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Franken Ad: "I'm Not Proud Of Every Joke I've Ever Told"
Check out this new ad from Al Franken, responding to an attack ad from Republican Sen. Norm Coleman that hit him for telling "tasteless, sexist jokes" and writing "juicy porn" as a comedian:
"Look, I'm not proud of every joke I've ever told. But I know there's a difference between what you say as a comedian and what you do as a U.S. Senator," Franken says. "Norm Coleman has supported George Bush's war in Iraq, and he's taken millions from Big Oil and special interests. Unfortunately, that's no joke."
Franken has trailed in most polls, though a recent Rasmussen survey gave him a narrow lead. This race will probably be close in the end, though, as Barack Obama is likely to carry Minnesota by a healthy margin.
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Comments (45)
I try to be honest in my assessment of ads. While Coleman's ad was cheesy, it was effective.
But Franken's ad is equally effective, and just what the doctor ordered for him.
http://strategy08.wordpress.com
July 25, 2008 10:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree das2003, it was short and to the point. Effective.
July 25, 2008 10:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Go, Franken, go!
July 25, 2008 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
I just wish he didn't have to apologize for being a successful comedy writer. It's like a plumber apologizing for fixing toilets. Jim Webb was attacked for the explicit content in his novels during his Senate campaign and I thought he handled it well. At a rally he read a bunch of excerpts of glowing reviews of his work from various publications. I understand that it's easier for Franken to just apologize but it's just silly that he has to.
July 25, 2008 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't see this ad as an apology.
July 25, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, me neither. In fact, he is explicitly not apologizing. He is conceding that some of it may have been over the top (nothing wrong with that), so that he can make the next point about telling jokes versus actions as a Senator.
Kerry used to do this beautifully, except no one else seemed to appreciate the point ("I misspoke, but he misled us into a war, which is worse?")...
July 25, 2008 2:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great ad, Senator Franken! A great response. I know Al very much wants to stay on the issues for this campaign and countering Coleman's tasteless ad with this one (humble, direct, to the point) in a timely fashion is the best way to do that.
Coleman's ad was in itself a response to another Franken ad. I think swarmy Normie is running scared.
Of course, Norm Coleman knows that he doesn't have ANY issues he can stand on. Not one. He hasn't done a thing for the average, middle class, two job working, Minnesotan.
Al will stand up for us and be a great voice of reason in the Senate.
That last poll is just the beginning!
Franken for Senate 2008!!!!
July 25, 2008 10:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Franken is a smart, articulate guy. But I am disturbed he felt compelled to say:
That smacks of pandering or, worse, spinelessness. Given that he wrote his own material, it's disturbing that artistic expression isn't being judged as such. Or that he wasn't pleased with his output.
If we are so worried about jokes, why aren't people all over McCain? At least Franken's jokes were made while he was a professional comedian.
Franken's video was good, once you remove that line.
July 25, 2008 10:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
I thought it was very humble of him to say that.
Essentially to say, yeah, I've made some dirty jokes, they weren't appropriate for general consumption, I'm sorry. But much more is at stake than the issue of doing something we've all done before (told a bad joke).
Finally, there REALLY are many more important issues in this campaign, like the incumbent being more concerned with what Bush thought than the average Minnesotan.
I think he really pointed out the stupidity of Coleman's attacks and how they distract from the issues and from Coleman's horrible record.
July 25, 2008 10:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think the ad works without that line. It reads honestly to me. I assume every comedy writer could say the same thing.
July 25, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
It can't be pandering if it's true. I'm sure Al isn't proud of every joke he's told, though those are more likely to be th jokes that fell flat rather than the ones that were raunchy.
As for spinelessness, well, I think this is a good response to Coleman's attack. It'd be a mistake to let those charges go unanswered. Al's reply was short, sweet, and understandable. A more cerebral response would have been less effective with his audience.
July 25, 2008 12:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now that is funny.
July 25, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
No comedian is proud of every joke they ever told. Some of them weren't funny.
"I'm serious about fighting for you." There's his missing slogan.
July 25, 2008 12:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
@clearthinker - There's a perception problem, he has to do something about it, but he doesn't want to dig himself deeper. I'm not sure what else he could do in a 30 second ad. "Not all my jokes were clean"? "I wouldn't want my kids to read some of the material I've written"?
The ad is pretty good, but Franken should hit the Bush/Coleman axis of mediocrity a bit harder. In the 2002 debate with Walter Mondale, Coleman promised George Bush would "owe me, big time", that his relationship with Bush would help Minnesota. Has it helped Minnesota? What has Bush done for the state?
