Althouse: Al Franken's dick move.

१७ डिसेंबर, २००९

Al Franken's dick move.

So... should we boycott Minnesota?

१२३ टिप्पण्या:

garage mahal म्हणाले...: Awww. Poor baby.; १७/१२/०९, ५:५२ PM
Dark Eden म्हणाले...: Being a giant asshole is usually its own punishment.; १७/१२/०९, ५:५२ PM
Wince म्हणाले...: "Al Franken's Dick move" = redundant?

I wonder Franken thought "hey, that's my job" when McCain appealed to "the comity of the Senate"?; १७/१२/०९, ५:५७ PM
Titus म्हणाले...: Another state on my boycott list.; १७/१२/०९, ५:५९ PM
Fen म्हणाले...: Dems shutting down debate.

As usual.

But keep pissing Leiberman off. "Smart Diplomacy" in action.; १७/१२/०९, ६:०० PM
Scott म्हणाले...: Franken is a one-termer, unless the Republican opposition is weak when his term is up; and that's entirely possible.

Minnesota tends to elect extreme narcissist weirdos to statewide office once in awhile. Al Franken, Harold Stassen, Rudy Perpich, Jesse Ventura, Paul Wellstone, Mark Dayton...; १७/१२/०९, ६:०२ PM
Titus म्हणाले...: I am watching Back To School on HBO, go UW.

His son is kind of hot-just dived all the swimboard-nice bod. Didn't he star in the movie about that killer car?; १७/१२/०९, ६:०३ PM
Dust Bunny Queen म्हणाले...: I can't even stand to look at Franken. I never could even when he was Stuart Smally on Saturday Night Live. He gives me the creeps.

He has a rubbery, flubbery face that looks like some sort of fright mask in a costume shop. You know, those masks that have a weird plastic petroleum smell and the cold slightly slimey texture of decaying skin.

I bet he has sweaty rubbery hands too.

ICK ICK ICK.

In addition he always has this self satisfied smug jerk look on his face. All in all a destible and creepy human being.; १७/१२/०९, ६:०७ PM
The Crack Emcee म्हणाले...: "Al Franken's dick move" is usually referred to as "opening his mouth".

Good for McCain for saying something.; १७/१२/०९, ६:१३ PM
अनामित म्हणाले...: I'd like to see this catch on. They all talk too much.

If McCain doesn't dial down the collegial sanctimony, he's in danger of turning the rest of the way into Robert Byrd.; १७/१२/०९, ६:१७ PM
Hoosier Daddy म्हणाले...: Mayor: Is this true?

Dr. Venkman: Yes it's true. This man has no dick.

Ghostbusters, 1984; १७/१२/०९, ६:१७ PM
miller म्हणाले...: But you don't understand -- Franken spoke TRUTH to POWER!

And as someone else said, this is another example of how the Democrat Party just doesn't know how to gain friends.; १७/१२/०९, ६:२० PM
blake म्हणाले...: Titus,

That'd be Keith Gordon, who's a director now. (Mother Night and Waking the Dead, but more recently episodes of Showtime's "Dexter".)

And I think it goes without saying, that was a body double doing the diving?; १७/१२/०९, ६:२१ PM
JohnAnnArbor म्हणाले...: Lieberman was classy.; १७/१२/०९, ६:२१ PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves म्हणाले...: The democrats stole the election from Norm Coleman and delivered it to Franken.

Stolen elections have consequences.

How is it this jr. election-stealer(D) is in charge of anything?; १७/१२/०९, ६:२२ PM
Hoosier Daddy म्हणाले...: Hey garage, tell us, what is it like to see your party sweep into power only to watch them go at each other like it was a Jerry Springer episodde.

I mean that really has to suck doesn't it? I mean after all that gloating last year and YES WE CAN! here you guys couldn't pour piss out of a boot with the instructions on the heel.; १७/१२/०९, ६:२३ PM
अनामित म्हणाले...: Frankin was supported by Democrats because he is an assho*e. Liberals wanted to send an ass*ole trouble making loud mouth to oppose Bush. Ok technically he wasn't going to be in the Senate until after Bush was gone, but how were progressives supposed to know?; १७/१२/०९, ६:२४ PM
Meade म्हणाले...: "Dick move" is a hilarious term.

Al Gore made a classic dick move during the Bush/Gore debates in 2000 but Bush wasn't buying it.; १७/१२/०९, ६:२७ PM
LonewackoDotCom म्हणाले...: I occasionally posted about Franken for one of my other sites, and he was always out and about, going from bean feed to bean feed. For about a year, MNians had a chance to make him look bad by pressing him on his policies on video. Someone smart and experienced who really pressed him on policy matters could have made him look bad and forced him to either change his policies or withdraw from the race. That would have also sent a message to other candidates and undercut the MSM by showing how they don't "speak truth to power".

Instead, well, we see what happened.

