Russell Shorto (NYTimes Magazine): Al Franken, Seriously

[Dudley_DUright]

I'm in a rental car with Al Franken, and we're driving across New Hampshire on the Sunday before the nation's first primary, heading to a John Edwards rally. The Democrats are in a kooky mood following the sudden collapse of Howard Dean in Iowa, and Franken -- comedian, celebrity, scourge -- is spending two days in the state not in any official capacity but as a sort of good-will representative from the party's satiric wing. He is not, as you might think from the outrageous trappings of his comedy, an extreme lefty but rather a devout party man, one who says, for example, that the Democratic Leadership Council is a moral force for good. He believes in the process; he's friends with several of the candidates as well as many members of the press corps; he's here to soak it all up.

We're an hour late, and there are still 30 miles to go.

Franken is doing the driving, and he's full of energy, bursting with ideas, bits of comedy history (Bob and Ray, the Dean Martin roasts), political insults, patches of anger. The president of the United States has been doing some things lately that would get any political satirist excited, like announcing with great fanfare that the nation would undertake a mission to Mars and then failing even to mention the historic new venture six days later in his State of the Union address, after it got a flat reaction. Franken is particularly keyed up because he will soon have a new forum for voicing himself on such matters: a daily three-hour talk show, the flagship program in what will be a new ''liberal'' talk radio network. But it hasn't started yet, which is frustrating. ''They said Clinton was poll-driven?'' he's saying, and he's hitting the gas pedal more firmly as he talks. ''Well, this was totally poll-driven! But it should have been more exploited in terms of ridicule. This was, you know, really ripe. It's like, What happened to Mars? And what we get in the speech is steroids and abstinence. 'Let's send a message to kids that the only sure way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases is through . . . abstinence! Yaaay!' Uh-oh.''

The uh-oh is because blue lights are whipping through the car. A New Hampshire state trooper with what you might call perfect comic timing breaks in on Franken's jag and pulls us over. Franken is respectful and polite as he hands over his license, and as deeply relieved as any ordinary driver when the trooper lets him off with a warning a few minutes later. It's not a huge thing, but I haven't been in a car that was stopped for speeding since I was a teenager, and somehow it just feels right, a premonition of things to come.

more (long)...

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/21/magazine/21FRANKEN.html

[teach1st]

1. A great read - thanks!

''It amazes me that a man can be in his 50's and have such idealism,'' said Ben Stein, the former Nixon and Ford speechwriter with whom Franken has engaged in a few debates recently. ''He's actually an inspiration in his level of commitment.''

If idealism in a mature man amazes you, Mr. Stein, it might be because you've hung out too long with older people who are lacking soul, heart, and spirit and have begun to think that is the normal state of being. It isn't: idealism is a natural and vital part of being human. All of my fifty-something friends have idealism to spare.

[dae]

2. Al is great , thanks for the read.

:)

[RamboLiberal]

3. Thanks for posting - I sometimes forget to check the magazine on the net

I hope Air America broadcasts via the net and allows their shows to be archived.

[question everything]

4. Read someplace that he wants to call his show the O'Franken.. n/t

[Dudley_DUright]

5. Even better

"The O'Franken Factor". :evilgrin: He is hoping O'Reilly will sue him again and give the show lots of publicity. It is hard to tell whether he is joking or not.

[question everything]

6. LOL n/t