Democratic Party!

He gets his message out and it is a unifying message for our party.

[JCanete]

48. Who doesn't understand that? Which politician are you referring to, or do you just mean,"as oppossed

to some theoretical person who makes the perfect the enemy of the good."

The bad is the enemy of the good....better bad is still bad if the result is still a ship that won't stay afloat. Nobody would say "Make me that less shitty boat!" See, its all about the framing.

Now I'm sure you weren't talking about Sanders or anything, but being that he's the only one I can think of in the Senate being criticized here for "attacking" democrats, and being that "making the perfect the enemy of the good" was the kind of sloganeering that went along with "unicorns!", your post invoked him to my mind. But then, of course he helped to get a funding bill into Obamacare for health centers and voted for it even though he does prefer Single Payer, so he isn't really the best fit. I guess its just my mind making funny connections.

BTW, I like Franken too, and have since Air America. I'm glad he's in there.

[beam me up scottie]

49. I agree, the only people I know who think Bernie is a threat are Republicans.

I think it's fantastic that a certain liberal lion takes up so much room in conservatives trolls' heads they complain about him constantly. I love watching them lose their minds on the internet whenever his name is mentioned.

I also love that Bernie will be in the news again this week calling out Trump and excoriating the GOP. And the week after that. And the week after that. And the week after that. He really knows how to get under the skin of our enemies, you can tell just how effective he is by the loud squeals coming from their side.

He's still the most popular politician in the country because he's on the people's side, we know he's fighting for us, not shilling for special interests or taking millions from corporations to do their bidding in Washington. He's fighting to save the ACA but still advocating single payer universal health care - a reminder that it's possible to do both, fight for what we have now and still look to the future.

Bernie didn't give up on single payer universal healthcare because the healthcare industry paid him millions to back off. He didn't give up on us after our loss, if anything it energized him. He plays Trump by suggesting he's willing to work with him on jobs, health care and infrastructure but in reality he's reminding him of all the promises he's broken. Of course some stupid conservatives don't undestand that, they actually think Bernie wants to work with Trump - even after Bernie repeatedly called him a fraud and a pathological liar and often mocks him. I love watching him troll Trump on social media.

I'm glad Al Franken is in the fight, too. We need every one of our representatives to call out corruption wherever they see it - that's something else Bernie has been doing for decades - even though it ruffled the feathers of bought and paid for politicians and their fan clubs. When a politician isn't afraid to call out corruption wherever it is you know they're loyal to the people, not parties or special interests.

We are very fortunate to have Bernie and Keith and Al and Elizabeth and other progressives fighting for us in Washington. Of course no one is perfect and it's easy to dig up dirt to make any of them look like they're hypocrites, the right has been doing a good job of that - pointing out their flaws and insinuating they're dishonest - but that's only right wing pundits and trolls, no same person would ever question these politicians' loyalty to their constituents or country. One would have to be a fool not to recognize all of their contributions or to try to use praise for one to insult another. Thankfully we're all liberals here and no one would ever be that petty.

But how about that Bernie - you can always count on him to fight for us and to piss off the right people.

[George II]

95. That's a rash "accusation".

[R B Garr]

97. Your distortions are tiresome and fake.

Reality is that "conservative trolls" (your words) have never bothered with Bernie because he was not a threat. Their obsessions were with Hillary. She was the threat. Remember?

P.s., wouldn't it be great to rec this thread for the Liberal Lion, Al Franken? So many Lions out there for us.

[George II]

71. This discussion is about Senator Franken, a true "liberal lion"!

[NurseJackie]

74. I'm sure he'd be honored to hear that comparison. It evokes wisdom & patience, humility & loyalty.

Politicians like Franken earn that type of honor and respect through their work and their actions. He's a realistic and good-humored man who's able to keep his focus on the true threat: the GOP. Unlike some bilious and bad-tempered and loud politicians who seem to think they "deserve" to be followed (apparently based on the sheer volume of their rhetoric) in Al Franken, we have a steady hand and a calm voice who understands the concept of strength through unity. He cares more about others than he does about himself, or his career. Franken isn't perpetually fundraising or signing books... he's doing his job. He's working for us. That is truly what it means to be a "liberal lion", and I'm sure that Ted Kennedy would agree.