For a recent compare and contrast between the smart way and the dumb way, see this.

People get the government and public officials they deserve.; १७/१२/०९, ६:२८ PM
rhhardin म्हणाले...: McCain is in the wrong. If it requires unanimous consent, then it requires unanimous consent.

If you don't like the rule, change the rule. There are procedures for that too.

Enforcing a lot of other rules would be in order, in the interest of reducing the comedy of the Senate.; १७/१२/०९, ६:३६ PM
Roman म्हणाले...: ...a great horses ass was ruined when teeth were put in his mouth!; १७/१२/०९, ६:३६ PM
rhhardin म्हणाले...: That's the thing about McCain.

He has a strong but completely random and erratic sense of personal honor.

You never know what he'll die for next, unless it's crossing the aisle, which is always predictable.; १७/१२/०९, ६:३७ PM
JohnAnnArbor म्हणाले...: If you don't like the rule, change the rule. There are procedures for that too.

He's not objecting to the rule. He's saying Franken is a dick, is all.; १७/१२/०९, ६:४० PM
rhhardin म्हणाले...: He's not objecting to the rule. He's saying Franken is a dick, is all.

Franken's pretty smart and can be funny. McCain is the asshole in the crowd.

I can't see giving these borderline personalities such a free pass.

Franken being funny real audio.; १७/१२/०९, ६:४४ PM
former law student म्हणाले...: Dems shutting down debate.

As usual.

Let's compare and contrast: Republican Tom Coburn shut down debate on Bernie Sanders Medicare for All amendment for three hours yesterday, relenting only when Sanders withdrew his amendment. Franken shut down debate for one minute today. Thus Coburn is 180 times the dick that Franken is.

Luckily, boycotting Oklahoma is no hardship.; १७/१२/०९, ६:४६ PM
JohnAnnArbor म्हणाले...: fls,

Reading a bill = shutting down debate?

Really?

Do they have color TV yet in your country?; १७/१२/०९, ६:५० PM
KCFleming म्हणाले...: ही टिप्पणी लेखकाना हलविली आहे.; १७/१२/०९, ६:५० PM
former law student म्हणाले...: How is it this jr. election-stealer(D) is in charge of anything?

Despite the precedent set by W., Republicans still have to win more votes than their Democrat opponent to be elected.; १७/१२/०९, ६:५१ PM
Christie म्हणाले...: The problem with being a liberal and reading the comments on this site is that nobody makes any sense. I don't call "Really?" as a response to being told "No" classy.; १७/१२/०९, ६:५१ PM
KCFleming म्हणाले...: Shit, I'm boycotting Minnesota, and I live here.

Online shopping.
As few dollars spent here as possible for ACORN Al.; १७/१२/०९, ६:५२ PM
former law student म्हणाले...: Under Senate rules, Sanders' amendment was to be debated immediately. Reading it aloud would have taken more than 15 hours.; १७/१२/०९, ६:५३ PM
KCFleming म्हणाले...: "Reading it aloud would have taken more than 15 hours."

And the first time any of them had ever been through it, too.; १७/१२/०९, ६:५४ PM
The Drill SGT म्हणाले...: As I understand it, Lieberman was offering an amendment that didnt seem a poison pill, but rather was in line wth his idea on how to improve the bill so he could vote yes.

Harry and Al presumeably want Joe to vote yes. Pissing Joe off is contra-indicated in that case, particularly if it is 2 minutes worth of time.; १७/१२/०९, ६:५४ PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves म्हणाले...: Reading the bill out-loud seems to be the only way to know what these deceptive hucksters are up to.; १७/१२/०९, ६:५७ PM
Roy Lofquist म्हणाले...: Ladies and Gentlemen,

The war has begun. This event is far more significant than is immediately apparent. Kinda like the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand that touched off WWI.

Yesterday Senator Coburn denied unanimous consent to bypass the requirement that all bills be read on the floor for an amendment by Senator Sanders. The amendment to the health care bill exceeded 700 pages and would take more than eight hours to be read.

Subsequently Senator Sanders withdrew the amendment and the parliamentarian ruled that the reading could end. Senator McConnell assets that that ruling was in direct conflict with 15.1 of the Senate Rules.

Senator Franken's denial of extended time for Senator Lieberman's remarks was a studied insult that escalated the war.

The rules of the Senate are such that working to the rules completely paralyzes the body. It cannot pass National Rutabaga Day or even convene if a Senator objects. This doesn't happen often because party leadership has sufficient leverage to quash the occasional maverick.

But if the leadership goes to war it's Katy bar the door. Lay uin some extra popcorn and gin. It's going to be quite a show.; १७/१२/०९, ६:५७ PM
Unknown म्हणाले...: The Senate is supposed to be a little more civilized than the House. That's McCain's point (a little less civility on the part of Republicans would do the Republic a lot of good IMHO, but that's what a lot of these old-line Senators are about).

