By John Fund
The former TV comedian isnt ready for prime time in the Senate.
Former TV comedian Al Franken continues to demonstrate why hes not ready for prime time in the Senate. Last week GOP Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was giving a serious speech on the nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court.
He noticed Senator Franken who was in the presiding officers chair in front of him gesticulating and making faces at him as he criticized Ms. Kagan. Senate aides said they were shocked that Franken would flout the decorum of the chamber during such a solemn occasion reported The Hill newspaper.
After he had finished Mr. McConnell made clear he wasnt amused by walking up to the dais and telling Mr. Franken: This is not Saturday Night Live Al. Afterward a chastened Senator Franken walked to Mr. McConnells office to apologize. Not finding him he wrote a note instead.
The McConnell incident is not the only one Senator Franken might regret. Last week as the Senates most conspicuous liberal he certainly did Democratic Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin no favors while campaigning for her in conservative South Dakota. She has voted differently than I voted on a couple of things Mr. Franken told an audience in Rapid City. But we need to be able to have somebody here in South Dakota whos going to vote for Speaker Pelosi not for Speaker Boehner.
Ms. Herseth Sandlin must have winced. Nancy Pelosi is decidedly unpopular in South Dakota and Ms. Herseth Sandlin is clearly trying to win re-election by keeping her distance from the Speaker going so far as to run TV ads against Ms. Pelosis trillion dollar health care plan.
State Rep. Kristi Noem her GOP opponent quickly seized on the remark and the soundbite can be expected to show up soon in commercials. Ms. Noem already leads Ms. Herseth Sandlin in several polls an unusual position for a challenger. For his part Mr. Franken appeared clueless to the damage hed inflicted on his fellow Democrat. But he cheerfully acknowledged that he recognizes the tough political climate Democrats face this year. Im glad Im not running for re-election this year the Rapid City Journal reports him saying.
Senate Democrats were thrilled when Mr. Frankens photo-finish victory finally gave them a 60-vote supermajority in the Senate for a few months last year. But his boorish and bizarre behavior has soured many of his colleagues and Im reliably told that some Senate Democrats wish Mr. Franken were indeed running for reelection this year -- as the fastest way for him to exit the Senate.
