Opinion: Sotomayor hearings: When Al Franken was a senator on ‘SNL’

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As the newly minted Minnesota Sen. Al Franken begins his questioning of Sonia Sotomayor, you might not remember that the Democrat once played a senator at a Supreme Court confirmation hearing when he was part of the cast of ‘Saturday Night Live.’ That was back in 1991, when the show parodied the (much more) salacious Clarence Thomas hearings.

The Internet is famous for allowing users to find just about anything, but a search for that clip failed to find it. Here’s a partial transcript with Franken playing the late Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.) quizzing cast member Tim Meadows, who....

...was playing Thomas.

Franken: Um ... judge? Judge Thomas? Judge Thomas, are you aware of that, uh ... division of our ... government ... known as the, uh ... Criminal Justice, uh ... Department?

Meadows: Of course I am, senator!

Franken: Well, you know when you walk in the main entrance of the Criminal Justice Building ... there’s this receptionist with short brown hair?

Meadows: The, uh ... one at the third desk on the left?

Franken: No, no. The one at the big, circular desk, uh ... right there in the center there.

Meadows: Oh, yes -- Sandy.

Franken: Yes. Sandy. Um ... do you think that she’d go out with me?

Meadows: Well, Sen. Simon, not knowing your technique, I feel that it would be unfair for me to prejudge your chances with her.

Franken: Uh-huh. Uh ... you think it’s the bow tie, then?

Kevin Nealon: Sen. Simon. Please.

Franken: Women just don’t seem to like the bow tie, do they?

Nealon: Sen. Simon. Please!

Franken: Uh, sorry. Sorry.

-- James Oliphant

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