Charlie Pierce offers up a new possible 2016 Pres. candidate - Al Franken!

[bullwinkle428]

"Brother Dave Weigel points out that Al Franken ran a populist campaign for re-election -- straight, no chaser. His ads were direct, and their message was impressively disciplined. (It also helped that the Republicans ran the perfect foil for Franken's message, a guy who makes Willard Romney look like Henry Wallace.) If you're looking for a way to do this, Franken and his people have written the primer. So here's what I'm thinking -- why don't we hear Franken's name bandied more about as a Democratic presidential possibility in 2016? I suspect that the chances of Martin O'Malley, Esquire's Favorite Politician (tm), rather cratered the other night when his lieutenant governor got whipped, largely because he was a terrible candidate, but also because he was lieutenant governor under, ahem, Martin O'Malley. Senator Professor Warren doesn't want to run, even though the most compelling conclusion to be drawn from the blasted landscape of the Democratic campaign is that running away from her particular economic message is disastrous, no matter where you happen to be running. Franken showed through his campaign how you embrace the themes on which Warren has based her career in the context of a political campaign.

Since arriving in the Senate, Franken clearly has made the decision to be a workhorse, and not a show pony, which was something that his friend and mentor, the late Paul Wellstone, once told me was the first decision any new senator has to make. You can't run for president without showing a little show pony. Maybe he doesn't want to do that. But given the choice between the coronation of Hillary Clinton, and the suddenly desiccated range of options, it's hard not to see a space for Franken to run. Hell, back in the day, he even wrote a novel about a Franken Presidency. Was he kidding on the square? Good enough? Check. Smart enough? Check. The fact that this would cause Bill O'Reilly's head to detonate in a gorgeous orange fireball is merely a bonus."

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/Why_Not_Al#comments

[SalviaBlue]

1. Run Al, Run!!!

[JustAnotherGen]

4. Just for this alone . . .

I want you to look in that mirror, and I want you to repeat after me: "I am a worthy human being."

And he could go on with - And you are worthy of me! You are America! You are worthy of me!

[randys1]

53. Look at our potential candidates, just from a level of intellect, maturity, etc

including Al who is brilliant

then look at theirs


HELLO, is THIS THING WORKING

[woo me with science]

41. Al Franken voted for the Patriot Act and NDAA. He supported SOPA and PIPA.

He will not challenge the corporate oligarchy.

We can and need to do better. We need Bernie Sanders or someone very like him.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. This is what I want to see more of

Enough of the coronation of Clinton, Sanders, and Warren.

Can we please have a field of candidates to choose from? Like- a wide field. A bloody primary did not hurt Obama in the end.

[yeoman6987]

27. Be careful

Too many liberals and they dilute the voting pool and the moderate wins. We need one great candidate that all liberals can support.

[bravenak]

3. Love the idea!!

We need a variety of Liberals to choose from, not just the few selected by operatives or the so called inevitable.

[JustAnotherGen]

5. bravenak

This guy - he could pull Gen X back from the Republican Abyss of tax cuts.

[bravenak]

7. I love him, he's no phony.

I am tired of looking at the same presidential candidates and feeling 'meh'. I could get excited to knock on door for him. He could help Millennials afford school, maybe? I need to go back, I've decided.

[Xyzse]

6. Heck, I'd go with this.

[Paladin]

8. I'd vote for Franken in a heartbeat. (nt)

[Puglover]

9. He is my Senator and I love him.

Why not? He would skewer any idiot Republican that tried to take him on.

Just the idea of that loathsome O'reilly's head exploding is mind candy.

[maddiemom]

89. I can't wait for O'Reilly's reaction the first time (hopefully) Franken appears

on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

[Puglover]

91. Well hello you!

I hope your life is grand! When you gonna bring the kiddies to visit us in Ecuador?

[Half-Century Man]

10. This is what we need.

Actual choices to debate over. This is how we decide who we are, what the Democratic party actually consists of. Now, about a party platform........

[KamaAina]

11. Bring on the Al Franken Decade!

Well, eight years, anyway.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. I doubt Franken is interested, but we could do worse.

