Franken Candidacy Now Questioned From The Left

FRANKENFIZZLE

Liberals Begin To Question Stuart's Viability







As new questions begin to emerge regarding his electability, US Senate candidate/ alleged funnyman Al Franken is learning the hard way that beating Norm Coleman (R-MN) won't be as easy as he once thought.

While Stuart has long had enemies on the right, he seemed to have the loyal support of both the "progressive" left and the mainstream media. In fact, the latter group had such a history of fawning all over the former Air America Radio host that we coined a new term in his honor: frankenfluff.

Between his Air America antics, tax woes, the worker's compensation flap and now a controversy over his "porn-o-rama" work for Playboy, however, the left is finally beginning to question whether they've backed the wrong horse.

Now, they're even worried he could drag down the entire party in November!

From day one, we've never seen a clear argument as to why Franken deserves to become a US Senator at the expense of Coleman or another Democrat. What does he really bring to the table in terms of substantive positions on issues?


Kicking off Franken's ugly week was this Op-Ed from the leftist Twin Cities Daily Planet, where his candidacy was dismissed as a mere bout of narcissism:

“Al Franken is a funny man,” begins the ABC News Report on Franken’s Porn-o-Rama Playboy problems. That’s debatable. What really isn’t funny is the prospect of six more years of Norm Coleman in the U.S. Senate, an eventuality Franken’s narcissism is bringing a little closer every day.

Say goodnight, Al. Time to take your bows and exit stage left.

From there, it was all downhill, as a number of Democrats from the Twin Cities were suddenly willing to speak on the record as having significant concerns with Franken's candidacy, with Porn-O-Rama a particular worry. From the Star-Tribune:

On Thursday, Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., called the sexually explicit article offensive and potentially damaging to Franken and other Democratic candidates in Minnesota.

The Franken campaign and backers of the candidate said the work was merely satire and faulted McCollum for dividing the party.


"As a woman, a mother, a former teacher, and an elected official, I find this material completely unacceptable," McCollum said of Franken's piece, published in 2000 under the headline "Porn-O-Rama!"

"I can tell you it's not playing comfortably in St. Paul, and I can't imagine this politically radioactive material is doing very well in suburban and rural districts," McCollum said.

Minnesota Reps. Tim Walz and Keith Ellison expressed similar concerns in interviews Thursday with the Associated Press. Ellison said the Franken article made him "uncomfortable," citing passages on oral sex and bestiality. Walz called the piece "pretty inappropriate."

Does Franken really believe attacking fellow Democrats will help him win the nomination? At this rate, we may yet see the DFL Party find a way to circumvent Stuart before he ruins their chances in November.


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