In any case, Franken stopped being even a little funny when he stopped the '80s were the decade of "Me, Al Franken" and began Stuart Smalley. When he realized he wasn't good enough, smart enough, and, doggone it, people didn't like him, then he got unpleasant.; १७/१२/०९, ७:०० PM
former law student म्हणाले...: And the first time any of them had ever been through it, too.

Hope not. Sanders first introduced his amendment as a free-standing bill February 26, 2009. They could well have read 700 pages in nine months.; १७/१२/०९, ७:०१ PM
T J Sawyer म्हणाले...: Pogo said:

"Shit, I'm boycotting Minnesota, and I live here."

That's two of us!; १७/१२/०९, ७:०७ PM
El Presidente म्हणाले...: ही टिप्पणी लेखकाना हलविली आहे.; १७/१२/०९, ७:०७ PM
अनामित म्हणाले...: If Lieberman was a man, he'd punch Franken in the throat and then fuck him.; १७/१२/०९, ७:०९ PM
El Presidente म्हणाले...: Caligula sent a horse to the Senate.

Minnesota sent part of a horse.; १७/१२/०९, ७:१० PM
Hoosier Daddy म्हणाले...: Let's compare and contrast:

What? That the Democrats can't even agree amongst themselves?

Man I need more popcorn...this is like the Little Rascals reruns.; १७/१२/०९, ७:१३ PM
Kirby Olson म्हणाले...: Franken was afraid that Lieberman's thinking would change his own mind, and he was terrified to listen to any more of it for fear of cognitive dissonance.; १७/१२/०९, ७:२० PM
Michael Haz म्हणाले...: Madame Chairblogger, I rise in objection to your statement "Al Franken's dick move."

That statement, serious as it was, casts a dark light on the role of dicks in America.

Dicks have played an important role in our great nation's history, since the original dicks landed at Plymouth Rock.

Truth be told, Madam Chairblogger, there were French Jesuit Dicks here just as early as the pilgrim dicks, and there were Native American dicks here when the arrived.

And some historians say there were Viking dicks here well before the pilgrim dicks arrived, but I am not here to argue about football.

Our Founding fathers were all dicks, with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin the most important dicks. And who can forget John Hancock, a patriot whose very name symbolizes dicks in America.

I could continue, Madam Chairblogger, to provide the full litany of American dickdom, from founding, through the great wars, the great leaders, warriors, inventors and all the other dicks, but my ten minutes has nearly expired.

In conclusion, Madam Chairblogger, the extinguished gentleman from Minnesota does not begin to posses the character to be called a dick. He comes nowhere near standing on the shoulders of all the great dicks that have preceded him in these chambers and in this great nation.

I cede the balance of my time to that cunt from Nevada.; १७/१२/०९, ७:२७ PM
vnjagvet म्हणाले...: Franken was in the chair. Since there were no objections from anyone else, he should have allowed Lieberman to continue for another minute or two. The chair does not normally take active part in the debate, but rather enforces the rules among those on the floor debating.

The guy has no couth.; १७/१२/०९, ७:३० PM
Pat म्हणाले...: Franken is on a roll. Earlier today, I was reading about his accusing Senator Cornyn of being pro-rapist for opposing a bill to strip arbitration clauses from government contracts, in honor of a woman who wanted to sue Haliburton after allegedly being raped.

Now this.

Let me go on the record as saying I fucking hate that guy.

And I used to think he was pretty funny.; १७/१२/०९, ७:३२ PM
Meade म्हणाले...: LOL! Nicely delivered, Michael H. Excellent diction!; १७/१२/०९, ७:३५ PM
Dust Bunny Queen म्हणाले...: If Lieberman was a man, he'd punch Franken in the throat and then fuck him.

I can't imagine anyone wanting to fuck Franken. He probably has clammy rubber hands and bad breath. Plus all that grease in his hair is a complete turn off.

The punching the throat, however, could be a turn on.

They say that we deserve the government that we get when we don't pay attention.

I really don't think we expected cartoon caracters and evil clowns.; १७/१२/०९, ७:५२ PM
rhhardin म्हणाले...: I think dick in the slang comes from the German for thick, as in dickhead.; १७/१२/०९, ७:५३ PM
Chase म्हणाले...: Minnesota is all fucked up. Seriously. Fuck-assed UP.

Which is okay, but why do they have to foist their defecations like Franken on the rest of us?

Sell Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin to Canada and lower the deficit.; १७/१२/०९, ८:१९ PM
The Drill SGT म्हणाले...: Truth be told, Madam Chairblogger, there were French Jesuit Dicks here just as early as the pilgrim dicks, and there were Native American dicks here when the arrived.