I've met him and I like him a lot, and I'm very glad he's my Senator (and that he soundly whupped the execrable Mike McFadden). What I really want right now, though, is a vigorous Democratic primary with a decent field of credible candidates. I do not want the automatic coronation of Hillary Clinton. If she wins following a well-contested primary, fine; I'll vote for her. But I'd sure like to see some other good Democrats at least hold her feet to the fire. The GOPers have already started reserving seats in their usual clown car. We can do much better than that. Let's get a half-dozen good, smart people, maybe including Al Franken, to come out and make Hillary fight for the nomination. Or maybe somebody else (maybe even a progressive candidate) gets it. I just want to see a well-contested primary.

[genwah]

49. I agree. Last time I talked to him, he seemed really happy just doing his job. To the point where

he only does MN media, not national press. I doubt he's want to develop a national media presence in the next year and if he doesn't, the national audience will only know Stuart Smalley.

[SolutionisSolidarity]

13. I hope there is enough soul and courage left in the Democratic Party

for someone to take on the third way machine. These losers speak for no one; they have no natural consistency beyond the Washington cocktail circuit and TV pundit classes.

[peacebird]

14. You & me both....

[Arthur_Frain]

15. Yes!

The truth is I'd prefer a smarmy ex-SNL comedian in the white house to Hillary.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

16. The real Al Franken is anything but smarmy.

He's very, very smart (he has a degree in political science from Harvard), and when you meet him in person you see how engaged and serious he is. He is absolutely not Stuart Smalley in real life.

[amuse bouche]

40. You are confused

Bill O' Reilly is smarmy...not Al. You're Welcome !

[Arthur_Frain]

75. Listen, I didn't mean it as a slight!

I LOVED him when he and Davis did their bits way back when, and I know that this is not his personae as a public servant, I'm aware of this. Yes I'd vote for him, but if you don't think the republican smear machine would trot out all those old misogynistic skits, then you are confused. Same folks who voted in droves this election would believe that those out of context bits the smear machine aired were real.

[msanthrope]

17. I would vote for him. nt

[LongTomH]

18. He needs to hire Howard Dean as his campaign manager.....

......and run a populist campaign based on small donations (If that's even possible these days!)

If he can actually make it as far as the primary debates, I think his campaign will catch fire.

[genwah]

56. Yikes! No! Candidates are terrible campaign managers! It's like doctors self-diagnosing. A campaign

manager who was a candidate would almost certainly handle 'the Candidate' the way they wish they'd been handled. The Candidate, even if they've won before, never sees most of the mechanics of the campaign, doesn't decide the day to day allocation of resources or personnel.

Besides, we need Dr. Dean to head the DNC, coordinating and presenting the national message.

[DonCoquixote]

19. HELL YES!

One of the last true liberals.

[Reter]

20. He's not as liberal as he likes to talk

Voted for NDAA and to extend the Patriot Act. He loves the police state.

[woo me with science]

42. Thank you. He also backed SOPA and PIPA

and reversed himself on PIPA *only* after it was clear it would not pass anyway.

He is a corporate animal on some of the most critical issues we face, despite his populist rhetoric. He will not challenge the corporate oligarchy.

We can and must do better. Bernie Sanders, for example.

[Reter]

46. He's not even one tenth of the man that once held his seat was, the late great Paul Wellstone

In many ways, he's a mirror Marco Rubio, who the Tea Party call a Teo-Con (neo-con is Tea Party clothes). Will we ever have another Wellstone?

[woo me with science]

63. +1 I miss Paul Wellstone.

He saw what was happening and remained a voice for the people when others sold us out.

Bernie is really the only potential candidate I see right now who has a chance of building the awareness we need in this country of what has really been done to our government, and how thoroughly it has been corrupted.

We are a bipartisan corporate oligarchy now, and he is right that we will need a revolution of support for someone like him coming from the people, because change is not coming from the corporate insiders.



_______________________________

Ignore the 3rd Way shills with extreme prejudice
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025767160

[msanthrope]

54. Bernie Sanders is third-party. I like him, but since we are on a website dedicated to Democrats,

what Democrat would you elect?

