Al Franken takes over the U.S. Senate floor to explain a newspaper cartoon to the waiting nation

All we can say is thank goodness Minnesota's newest Democratic U.S. senator, Al Franken, was on duty Thursday.

We were poring through one of America's most glorious man-caused treasures -- the 31 years of C-SPAN video archives, which The Ticket detailed with effusive praise here earlier this year.

And we realized suddenly that somehow we had inexplicably missed the comedian's detailed explanation of a newspaper editorial cartoon enlarged so that he could identify the symbols and characters in it so the elderly senators could see it. The current White House's pedantry is apparently infectious.

Additionally, Franken takes many moments to explain the drawing and its symbols as documentation for his argument for more government regulation of yet another part of the financial industry.

No, this is not a "Saturday Night Live" skit. This is the real thing from the Senate floor where the 100 members are paid $174,000 -- each -- for this work. The folks back home must be very proud of the honorable gentleman.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Video courtesy of C-SPAN

Comments

[David Blum]

Nice, obnoxious, completely useless post. The LA Times has really reached the bottom of the barrel.

(AM responds: Thanks for subscribing to the paper. Sure it appreciates your support.)

[Michael]

We need a plan. A plan that encourages business, stimulates the economy and reduces government debt. All of the other plans just wont work.

Thats what we need from someone.

[Karen]

What an embarrassment to Minnesota. It shoes he cannot express himself without stick figures. He rambles with a drunken slur.

Stuart Smiley is the walking talking democrat symbol of incompetence and stupidity.

[Big Bob]

This is our efficient Congress at work...in depth analysis of CARTOONS!!! Thanks Mr. Comedian, I mean Mr. Senator. I guess I should be thanking the informed people of Minnesota for giving us this joke of a national leader.

[Jane]

Typical lame-stream media to FINALLY take note of the obvious. The idiot ex-comedian fits right in with the joke of a congress and administration that took power in 2008. Where was the reporting media during Franken's recount efforts? I guess Franken wasn't news back in November 2008 when his recount efforts (and there were several) kept yielding "new found" ballots in the trunk of cars, etc. until enough votes in his favor finally won him his seat.

[Carol Grabow]

I am from Minnesota. Look at who the crazies in Minnesota voted in- Al Franken. At least half of us are NOT proud to have voted in a comedian who had not lived here for 30 years. He is truly an embarrassment to our state.

[2centsworth]

Give Him a cartoon and he can understand the complexities... gee. I suppose a picture book to help explain the enormous healthcare bill, stimulus package, cap and trade and finacial reform bills would be too much to ask for, considering actually READING is beyond our Congress' comprehension level.

Perhaps they could disseminate the information to the public on bubblegum wrappers.

Mr. Franken, please -- take your crayons and GO HOME.

[David Ross]

Frankin represents his constituency accurately, at least the ones who voted him in. Inept, dull baffoon, that even when he has someone else writing his material he still comes in behind having a root canal. No surprise here.

[Joe]

Brilliant oversight into happenings that occurred tens of years ago. MINISOTA DELIGHT

[Schizoid Mann]

The real question is, how much is the giggling bespectacled hottie getting paid for smugness duty?

[Thomas Payne]

Minnesotan's should be proud to have a man with this kind of intellectual Horsepower representing them.

[lukuj]

How ironic that a man who is joke himself would think that he needs to explain a cartoon. I wonder who explained it to him?

[Alice Frankun]

Reminds me of the old saying (paraphrased): You can keep you mouth shut and let people think you're stupid or you can open it and remove all doubt. This is what our tax money is paying for? No wonder our country is failing. Look who's making law.

[peter guidry]

what else can you expect?

[Mike]

Franken is the real joke. Minnesota, what's up? You know that if you elect these guys your stuck with them.

[Johnny Whiplash]

To criticize this method of presentation is missing the point - he's absolutely right. The cartoon is a shortcut to the point. Rating agencies will follow the incentives to distort ratings and we are stuck bailing out the idiot firms who bought all of this toxic crap.

[ED A]

In the private workplace, this guy's boss would have told him to stop wasting everybody else's time at the meeting. Government needs to have something like this too.

[j.r.]

The people of Minnesota must be so proud!

[MNGAL]

Al Franken is an embarrassment to the people of Minnesota. By virtue of election fraud, we find that he has been inflicted on the entire nation. Sorry, folks.

[paul GILLIES]

send in the clown, maybe he might be just what this circus needs

[soilentgreen]

And Janeane Garofalo holds the cartoon!!!!

[Tie Benard]

OMG! What an idiot. This is what the dems get for voting for these morons.

[flyingcow]

Too MORONIC to require further comment...