You forgot that Jamestown was first settled with English Dicks in 1607. Long before those Pilgrim Dicks, but because later there were slaves at Jamestown, they have been written out of the American history.

speaking of which, HIS-Story, the tale of dicks :); १७/१२/०९, ८:२५ PM
Elliott A म्हणाले...: The Jamestown dicks landed at Cape Henry, Virginia, now part of my hometown of Virginia beach. The spot is interestingly (for this PC age) marked with a cross. It also lies (with the cross) on federal property. It is much nicer than that joke of a rock with the tiny little fake well around it; १७/१२/०९, ८:४५ PM
MadisonMan म्हणाले...: what is it like to see your party sweep into power only to watch them go at each other like it was a Jerry Springer episode.

What's wrong with that? I rather like it when the party in power can't agree on things. Less gets done, and when the Government doesn't act, it won't screw things up.; १७/१२/०९, ९:१० PM
pst314 म्हणाले...: "McCain is in the wrong. If it requires unanimous consent, then it requires unanimous consent. If you don't like the rule, change the rule. There are procedures for that too."

It's not a rule, it's a long-standing tradition. McCain was not objecting to a rule, he was objecting to junior asshole Franken pissing on the traditions and customs in order to be nasty to someone he doesn't like.

Every society runs as much on customs as it does on rules. Franken, being socially crippled, does not understand the importance of traditions to maintaining a culture of civility.

You may take issue with various things McCain has done, but on this point I think you are wrong.; १७/१२/०९, ९:२२ PM
Tobias म्हणाले...: rhharden, thank you.

"I think dick in the slang comes from the German for thick, as in dickhead."

So men who are mightily endowed might be said to have dickdick.; १७/१२/०९, ९:५१ PM
rcocean म्हणाले...: Sell Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin to Canada and lower the deficit

Why are you including Michigan and Wisconsin with the Clown state? Outside of Milwaukee and Detroit the first two sates are OK. Minnesota OTOH should be be given away to Canada, along with New England.; १७/१२/०९, ९:५७ PM
Ralph L म्हणाले...: Caligula sent a horse to the Senate
IIRC, he made the horse a Consul, who usually was a Senator.; १७/१२/०९, ९:५९ PM
kentuckyliz म्हणाले...: Brill, Hasenstab!

esp enjoyed the closer:

I cede the balance of my time to that cunt from Nevada.

oh how i wish you would have said louisiana

hee hee heeeeee; १७/१२/०९, १०:०८ PM
Ritmo Re-Animated म्हणाले...: In the spirit of commentary that obsesses on "dicks" and who may or may not happen to be one, I'd like to point out how wonderful it is that Lieberman and McCain have each other to each suck the other's dick. How collegial! Apparently no one else will anymore!

What you guys can't stand is a congress with members who are intelligent enough to speak their own minds while actually enforcing even the most modest semblance of congressional discipline. Not so surprising, anymore.; १७/१२/०९, १०:२६ PM
Ritmo Re-Animated म्हणाले...: Can I just point out how thoroughly entertaining it is to hear the mind that presented us with this:

I really don't think we expected cartoon caracters and evil clowns.

...immediately after it produced such a morsel as this:

I can't imagine anyone wanting to fuck Franken. He probably has clammy rubber hands and bad breath. Plus all that grease in his hair is a complete turn off.

The punching the throat, however, could be a turn on.

Quick! One of your personalities is blaming the cartoonish ideas it disapproves of on the other personality! It's no longer the typical instance of Republican hypocrisy... it's DBQ's multiple personalities declaring an all-out war of ideas with each other!; १७/१२/०९, १०:३६ PM
Freeman Hunt म्हणाले...: I liked Franken when he was a comedian. Now he's joined the snake pit. Becoming (became?) a snake.

I think they should have to read every bill aloud in its entirety. That would keep them from larding everything up. Politicians are generally so narrow and short-sighted. Anything to keep them from doing much work would be a plus.; १७/१२/०९, १०:३९ PM
former law student म्हणाले...: I'd like to bring this up again.
Per the Congressional Record, Sanders' amendment (No. 2837) is printed in the Record of Wednesday, December 2, 2009, under ``Text of Amendments.'') two solid weeks before Sanders could bring it up in the Senate. Yet Coburn did not extend Sanders the ordinary courtesy of dispensing with the reading of his amendment.

Yet Professor Althouse did not comment on Senator Coburn's lack of courtesy, while featuring Senator Franken's relatively trivial lack of courtesy. One must perforce conclude that Professor Althouse favors suppressing the historic debate of single-payer health system in the Senate.; १७/१२/०९, १०:४२ PM
Freeman Hunt म्हणाले...: Ha ha on the clip Meade linked. I had forgotten about that. Wow--awkward. That's an election loser right there. The people aren't going to elect someone who's socially weird.

Then again, I did vote for him at the time. Heh. (I was younger then. My professors loved me.); १७/१२/०९, १०:४२ PM
Ritmo Re-Animated म्हणाले...: Wow--awkward. That's an election loser right there. The people aren't going to elect someone who's socially weird.

