Al Franken speaks, on his old radio network

[bigtree]

February 20, 2009 - 11:51 AM

Democrat Al Franken, who has kept a generally low profile as the battle for Minnesota's U.S. Senate seat has ground on, will surface Saturday on the Air America radio network, where he once was a talk-show host. In an interview with Mark Green, the network's president, Franken expresses frustration about the length of the fight with Republican Norm Coleman.

"Well, Frannie and I Iook at each other at night, usually right before we go to bed, and go like: 'How long is this gonna go on?' But, it really looks now that it's going to get resolved in my favor, and soon, and so I'm actually excited to get there. So that sort of overcomes the frustration," he said in a transcript provided by Air America.

"On Air America, part of the three hours a day is debunking the right and that kind of thing. But, when you're faced with actually trying to help folks, you know, the past couple of days I've been going around talking to mayors in Duluth and Two Harbors, Minnesota, the mayor of Champlain, the mayor of St. Paul, the mayor of Rochester, county commissioners, etc., trying to figure out how they can get access to the stimulus package, and what they need.

"That's seems much more productive than trying to listen to Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly and hear what they think about me. Actually, that was one of the nicest things that happened to me once I left the radio show -- I stopped paying attention to them."

on deciding to run . . .

" . . . right before I announced in December 2006," he said. "I'm weighing this, and I'm thinking, like: 'Oh, what a tremendous burden on my family. This is going to be a couple years of me not having any income.' Then there's a risk to it, and my reputation. And I'm in Iraq with all these guys and women who're there for their third tour, and their families are half a world away and totally anxious every day ... So, I said I'm going to do this


more: http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/39914647.html?page=2&c=y

[ffr]

1. Hang in there Frankin

I agree with you wholeheartedly on the 'more productive' avenue. I see people ranting about the GOP talking heads, so I know there's still a battle raging on. Someday, as a nation, I hope people will realize that being economically productive is more important than wasting time on gossip.

[frebrd]

2. Thanks.....

and he still needs all the help he can get!

https://secure.alfranken.com/page/contribute

[Justpat]

3. I've already emptied out my pockets for him.

He is a fighter. I can't wait till he gets to DC.

[frebrd]

9. I've pretty much......

emptied mine too, Justpat (an appropriate SNL reference). :)

[MinneapolisMatt]

4. K&R

Franken is such a good man.

[BurtWorm]

5. Why hasn't Scalia stuck his fat nose into this and stopped Coleman's nonsense.

:sarcasm: <==in case you couldn't tell. :patriot:

[ohtransplant]

6. K&R

and sent my monthly contribution.

Sure wish they'd stop calling so often though...

[bdamomma]

7. kick

the man won just seat him please.

[spanone]

8. you go senator franken