July 25, 2008 10:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
It ought to be the other way around. People should have to apologize for not being funny.
July 25, 2008 10:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
How freakin irrelevant is this? What the hell does it have to do with being in Congress?
Plus, the Repugs live in a fucking glass castle - Scooter Libby writes soft porn, Lynn Cheney write soft lesbian porn. And the only damn thing they can come up with is to attack Al for being a comedian?
O come on!
July 25, 2008 10:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yep, and Phil Gramm apparently produced some soft core porn as well. Good points to bring up!
Of course, Al's article was hardly porn.
July 25, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Like I said yesterday, this is the kind of stuff he has to hit back with. He should pull an Obama, and say something like "I believe Minnesotans know the difference between comedy and politics, and they can see through this tired 'gotcha' politics that seeks to distract them from the real issues that affect them every day."
Bam, no more Coleman.
July 25, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, and there you are. No need to constantly back pedal. It is a sign of weakness. Redefine the framework of the discussion and go forward.
He was a highly paid comedian and quite successful. Someone apparently though he was funny.
July 25, 2008 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good channeling of Obama there!
However, not every one can be Obama, obviously! Each person has to choose whatever works for them, and the ever-so-slight self-deprecation works really well for Al Franken. It seems like he believes it (pretty reasonable too) and therefore nothing wrong with saying it...
July 25, 2008 2:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Eric, hold up. Yesterday you reported on polls showing Obama in trouble in Swing States, including one that showed him either narrowly ahead or behind in MN(I forget which).....Now you are saying he is likely to win it solidly in November. Huh?
July 25, 2008 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
That's what happens when you are addicted to polls. You live in a constant state of paradox.
I really hate polls. They are good for exactly nothing, IMO.
July 25, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
It has good elements, but I wish that it didn't take such a defensive tone. Half the ad is an apology for things that he has no real reason to apologize for. I would have acknowledged his former career as a comedian, and perhaps what he attempted to accomplish using social satire, but a flat "I'm not proud" statement seems to squarely put his comedy as a huge issue in this election. That's an issue that I'm not sure Franken can win on, even in this climate.
I had high hope for Minnesota, but if this is going to be the tone of Al's campaign, I don't see it happening.
July 25, 2008 11:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
I sure hope Franken wins, but truth be told, if I were him, I sure wouldn't be proud of the jokes I told, either.
July 25, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Everybody's a critic.
July 25, 2008 11:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sure. Unfortunately for Al, though, not everybody's funny.
July 25, 2008 12:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
He did a marvelous job on Air America, is extremely well informed, well connected with intelligent people to advise him, and has given countless hours to entertain our troops, specifically during Christmas.
This is a great ad, Minnesota would be lucky to have him as their Senator. I hope he has the money to hit hard at Coleman, as I do think Minnesota will go Obama in November, and hopefully will vote Franken in as their next Senator.
July 25, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
As I said, I hope he wins.
July 25, 2008 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Al will be fine -- you just keep posting, Zell! WE *LOVE* THAT PIC OF YOURS!
"Ah want Buuu--usshhh!"
Yours very cordially,
EuroTrash Johnny
July 25, 2008 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like Al's ad, but then again I also like Al.
I think that there is nothing wrong in his acknowledging that there is a difference between the standards for a comedian and a senator, and that he understands the difference. The key is turning the issue back on Coleman at the close, as he did in the commercial.
He also needs some more messages that attack Coleman and link him to Bush.
July 25, 2008 12:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
How about an ad highlighting Al's USO tours?
Would be great to show he's done many honorable things as a comedian, entertainer, and writer, as well.
I think this ad will probably be the end of Al's responses to these attacks. He stated several times that he wants to stay on the issues despite slimy GOP tactics.
I think he had to get this out there for the low info voters though.
July 25, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
All true, but honesty compels me to recall all the "Bedtime for Bonzo" related wisecracks I made from 1980 - 1989.
Coleman's real message isn't that Franken cracked some dirty jokes in his time because, honestly, most people tell and like dirty jokes. His point is "you can't take this guy seriously because he's an entertainer." Given that Republicans are the ones who ran Reagan, Thompson, Sonny Bono, Cooter from the Dukes of Hazzard and the purser from "Loveboat," and Schwartzenegger, he couldn't put it that way, hence the attack on the content of Franken's entertainment (which was better than anything any of the other guys did, btw, with the possible exception of "True Lies").