[CB]

Forget AZ, I am boycotting MN. Truly the dumbest people in land lead by big Al.

[Derek Bill]

Has it really come to this? A link to a video, accompanied by some of the weakest sarcasm ever displayed on screen or paper?

Thank God I didn't pay anything to see this.

I miss Paul Conrad.

[jason burnstein]

The young lady sitting to the left of the picture looks like she would rather be having a root canal. Come on Al - you should not drink before giving these exciting presentations. The other senate members must be thrilled that you treated them like kindergarten kids.

[Doug Onesko]

Al is a moron, this demonstrates it.

[danpa]

Mini-Soda has become the 2nd Taxachusetts...... like the Kennedy's who nobody ever voted for, Mini-Sodin's are all now saying, "I NEVER VOTED FOR FRANKEN"....

[Miss La]

THE FOLKS BACK HOME WANT TO VOMIT.

[Stevart]

This pimp from SNL as a senator proves that our society has reached a point of critical mass. We (collectively) can no longer judge whether people are sane or not. That is why we will undergo a major holocaust of extreme proportions soon, as then, and only then, will we be forced to concern ourselves with what really matters. Only then can we rebuild our institutions based on reality and not the delusions of human filth like Franken and his ilk. IT'S ALL OVER, KIDDIES! Finish what's on your plate as it will be millennia before you get a refill.

[Ron813]

Al is scary stupid.... Nice work Minnesota, you must be proud

[Northern Dim]

Minnesota: The Florida of the North

[sherlocktex]

I love his presentation style. He is direct and makes his point in an entertaining way. A breath of fresh air, compared to many 'droners' in Congress. I am an independent/conservative and don't agree with most of Franken's political agenda, but give me a break! Why should you criticize him for his presentation style?

[Nid138]

Hate Franken.....love the presentation...funny stuff. More than a bit simplistic, but then, he is speaking to congress, so...

[JIM GAVIGLIO]

Ahh ,Minnesota-the state that gave you Jesse 'the village idiot' Ventura, and now Al 'the village midget idiot' Franken. Those long winters must freeze a whole lot of brain cells....

[woundedduck]

What? The Senate floor is used for political theater? Shocking! And I'm glad Malcolm cleared up that Senators are paid $174,000 each--I'd always assumed the Senators shared one $174,000 lump payment. Keep up the great work.

[Hazmat77]

It's time to get an independent rating service to rate the annual performance of each of the 100 Senators.

Who will pay?

[Russ McPherson]

Where does he get off saying "us, the taxpayers"? The jerk is a public servant and isn't subject to the same tax oppression as the rest of us (ie. Social Security, etc....)

[RMC]

And they make fun of Glenn Becks blackboard....

[Cindy]

How embarrassing for Minnesota. What a flipping idiot.

[bob self]

that's what happens when you elect a clown who isn't now, and never was funny

[Chris]

Al Franken lives up to the SNL roots of being "a not ready for prime time player"

[bill-tb]

Hey Al, what about Fannie and Freddie the real government cause of the meltdown. Ever heard of CRA 1977? Glas-Stegal?

Proves once more no one in government should make more than the US average wage, especially Senators.

[Jason Smith]

Oi Vey !!!

What will Americans vote next to the Senate after a drunken failed yuk-yuk boy?

I know, how a bout a horse .

[Jeff Tanner]

Franken is a simpleton...always has been. This guy has no financial training or legal training. He's up there holding Dodd's notes and struggling to read them at that. It doesn't seem the notes are his. He need to get his finger out of Dodd's belt loop. Can you say ex-Senator? Surely this clown won't get re-elected.

Speaking of has-been, Franken seems to be explaining to is how the rest of the Senate explains difficult to 'unnderstan' details 'bout some 'pisgetti' like matters to him.

[GibsonicallyGuitarded]

Thanks for the drunk, MN.

[Brian G]

"Historically if it shows up over and over again in political cartoons it is an idea whose time has come or it is an criticism that is well deserved."

Actually, political cartoons have more often been used as a source of exaggeration, hyperbole and outright propaganda. Just like your post Chris.

[Jeff Spencer]

The democrats have an interest in new voters so that they can stay in power. ILLEGAL immigrants have an interest in the RAT party so that they can suck tax money for their own interests. Therefore, we must remove the conflict of interest between the RAT party and the ILLEGAL immigrant invaders. The RAT party must be regulated.

[mikey...yes i like it]

I can't think of a better way to waste taxpayer time/money.
You go Stuart!

[Geoff]

I like it. Franken makes politics accessible. I never watched someone speak on the senate floor for that long at once. I was expecting something more comedic, but he remained professional.