But apparently they're goofy enough to elect someone who's this "socially weird"!; १७/१२/०९, १०:५२ PM
JohnAnnArbor म्हणाले...: I think they should have to read every bill aloud in its entirety. That would keep them from larding everything up.

Historical trivia: the Confederate constitution tried to avoid Congressional amalgamation of unrelated items in one bill:

"(20) Every law, or resolution having the force of law, shall relate to but one subject, and that shall be expressed in the title."; १७/१२/०९, १०:५३ PM
Freeman Hunt म्हणाले...: But apparently they're goofy enough to elect someone who's this "socially weird"

But that's not socially weird.

John, we should adopt that!; १७/१२/०९, ११:०० PM
Ritmo Re-Animated म्हणाले...: Really? It isn't? So now it's standard behavior for world leaders to approach one another from behind for a quick, unsolicited, surprise shoulder squeeze?

Come on.

I guess I'll have my own little internal debate on which gaffe was worse - seeing as how Gore's move helped cause that disastrous frat boy to win the election in the first place.; १७/१२/०९, ११:०८ PM
JohnAnnArbor म्हणाले...: We could try, but then we'll be called racist, probably.; १७/१२/०९, ११:०८ PM
Freeman Hunt म्हणाले...: Ritmo, your social compass is off. You have even argued to me before that it was not wrong for someone to pretend to be someone of the opposite sex while soliciting dates with people of the same sex.

John, sadly, you're right. Maybe if we adopted it without any reference to who thought of it first.; १७/१२/०९, ११:१५ PM
Freeman Hunt म्हणाले...: Rit, what happened to the MUL moniker. That was a good name, and the owl was a nice touch. Liked it.; १७/१२/०९, ११:२० PM
Ritmo Re-Animated म्हणाले...: Why don't we get Merkel's take on that one, first - before presuming to pass judgment on it? Especially since we're talking behaviors that impact the compass that determines the nation's interests and whether its leader is kicking himself in the teeth when trying to achieve them through the competent conduct of diplomacy.

I think soliciting dates in the manner you mention is annoying, but there are all different levels of "wrong". To gain the knowledge and publication that the author did might have been machiavellian. But I don't see why those ends didn't justify the means. After all, if her dates were so perceptive about gender as to obviate the purpose for a social experiment so unnecessary as to be "unethical", then they should have picked up on the fact that they were being duped in the first place.

What's next? A war against the television show Candid Camera? Was that also so socially weird as to be "wrong"? Will you file an amicus brief on behalf of the people who unsuccessfully sued the producers of Borat, Bruno and Da Ali G show?

You are confusing things by pretending that I defended Norah Vincent's set-ups for merely their own sake.; १७/१२/०९, ११:३० PM
JohnAnnArbor म्हणाले...: Gad, you're an angry fellow, Ritmo.; १७/१२/०९, ११:३३ PM
Ritmo Re-Animated म्हणाले...: I didn't mind it, but seeing the initials eventually became tiring. And I liked the owl, but then thought it made me look like too much of a wise-ass. I'm glad you liked it, but I wanted the green in that picture to be more vibrant. Plus, I get to add in the colors blue and yellow this way. I just like the aesthetic better and think a big open eye comes across as more honest, curious and interested in true debate than does a symbol of wisdom -- no matter how fascinating owls (and how intriguing that particular owl) might be to look at.; १७/१२/०९, ११:३५ PM
Ritmo Re-Animated म्हणाले...: I don't know where you got that from, John. I know I've got a habit for occasionally dispensing what comes across as too much undue snark, but I'm asking honest questions here - not rhetorically, but as meaningful analogies.

I swear I'd let you know if I were really angry.

However, I don't want to come across as condescending - especially to Freeman. But I know she's smart and appreciates a decent debate. So I hope you (and she) don't mind if I challenge her a bit on this one. I am, after all, responding to a challenge that she reinvoked from a previous debate long ago.; १७/१२/०९, ११:३९ PM
Ralph L म्हणाले...: Ooo, I remembered the space invasion but forgot the orange makeup.

WV - materfu - epithet for all occasions.; १७/१२/०९, ११:४१ PM
vbspurs म्हणाले...: I have the exact same reaction to Al Franken personally, as Dust Bunny Queen has. In my case it's also a visceral reaction to his phrasing, his voice -- it's got a creepy cadence to it.

Having said that, he well could've used Senatorial precedence and thrown a Cheney-like F-bomb to Lieberman. That would've made the clip more interesting.; १८/१२/०९, २:०२ AM
Anthony म्हणाले...: I think Franken is a tool but frankly do not care either way on this issue.; १८/१२/०९, ३:१५ AM
Roger J. म्हणाले...: The entire US Senate is a joke--Franken election simply underscored the point. Live from Washington DC, its the US Senate.
Repeal the 17th and 18th amendments!; १८/१२/०९, ५:१५ AM
अनामित म्हणाले...: Al Franken = the Democrat party's Secretary of Hate; १८/१२/०९, ६:०६ AM
Mian म्हणाले...: Franken is clearly "not ready for prime time."