July 25, 2008 1:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, we here in Minnesota have two things to worry about when we elect a Senator. On the one hand, Al Franken years as a comedian suggest that he may tell a joke from time to time. Perhaps he may even tell an off color joke on the Senate floor and we Minnesotans may have to hang our heads in shame.
On the other hand, we could elect Norm Coleman to as second term. We have seen how Norm has followed in lock step with George Bush and the Republican leadership. We can definitely hang our heads in shame at his performance.
July 25, 2008 1:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here in the extended EuroZone, we don't get too much Al Franken coverage. I didn't get Air America either, and I have never heard him speak not as a comedian. Till now.
I think the ad's pretty good. He should be able to pull this out.
July 25, 2008 1:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think the ad was well done. Al has done a great job of not getting in the mud with Normie.
July 25, 2008 2:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, interesting. Odd for me after all this time to see him looking so, uh, Senatorial.
July 25, 2008 2:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
The new poll from MN shows that Obama's numbers are down from the last poll, but he's still well in the lead.
July 25, 2008 4:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
But . . . But . . . But . . . Norm Coleman brought back hockey.
July 25, 2008 4:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, Norm did bring back hockey.
Franken would have an easier time if he had a party that actually had the capacity to deliver something or to articulate what it intends to deliver in the future.
Most Minnesotans are pragmatic. Except for those of us in the Volvo liberal belt, most aren't particularly ideological.
Neither Franken nor the party has the confidence to articulate a clear agenda. Franken is typical of the party in his defensiveness. I like Al, but I sure wish he had Wellstone's happy warrior capacity to sound like he is PROUD to be a liberal.
July 25, 2008 5:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Quimby did not bring back hockey. The NHL brought back hockey after another slimy Norman (Green) took the North Stars to Dallas because he was (among other things) being sued for sexual harassment.
Quimby's a well-known skirt-chaser and rumored to be a wife-beater. Give me a half-assed comedian ('scuse me - satirist) any day.
July 25, 2008 5:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe in giving credit where credit is due. Norm did bring back hockey. A good mayor needs to be a deal maker and he knew how to deal. Heck, he's the world's greatest used car salesman.
Minneapolis floundered for a good 20 years and it took Hennepin County to put the deal together for the Twins.
July 25, 2008 6:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ummm...no.
The NHL knew there was a hungry market there, and if they had not said "yes", nothing would have happened.
On another topic, I saw Quimby out there today trying to take credit for both the timely rain and the sunny day.
July 25, 2008 6:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, and if Minneapolis had put a deal together the NHL would have gone to the larger market. What was in downtown St. Paul before the "X"? Don't get me wrong, I can't stand neocon Norm in his current incarnation, but back when he was a mayor he was delivering the goods. It's all about "what have you done for me lately". Democrats wouldn't have a chance this year if people weren't mad as hell about what the Republicans have done to them lately, but that doesn't mean the Democrats can take credit for doing diddly squat. Sad to say, if MN Democrats had a better bench of candidates we wouldn't be running Franken anyway. We wouldn't have lost to Ventura. We wouldn't have lost to Pawlenty. Senator Amy is the only Democrat who has been able to win anything at the state level in years and half the time you can't tell she's a Democrat.
July 25, 2008 7:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who brought hockey back?
There was a DFL city council that approved St. Paul's part of the funding.
There was a DFL legislature that approved the state funding
There was Jesse Ventura who signed the bill for state funding.
Finally Mayor Quimby, who took credit for all of the above.
July 25, 2008 11:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who gives a rat's ass about hockey? There are bigger issues in today's economy. Can you even afford to go to a hockey game? Can you afford to drive there?
Will you be able to if things stay on their present course? How long?
How about who is going to help improve the economy? Certainly not tax-breaks for the rich, Norm Coleman. Who is going to help our energy crisis? Certainly not oil company lobbyist money taking Norm Coleman. Who is going to help get us out of Iraq? Certainly not Bush's rubberstamp, Norm Coleman. Mr. Normie Investigations Subcommitte chair who hasn't had one hearing on the spending and lost money in the Iraq War. Not him.
Who HAS proposed a bill were senators and elected officials can NOT become lobbyists ever? Al Franken.
Vote Franken for Senate for some real change for Minnesota and some real aid for Minnesota families and workers. Too say nothing of helping clean up Washington.
Franken 2008!
July 26, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink