Unfit For Office
Al Franken's Democrat opponents, Priscilla Lord Faris campaign ad says, "No matter how many millions he spends, it is clear that his history of pornography, degrading women, and minorities and his questionable financial transactions will continue to be the focus..." Democrats across Minnesota agree with her.
"Connie Perpich, the organization's senior legislative director, said in the email that some of Franken's commentary had 'gone beyond the bounds of what is appropriate for any candidate for elected office. If half these allegations are true, it is very difficult for us to foresee the Planned Parenthood of Minnesota Action Fund Board endorsing the candidacy of anyone with such extreme perspectives.'" 1
"And U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar broke a week-long silence to urge Franken to acknowledge that the piece was 'entirely inappropriate.'" 2
U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum said, "It is appalling that anyone could characterize rape, a violent and horrible crime, as a joke." 3
U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum said, "As a woman, a mother, a former teacher, and an elected official, I find this material completely unacceptable." 4
U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum said, "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." 5
U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison "...said the Franken article made him 'uncomfortable,' citing passages on oral sex and bestiality." 6
U.S. Rep. Tim "Walz called the piece 'pretty inappropriate.'" 7
MN state Rep. Ken Tschumper, DFL-La Crescent said, "Al Franken's shortcomings go way beyond the latitude we should expect voters to give a U.S. Senate candidate," and "People are real unsettled about it and they're not quite sure what to do or think. For me, it's real clear -- I think we should not endorse Al Franken." 8
"'Delegates have some very important work to do this weekend,' said Sen. Kathy Saltzman DFL-Woodbury, who released a statement with Rep. Sandy Wollschlager, DFL-Cannon Falls, that called the articles 'most disturbing ... offensive and highly inappropriate when linked to a candidate for the United States Senate.'" 9
U.S. Congressman Jim "Oberstar says in a statement Wednesday that the column was 'amateurish and silly, he needs to disown it.'" 10
What's worse, Al Franken's Playboy column even got caught in a reporter's spam filter:
"I wonder how many DFL officials will be able to pull Porn-O-Rama through their Internet filters and read it before the party endorses its candidate for U.S. Senate this weekend. I wonder, too, whether folks like Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Attorney General Lori Swanson, whose campaigns took money in 2006 from Franken's so-called Midwest Values PAC (yes, you read that right) will feel compelled to return those bucks on truth-in-advertising grounds." 11
In an November 2008, editorial Esquire magazine wrote:
" ... Franken, the sort of knee-jerk partisan that both parties should avoid like disease. Anyway, we preferred his earlier, funny work." 12
On October 22, 2008, Star Tribune columnist Katherine Kersten wrote:
"If Franken is elected, can he represent all the people of Minnesota -- including Christians -- for whom he has repeatedly shown disdain?" 13
In an October 26, 2008, editorial Mesabi Daily News wrote:
"Some of those jokes he penned included ones about rape. During the campaign, Franken said some of his jokes were over the top and not funny and he has apologized for them. However, why would anyone at any time think there could even be a humorous punch line when the subject is rape? That's just repulsive." 14
Al Franken is unfit for office.
Al Franken is simply unfit for office. Rude, crude jokes, jokes about rape, jokes about child abuse, pornography.
- He wrote a pornographic column in Playboy -- and thought it was funny. 15
- He tackled a heckler at a Howard Dean rally. 16
- He's mocked people who disagree with him. 17
- He has an anger problem. From exploding at radio hosts to profanity-laced tirades, Al Franken can't keep it in check.
- Franken joked about raping CBS reporter Lesley Stahl.
- Franken: "I give the pills to Lesley Stahl. Then when Lesley's passed out, I take her to the closet and rape her." 18
- Vice President Al Gore "...said he wished he had walked out on Franken once the jokes went sour." 19
- Franken even joked about child abuse. 20
Al Franken. Simply unfit for office. Because rape? Is something you just don't joke about.
1 Patricia Lopez, "Planned Parenthood Email Blasts 'Degrading' Franken Essay," Star Tribune, June 5, 2008 [PDF]
2 Patricia Lopez, Kevin Diaz and Kevin Duchschere, "Road To DFL Nomination Gets Bumpier For Franken; As The State Convention Begins, Planned Parenthood Is Less Enchanted With Franken," Star Tribune, June 6, 2008 [PDF]
3 Tom Scheck, "Franken's Old Comments Causing Him New Worries," Minnesota Public Radio, June 5, 2008 [PDF]
4 Kevin Diaz, Conrad Wilson, "Franken's Porn Story Has Party In A Lather; A 2000 Playboy Article May Be A Problem For The Candidate And The DFL, Some Democrats Say," Star Tribune, May 30, 2008 [PDF]
5 Kevin Diaz, Conrad Wilson, "Franken's Porn Story Has Party In A Lather; A 2000 Playboy Article May Be A Problem For The Candidate And The DFL, Some Democrats Say," Star Tribune, May 30, 2008 [PDF]
6 Kevin Diaz, Conrad Wilson, "Franken's Porn Story Has Party In A Lather; A 2000 Playboy Article May Be A Problem For The Candidate And The DFL, Some Democrats Say," Star Tribune, May 30, 2008 [PDF]
7 Kevin Diaz, Conrad Wilson, "Franken's Porn Story Has Party In A Lather; A 2000 Playboy Article May Be A Problem For The Candidate And The DFL, Some Democrats Say," Star Tribune, May 30, 2008 [PDF]
8 Patrick Condon, "Franken's Future On The Line As Democrats Meet," The Associated Press, June 6, 2008 [PDF]
9 Patricia Lopez, Kevin Diaz and Kevin Duchschere, "Road To DFL Nomination Gets Bumpier For Franken; As The State Convention Begins, Planned Parenthood Is Less Enchanted With Franken," Star Tribune, June 6, 2008 [PDF]
10 Frederic J. Frommer, "Oberstar Calls For Franken To 'Disown' Playboy Column," Associated Press, June 4, 2008 [PDF]
11 Katherine Kersten, Column, "Franken 'Satire' Gets Snared By Average E-Mail Porn Filter," Star Tribune, June 4, 2008 [PDF]
12 Editorial, "Election 2008: Who People In Minnesota Should Vote For," Esquire, November 2008 [PDF]
13 Katherine Kersten, "Vulgar Mockery Of Christians: Is This What We Want In A U.S. Senator?" Star Tribune, Oct. 22, 2008 [PDF]
14 Editorial, "We Endorse: Coleman For U.S. Senate," Mesabi Daily News, Oct. 26, 2008 [PDF]
15 Kevin Diaz and Conrad Wilson, "Franken's Porn Story Has Party In A Lather," Star Tribune, June 2, 2008 [PDF]
16 Vincent Morris, "Al Franken Knocks Down Dean Heckler," New York Post, January 27, 2004 [PDF]
17 "C.J. The Dish.: Doggone it! Where Is Stuart Smalley When Franken Needs Him?" Star Tribune, January 24, 2008 [PDF]
18 Patricia Lopez, Kevin Diaz, Kevin Duchschere, "Road To DFL Nomination Gets Bumpier For Franken; As The State Convention Begins, Planned Parenthood Is Less Enchanted With Franken," Star Tribune, June 6, 2008 [PDF]
19 David Horsey column, "High Time To Call Foul When Entertainers Cross The Line," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 8, 1996 [PDF]
20 Frank DiGiacomo, "Requiescat In Pace, Henry Youngman: Comedy Meritocracy Rises At Friars," New York Observer, Oct. 16, 2000 [PDF]
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