Minnesota should be embarrassed...Jesse Ventura, Al Franken..who's next on their electoral dance card, Garrison Keillor?; १८/१२/०९, ६:४९ AM
KCFleming म्हणाले...: Clowns to the left of me,
jokers to the right,
here I am,
stuck in Minnesota with Al.; १८/१२/०९, ६:५० AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves म्हणाले...: ही टिप्पणी लेखकाना हलविली आहे.; १८/१२/०९, ६:५१ AM
KCFleming म्हणाले...: To get elected in Minnesota, you just need to show up the day after the election with just the right number of ballots in the trunk of your car.

The Soros-funded the Secretary of States Project made it so much easier to rig these things, when your man is in charge of counting the votes.

So fuck Minnesota.
Buy Wisconsin, a lighter shade of socialist.; १८/१२/०९, ६:५६ AM
Shanna म्हणाले...: What a jerk.

I think, FLS, there is a difference between being a personal jerk to someone, and using procedural rules to affect the passage of a bill. The later is done all the time, but the Senate generally at least trys to maintain the illusion of collegiality.

I am with others in wondering why Franken, having just shown up, is in charge of anything at all.; १८/१२/०९, ६:५८ AM
Anthony म्हणाले...: >I am with others in wondering why Franken, having just shown up, is in charge of anything at all.

Presiding over the Senate has always been one of the chores of Freshmen in the majority. Generally, the VP rarely shows up and the President pro tem is just the oldest guy in the majority, not always an important figure.; १८/१२/०९, ७:२१ AM
Hoosier Daddy म्हणाले...: What's wrong with that? I rather like it when the party in power can't agree on things. Less gets done, and when the Government doesn't act, it won't screw things up.

Well I agree with you Madison Man. the problem with your sentiment is that it doesn't seem to gel with most liberals who don't think we can wipe our own rears without government assistance.

Sorry, I'm just basking in a bit of schadenfreud since I recall a year or so ago, quite a few liberals gloating over their victory and how we got the CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN.; १८/१२/०९, ७:२१ AM
Fred4Pres म्हणाले...: Franken is a dick. Frankendick; १८/१२/०९, ७:२५ AM
Unknown म्हणाले...: Lieberman's dick move:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIb13mYoy0Q; १८/१२/०९, ७:५४ AM
Number Six म्हणाले...: Al Franken (D. ACORN); १८/१२/०९, ८:०७ AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves म्हणाले...: "Can liberals succeed without Bush-hate to unify them?"
There's a hole where once was a hole.

Hark! Hope! The blind faith that Obama and his decept-o-crats in congress will steal all our money and give it to their cronies... and call it reform, is alive.

Harry Reid is going for the Christmas eve vote. What a way to ruin Christmas.; १८/१२/०९, ८:१० AM
Peg C. म्हणाले...: For those of us who have never been to Minnesota and have no plans ever to go, what should we do? Boycott Althouse and Power Line?; १८/१२/०९, ८:१२ AM
Faith+1 म्हणाले...: I'm really torn. On the one hand I cannot stand Franken. However, he made a politician be quiet. that's generally a pretty good move in my book. It's hard to argue with shutting a politician up. then again, I kind of like Lieberman. I don't agree with him on many things, but he seems like a decent fellow and seems to take his positions on principle rather than just power grabs.

But then again, Franken's move is likely to start a lot of political in-fighting that just may paralyze Congress into doing nothing for several. Goddammit, I kind of like that as well, but I still hate Franken.

It's a pickle I tell ya.; १८/१२/०९, ८:१५ AM
Hucbald म्हणाले...: Al beclowns himself. How unsurprising.; १८/१२/०९, ८:४७ AM
Charlie Martin म्हणाले...: What this could lead to is people uniformly refusing unanimous-consent requests, which would completely paralyze the Senate.

With luck.; १८/१२/०९, ८:५६ AM
अनामित म्हणाले...: "What this could lead to is people uniformly refusing unanimous-consent requests, which would completely paralyze the Senate."

Senatorial paralysis..my Christmas wish. Please, Santa.......; १८/१२/०९, ९:०६ AM
exhelodrvr1 म्हणाले...: Greatest deliberative body?; १८/१२/०९, ९:१२ AM
KCFleming म्हणाले...: "For those of us who have never been to Minnesota and have no plans ever to go, what should we do? "

Due to our excessive taxes and regulations, businesses and people are slowly moving away, just like happened to Michigan and Ohio, so really, there's nothing you can do to us that we haven't done to ourselves already.; १८/१२/०९, ९:१८ AM
X म्हणाले...: Franken's pretty smart and can be funny. McCain is the asshole in the crowd.
Franken being funny real audio.