[belzabubba333]

21. put al up for potus and you'll infuriate the women voters

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

25. How? I'm a woman voter and I like him a lot.

I just don't think he's at all interested in the job.

[belzabubba333]

29. well maybe im wrong but my thinking was that women were wanting a woman potus

i guess it would depend on which woman

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

32. Woman don't vote for women just because they are women!

Would I vote for Sarah Palin or Michele Bachmann or Jodi Ernst? Hell, no. It's pretty insulting, in fact, to suggest that a candidate's gender overrides other considerations. I am not fond of Hillary Clinton (though I'd vote for her over a Republican). I probably will not support her in a primary. The fact that she is a woman does not cancel out the fact that she is a pro-corporate Third Way Democrat.

[belzabubba333]

34. that's why i said it depends on which woman

i wasnt trying to offend

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

38. Well, now you're backtracking.

Your first post said "put al up for potus and you'll infuriate the women voters." You didn't qualify your statement at all, which led me to conclude that you regard all women voters as having a single mindset that considers the gender of a candidate as primary. That might not have been your intent, but it kind of seemed that way from your original choice of words. I just want to make the point that women are actual individual human beings with the capacity to think independently and make political choices based on considerations besides the gender of a candidate.

[belzabubba333]

45. not backtracking , qualifying

first i said: put up al for potus and you'll infuriate the women voters. i was thinking hillary or elizabeth warren

then you said:How? I'm a woman voter and I like him a lot.

then i said : 29. well maybe im wrong but my thinking was that women were wanting a woman potus i guess it would depend on which woman at that point i thought of sarah

that was before you brought her up

[blackcrowflies]

47. how about a guy

who doesn't trash a woman he lived with for years and had kids with? I can't see voting for Franken.

[belzabubba333]

48. i dont care who it is i'll vote for whomever the dems put up

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

65. What are you talking about? Franken and his wife have been married for over 30 years

and here in MN I've never heard even unsourced gossip, not so much as a whisper, that there were problems in their marriage or that he has ever "trashed" her.

[blackcrowflies]

72. you're right

I got confused - I meant Alan Grayson.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

73. Well, Grayson's got some weird stuff going on.

I like his politics, but his personal life sounds like a disaster.

[RiverLover]

82. The media is telling us that, as a woman its not true.

Unless its a true liberal candidate, like EW I just want a TRUE progressive. I wish Al Gore would try again.

[rosesaylavee]

80. as a woman voter

I want someone who can f***ing do the job no matter what their gender is.

[RiverLover]

83. Not this woman! Too many ppl are buying into media BS.

[byronius]

22. Absolutely.

[Initech]

23. Al Franken / Bernie Sanders would be a definite winning ticket!

[Dopers_Greed]

37. +1000

[Tatiana]

24. Wow... never thought of this, but I'd vote for him.

He might even make a good VP candidate. Hey, of St. Raygun could do it....

[Bluenorthwest]

26. I'd vote for Franken, who is not and has never been a bigot or a Republican even for a day.

nt

[bigwillq]

28. I would support Franken (nt)

[hfojvt]

30. I feel like I have read this story before

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Not_Me%3F_(novel)

[LeftInTX]

78. Didn't he have a few SNL skits where he ran for president?

Were there medallions or commemorative coins involved?

[progressoid]

31. Maybe he can get the Henry Kissinger supporters on his side...

[hifiguy]

33. I can think of no reason this doesn't make sense.

Senator Franken has indeed been a workhorse, like Paul Wellstone was. I have been proud to vote twice for Al Franken and would love to see him run. Why not?

Go for it, Al!

[Kalidurga]

35. He would be my first choice.

Put him in the Primary mix and see what happens.

[Dopers_Greed]

36. This is such a good idea

That the DLC will never let it happen

[woo me with science]

39. NO. Voted for NDAA, the Patriot Act, supported SOPA and PIPA.

He will not challenge the corporate oligarchy.

We need Bernie Sanders or someone like him.

[mindwalker_i]

43. Al Frankin/Lewis Black

The America Live ticket.

