What a great day for liberals and progressives everywhere. The man the GOP couldn’t stop, and the man they swore would never be seated, SENATOR Al Franken was sworn into office today as the 100th member of the U.S. Senate.
He’s also the man Fux News was sure would turn the good ol’ boys club into a strip club, the man they said would defile the dignity of the senate with his very presence, and the man who never gave up on Minnesota or the democratic process. SENATOR Al Franken, finally made it all the way to the big house today.
And he was sworn in using Paul Wellstone’s family bible.
Like everything Franken has done since November, that gesture alone reeks of class and respect. It was understated and subtle. Something many people never thought they’d see from Stuart, er, SENATOR Al Franken.
And Paul Krugman wrote this weekend that Franken’s dirty little secret isnt diapers. a wide stance, or financial impropriety. SENATOR Al Franken’s dirty little secret is that he is a true policy wonk in the tradition of Hillary Clinton. A guy who loves the detail of policy and the nuances of the legislative process. Imagine. He’s a serious public servant.
I think the thing I love about SENATOR Al Franken is how he’s conducted himself throughout this process. You know he could have unsheathed that rapier wit at many points. He could have eviscerated the opposition with only a smirk, a few words and a raised eyebrow. He could have gone for the laughs, mugged for the cameras, brought the house down with laughter, and made a mockery of the serious problems facing our nation.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he set an example of how grown ups act when presented with the awesome responsibilty of leadership. He’s shown dignity and grace under fire, and he’s shown compassion to his bozo of an opponent.
I’m reminded of what Vince Lombardi said. “When you get to the end zone, act like you’ve been there before.” SENATOR Al Franken acts as though he’s not only “been there before”, but he also acts like he intends to stay a long time. And that has got to be good for America.
He’s made me proud, and I’ve never even visited Minnesota. Good on ya Al. I mean SENATOR Al Franken.
Paul Wellstone will finally rest in peace tonight. For once, the good guy won.
prairiepond
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
I now have three of his books, I find them at the dollar tree. Sad statement really some of the best books on Politics and the right end up for a dollar at the dollar tree! Franken is one more threat to the right, they have enough of a problem with the others who actually think. And Franken is intelligent to boot, a math wiz so the numbers will not be over his head or boring to him.
I am so looking forward to hearing him speak.
Yeah, I read that his degree is in mathmatics.
That ought to give the economists a little heart burn… They wont be able to baffle him with bullschit. They’ll have to dazzle him with brilliance, and they aint used to doin’ THAT!
That true, LOL I get tickled every time I hear someone in the Congress or Senate saying they did not have enough time to read a bill. Like they would have understood it in the first place.
Don’t they all have taxpayer paid staff?
They sure do, that is suppose to be how it works. Stall members split up a bill and read and take notes. Then they all meet and give the elected member a overview and key points.
Though the elected member should also read the parts that are hilighted by the stall to make sure they also see it as what the point is said to be.
Stall should have been Staff
Brain was working faster then fingers were typing I guess.
All though, in at least some cases the staff is looking for stalls too! Which would make them a stall members.
WITH A WIDE STANCE?