McCain may be an asshole, but at least he didn't post a RealAudio link, which is widely considered a total dick move on the internet.; १८/१२/०९, ९:३२ AM
hdhouse म्हणाले...: Hey there Stupids.

Lieberman was out of time. No one closed him down. He ran out of time. Franken said no extensions and that is the rule.

Republicans hate rules don't they...specially when someone wants to apply rules to them.; १८/१२/०९, ९:३८ AM
jeff म्हणाले...: hdhouse. Reading comprehension not your strong suit? Read it again.; १८/१२/०९, ९:४१ AM
Original Mike म्हणाले...: Minnesota Nice. :rolleyes:; १८/१२/०९, ९:४१ AM
KCFleming म्हणाले...: Minnesota Nice, once a fact, is now an oxymoron.

It's smiling, with daggers.; १८/१२/०९, ९:४७ AM
Jim Ryan म्हणाले...: Sorry, but Stuart Saves His Family is worth renting. It just is. It's funny. Sorry.

Not that Franken isn't an insane asshole, mind you.; १८/१२/०९, १०:२२ AM
Evil Red Scandi म्हणाले...: Boycott Minnesota? Isn't that sort of redundant? Do they actually have anything to boycott?; १८/१२/०९, १२:०७ PM
Dan म्हणाले...: Hey, don't boycott US. We didn't vote for this assclown. The DFL just cranked up the recount machine and left it running until it gave them the answer they were looking for.; १८/१२/०९, १:०४ PM
John Stodder म्हणाले...: Republicans hate rules don't they...specially when someone wants to apply rules to them.

I sense hdhouse is enjoying a little victory dance with this dick comment. So trenchant! So, shh. Don't tell hdhouse that Lieberman is...a Democrat. Just 'cuz it's Christmas y'all.

Yes, there are rules, but there are also traditions. Franken is one of those guys who will sit up all night reading the rules but will never get a feel for the traditions, why they exist, or what they make institutions like the Senate work better. The word "comity" is probably one he'd have to Google.

He's also someone on whom the expression "what's good for the goose is good for the gander" is nothing more than a cooking tip. He is probably the last Democrat in Washington who doesn't realize that he will soon, again, be in the minority, and then all these snotty little power-plays will turn into precedents that will be aimed at them.; १८/१२/०९, ४:०६ PM
hdhouse म्हणाले...: oooh stoddard...lieberman is a fool now without a party. just a useful tool of the insurance companies and his own bloated ego....

wait! he must be a republican then.; १८/१२/०९, ४:११ PM
John Stodder म्हणाले...: lieberman is a fool now without a party. just a useful tool of the insurance companies and his own bloated ego....

That kind of thinking is obviously why Franken pulled his weeny little stunt. He thinks people who disagree with him are bad, and bad people shouldn't be allowed an extra minute.

In Franken's mind, his own political career was an immaculate conception. No special interests helped boost him into office, no, not a one. So when he votes the party line, it's just little old Al Franken, comedian-intellectual, independently concluding that labor and the trial lawyers are just, y'know, so insightful!

Lieberman probably IS a special friend to the insurance industry. Your point? It's a big employer in Connecticut. Farm state senators tend to vote the way farmers want. Solons from Chicago and New York vote for federal aid for cities. Virtually all Democrats vote to kill school vouchers in DC. Because they hate poor black kids? One would be forgiven for thinking so, but actually it's because the teachers' unions are telling them what to do, and, unlike poor black kids, teachers' unions give them millions of dollars. Why you liberals are singling out Lieberman for doing what your poster-boys do on a daily basis escapes me. Do you see any med-malpractice reform anywhere in this health care bill? Do you understand why you don't? Then get off Lieberman's back. Or at least, stop pretending your complaints about him are based on principle.; १८/१२/०९, ४:४७ PM
Ritmo Re-Animated म्हणाले...: For everyone who's supposedly this torn up over Franken's "treatment" of Lieberman, why not just invite the guy into your party? Go whole hog. Stop with the pussyfooting and admit how welcome you'd like to make such a wishy-washy, whoring pol feel - especially one who stands for nothing but meaningless "collegiality", special interests and war. He'd fit right in.

After all, those are the only things your party stands for now anyway, innit?

Watching this video, and especially McSame's quixotic chivalry in defense of that dimestore DINO, was one of the funniest things in politics I've seen in a long while. The look on McSame's face was priceless.

See? Franken's still got comedic talent. He's just making the joke about you, your party, and your pet DINO. Enjoy!; १८/१२/०९, ५:१० PM
Ritmo Re-Animated म्हणाले...: If all you're interested in is an extended commercial for the insurance industry, you shouldn't have to go to C-SPAN and have it broadcast to you from the well of the Senate. You should go elsewhere for that.; १८/१२/०९, ५:२१ PM
Chase म्हणाले...: That's the problem with the Democrat Party. The far left controls the party and they only want the pure believers. No big tent there.