[George II]

75. One thing I love about Franken is his almost obsessive drive to advance progressive causes...

...and he does it in a low key, almost folksy manner, without any ego or grandstanding. I'm really looking forward to his questioning of Gorsuch later this week.

[NurseJackie]

78. Yes! He doesn't GRANDSTAND! Exactly! (Thank you! That's the word I was looking for!)

It's never about benefiting himself... he stays dedicated and focused on progress. He doesn't seek accolades. It's always about what benefits our nation or our citizens. For him, simply doing his best is its own reward... and that is an uncommon trait among politicians.

Great observations about his down-to-Earth and folksy manner. I like that he talks calmly TO people, not blustering AT them. He doesn't need to SHOUT to be heard. His questioning of Sessions attest to that. I, too, am looking forward to his questioning of Gorsuch.

He's a unifying force, not a divider or an attacker or some sort of "revolutionary". He's one who can recognize political realities and he's not afraid to build coalitions, find common ground, and make incremental progress.

Al Franken recognizes the vanity and foolhardiness of making NO progress (or moving backward) because of an unwillingness to compromise. He understands the dangers of pride and impatience (and vengeance.)

[ismnotwasm]

80. So True

He is versatile, has an very agile mind and above all--is effective. We are lucky to have him.

[JCanete]

81. totally, like the way you are able to keep your focus on the true threat, right? I guess we can't

all be Senator Franken. I totally hear your cry of "lets come together and fight Trump," at least a thinnest of veneers to that end. This kind of shit continues to suck the air out of that focus, and you should know it.

[Cha]

92. Right, Jackie.. Democratic Senator Al Franken brings people

together brilliantly to fight against the enemy, that is destroying our Planet!

Thank you!

[JCanete]

79. Yes of course, that's all it was...thank you for your sincerity. nt

[NastyRiffraff]

91. It is indeed

and "liberal lion" is a wonderful description of him. I keep thinking of the MGM lion.

[Gothmog]

86. In the real world, the perfect is not obtainable and you may need to accept what is obtainable

I trust Senator Franken's sense of judgment far more than the unnamed senator you are mentioning

[JCanete]

87. yes, as I said, and as Senator Sanders has proven he is quite aware of himself.

Nobody is making perfect the enemy of the good. That's a framing that is total bullshit.

Of course, in the real world, what is attainable is restricted by the imagination. If we don't present as attainable what some people have decided is fantasy for their own limited or ulterior reasons, then of course it will always be unattainable...like free college tuition.

[Cha]

93. Oh yes I actually trust Democratic Senator Al Franken...

thank you, Goth

[Warren DeMontague]

51. He has great taste in music, too.

[Nitram]

52. On the contrary, this is totally expected. Franken is a mensch!

[NurseJackie]

54. I know, Right??!! He's focused and sincere... genuine and warm ...

... I'm sick of the perpetual scowling and scolding that some politicians rely on to "make their point."

Now I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't get angry about things... we should! But I believe that politicians who are constantly acting angry (for its own sake) are just putting on a show and a distraction from the work that needs to be done.

Their words aren't remembered, their solutions (if any) aren't remembered... but the 10 second clip of their hyper-gesticulating floor speech makes news. Not because it's actually newsworthy... but because of the spectacle of it all. I'm fed up with politicians who rely on "spectacle" (rather than action or plans) to make headlines.

These theatrical things are just a political crutch that politicians use to compensate for their lack of understanding on how to SOLVE the problem.

Anyone can POINT OUT what the problem is (and get visibly angry about it) but the real test of a DEMOCRAT is whether or not they can offer solutions. That's one of the things that I admire so much about Al Franken.

[R B Garr]

55. Franken is just what we need. Love his efforts.

We need people who concentrate on ACTUAL corruption from the GOP and not duplicitous and dishonest criticism of Democrats.