[Initech]

44. Greatest SOTU address ever!!

Could you imagine Lewis Black giving the SOTU? That would be awesome!

[mindwalker_i]

61. Indeed, it would fuckin' rock!

Do it back-in-black style

[Initech]

64. Putin invaded Crimea, he wants war! Goddamnsonofabitch!!!!!!

[Stellar]

50. Anybody but Hillary...

Say no to Hillary.

[PatrynXX]

51. now he could win

and I'd vote for him. although I hope it's not a walter mondale situation think it could be Elizabeth Warren on top Al Franken for VP

[LawDeeDah]

52. Be still, my heart.

run Frankie, run!

wow, if only--

I would really, sreally, REALLY support Franken, even before Warren, I think.
Awful tough choice to make, but so delicious.

[jwirr]

55. Has anyone asked Al if he wants to run?

[vlyons]

57. I can dig it!

Hope he tests the waters

[shenmue]

58. Not a bad idea

I would also say John Conyers, but God bless him, the man is getting up there in years. No offense.

[wheniwasincongress]

59. I loved Franken's book about

his imaginary presidential career

[baldguy]

70. He rode the populist backlash against outrageous ATM fees, if I recall.

[MineralMan]

60. He won't run for President.

Really. He won't.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

66. I agree. He's a fine Senator but I would be absolutely gobsmacked

if he ran for President.

[MineralMan]

67. Last time I talked to him, I asked.

He laughed and said, "No way."

[RiverLover]

84. Was that recently?

[MineralMan]

88. During this year's campaign.

I'm almost certain he won't run.

[Peregrine Took]

62. Love Charlie but this is his first mis-step.

No way.

[LukeFL]

68. Yawn

He may be a progressive and I love him but he will put anyone to sleep

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

69. Obviously you've never met the guy. He's smart and interesting.

But he isn't running so the question is moot.

[LukeFL]

71. I know he's same and interesting

And I love him! But Americans don't like smart and interesting they like charisma and he doesn't have it.

He's funny but not that funny

[Vattel]

74. I'm in. Clint6on sucks. O'Malley sucks. Franken rocks.

[whathehell]

85. Their are a few others that don't "suck"

who have a better chance of making it, IMO.

[Vattel]

93. Who?

[whathehell]

95. Yeah, right.

[Vattel]

96. weird response

[whathehell]

98. Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown..

That was my original answer to your question -- Sorry.

[Vattel]

99. No problem. I agree that Warren and Brown have a lot going for them.

It would be nice to have a President with expertise in something other than getting elected, and Warren certainly has economic expertise coupled with a genuine concern for economic justice. I like Brown better on military issues. Warren so far has not impressed me when she talks about war.

[whathehell]

100. We're in complete agreement agreement.

I, too would like a president with "expertise in something other than getting elected"
and I didn't like Warren's remarks about Israel.

Good points

[whathehell]

94. Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown.

[brewens]

76. I still kick myself for not buying that set of Al Franken commemorative coins he was selling on

SNL back in the 70's!

[grahamhgreen]

77. I'm in. Name recognition as good as Ms. Clinton.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

79. If any of Paul Wellstone

rubbed off on Al Franken, that would be a good thing. He's done a decent job as a senator and showed a lot of class during the prolonged vote counting when he finally won.

But there's another wonderful Senator who needs to be looked over - Whitehouse from R.I. He's been magnificent on climate change. And imagine the bumper sticker: Whitehouse for the White House. Phooey on coronating Hillary.

[Puglover]

87. Al and Paul Wellstone were

good friends.

A lot of Paul rubbed off on Al.

[RiverLover]

81. He'd get my vote!! ~nt

[ladjf]

86. Sen. Franken would have to accomplish more in the Senate

before I would support him for President. nt

[True Blue Door]

90. The more, the merrier.

We need lots of options to avoid a Hillary coronation followed by Republican victory. I would prefer Jerry Brown, but there's a significant possibility he will refuse to run.

Success in a Minnesota election has almost no bearing on national prospects, but it has no negative bearing either. And Franken can be an entertaining guy when appropriate.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

92. Who can forget this?