Let's see how that works out next November.; १८/१२/०९, ९:३६ PM
Chase म्हणाले...: And John Stodder,

Thank you for so ably spanking the numbskulls here who defend Lieberman but cry whenever the shoe is on the other foot.

The only true moral center of the left:

Whatever.; १८/१२/०९, ९:४० PM
Chase म्हणाले...: Virtually all Democrats vote to kill school vouchers in DC. Because they hate poor black kids? One would be forgiven for thinking so, but actually it's because the teachers' unions are telling them what to do, and, unlike poor black kids, teachers' unions give them millions of dollars.

Naw, I'm sticking with because they hate poor black kids.

Because a case can surely be made that it's true.; १८/१२/०९, ९:४५ PM
Unknown म्हणाले...: ---Reading it aloud would have taken more than 15 hours."

Then don't write such complex **D(ing monstrosities that no one actually reads. The Interstate Highway System bill was 18 pages long.; १८/१२/०९, १०:०८ PM
HT म्हणाले...: It seems like people undermine their desire that their arguments be taken seriously when they mis-name the Democratic Party of the United States of America. For people who obviously pride themselves on being what they consider to be adult, this never fails to jar the flow. I'm surprised that AA puts up with it.

I thought yall were independent thinkers. I guess not.

Rush would of course be proud of his influence.

Shame.; १९/१२/०९, ७:५१ AM
Chase म्हणाले...: mis-name the Democratic Party

Tell me HT:
-)What do you call Fox News? Ever called it "Faux News"? Or laughed at someone who does?
-)Have you ever made remarks to the effect that Rush Limbaugh is the "head of the Republican Party"?
-)How do you refer to Tea Party Activists? Ever called them "Tea-Baggers" or laughed along with someone who did?

Most importantly - whether or not you did any of those 3 of dozens of today's examples - where specifically can I find where you also denounced such name twisting on the left?

We all know how important it is for Democrats, liberals and the on the left to not appear hypocritical. . . .; १९/१२/०९, १०:०६ AM
Ritmo Re-Animated म्हणाले...: No matter how big the tent, the doors should remain open to people and ideas, not money and influence.

If you want a legal aristocracy just say so.; १९/१२/०९, १०:२७ AM
Chase म्हणाले...: I don't believe the Democrats Party will survive forever as a legal aristocracy.; १९/१२/०९, १०:४० AM
HT म्हणाले...: Chase, I think you meant the Democrats' party.

You answered my question - you imagined I don't correct slanders when members of the Democratic Party of the United States of America make them against conservatives, labeled it a wrong, and basically state two wrongs make a right.

Calling Fox News Faux News is kind of juvenile, now isn't it? So no, I don't do that.

I don't really know much about the tea party activists. I'm sorry. And though you probably won't believe me, I do not know what a tea bagger is nor am I curious enough to google it. More polarizing. Pass.

Where SPECIFICALLY can I point you to? See, I post anonymously so I'd be giving that up if I told you. But I've defended Christopher Hitchens against slander to AlterNet, as just one example, and I'll stop there. My privacy is sacred, and you're just gonna have to trust me that I hate hypocrisy just as much as you say you do.; १९/१२/०९, १२:१२ PM
Chase म्हणाले...: you imagined I don't correct slanders when members of the Democratic Party of the United States of America make them against conservatives, labeled it a wrong, and basically state two wrongs make a right.

No imagining here. I simply asked a question.

Thank you for your answer.; १९/१२/०९, १२:३७ PM
JoshSN म्हणाले...: Ann Althouse's Dick Move:

Criticizing Al Franken for something John McCain did to Senator Mark Dayton during the debate on the Iraq War.; २०/१२/०९, ५:२५ PM
jstone45 म्हणाले...: Althouse: You are either too dishonest or lazy to check into circumstances surrounding this exchange between Franken and Lieberman. Which is it? You owe us readers clarification of your motivation.

Every senator was before the debate on time limits. Franken had no option. Go to Media Matters web site to review of the "incident."; २०/१२/०९, ५:३४ PM
Nichevo म्हणाले...: Do Monty, hd et al realize - and correct me if I'm wrong - that if Lieberman is sufficiently annoyed he can deny them their 60th vote for National Socialist Hellcare?

They paid the Whore of Baton Rouge $300M or more and who knows what Ben Nelson (Horatio would be turning in his barrel of rum) set his price at; surely Sen. Smalley can afford to pay Liebe-baby a modicum of usual and customary courtesy?

Leebs, stuff these guys. Just do it. No one can touch you. And if you just vote Present till the end of roll call with a disapproving look on your face I bet you can peel off half a dozen others. Save us! You can't believe this is the right thing.; २१/१२/०९, १२:१८ AM