[NurseJackie]

58. That's the thing, isn't it? Democrats are the SOLUTION. Democrats are the ANSWER...

... we're NOT the problem. Democrats are not the problem. The sooner that EVERYONE gets on board with that, the better off we'll be. The sooner that people stop with the unnecessary distractions and trying to divide our party, the STRONGER we as LOYAL DEMOCRATS will be. The sooner people focus their attacks OUTWARD and at the true enemy of our Republic, the better off we'll be.

Al Franken understands it. He's a Democrat who makes me proud to be a Democrat. He's a liberal and a true progressive who's not afraid of being loyal to the party. He seeks strength through unity. He's a leader, but avoids making a spectacle of himself.

Why? Because he's strong enough and confident enough to know that he doesn't need to isolate himself or put himself on a pedestal in order to feel more important or "powerful". He understands the advantage of UNITY and being part of a group.

What impresses me the most about Franken is that he's not in this for himself!!! He's not trying to "make a name" for himself. He's not fundraising or selling books... he does what he does for the GOOD OF EVERYONE! He wants to make people's lives (and our nation) better and stronger.

He totally gets that we are STRONGER TOGETHER.

[R B Garr]

64. Absoulety! Great post.

Al is focusing on the real-life and proven enemies of progressive values and not celebrating himself and his own unproven and unrealistic methods of attaining them. You have to actually win elections to achieve your goals, but only if that is the true goal. Some might be satisfied with endless self-promotion instead of winning, but Al realized what the stakes are with influence meddling and is focused on the real enemies.

You are right! Stronger together is the most lasting message yet from all of this.

[NurseJackie]

65. It's clear that unity is his goal and rejects efforts to create a "revolt" within the party ...

... or any sort of "revolution". Such a thing is the ULTIMATE rejection of party unity and party loyalty. Organizers of an internal "revolution" that weaken the Democratic Party are (in my opinion) only it it for themselves and have NO interest in defeating the GOP.

Besides... could you imagine if people started calling themselves "Frankencrats" or "Alfrankencrats"??

OMG! Al Franken would be ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED if anyone did that! (And rightly so.) He's confident enough that he can easily do without such shallow "rock-star" flattery. He doesn't need "groupies". He's not the kind of man that needs to create (or encourage) a self-named "wing" of the Democratic party.

Al Franken measures his personal success in the amount of good he's done for OTHERS, not by his own wealth; not by how many books he sells; not by how many names are on his mailing list; not by how many show up to hear him speak in public; not by many houses he owns, or how many words he reads aloud on the Senate floor.

Al Franken is an honorable man who cares about the world, his country, his constituents, and his party.

Al Franken personifies what it means to be a TRUE Democrat, and I admire him so much for that.

[R B Garr]

88. +1000, yes to everything, and he deals with the reality

in front of us, not any alternate universes forced on people. The KGOP is the alternate universe, fake news party, not the Democrats.

[Blue_Warrior]

57. He's amazing! A Bernie / Franken ticket would be so good but I would hate to lose them in the senate

[Cha]

94. I like a Senator Al Franken and Senator Elizabeth Warren.

[yellowcanine]

60. Trump's nightmare, an educated and articulate person.

[NurseJackie]

63. Franken doesn't rely on theatrical and "showy" crutches like finger pointing and flailing arms...

... and ridiculing people and insults. Instead, Franken puts his BRAIN on display. He's not faking it, he never has to bluff his way through. Franken has done his homework. He is always prepared!! Knowledge is his weapon of choice. He doesn't use bluster as a substitute for facts (and verbs and adjectives.)

Trump has nothing on him.

[smirkymonkey]

62. I think I'm in love!

[Lifelong Protester]

66. I heard him speak once with Garrison Keillor

In Wabasha, MN. Before he was a Senator (it was a Kerry rally). I was impressed then, I'm impressed now.

[George II]

72. Stuart Smalley!!!

[Gothmog]

77. Senator Franken is amazing

Senator Franken is very effective in dealing with trump

[Angry Dragon]

82. MY SENATOR

[Gabi Hayes]

90. Lying Liars and the Lies They Tell.....how badly does that book cry out for a new edition?

remember his throw down with OReilly at the televised bookfest? I linked it the other day

fine wine, and all that......