Al Franken's Rival Isn't Laughing

[Terri]

By PATRICK CONDON
Associated Press
February 12, 2008

HASTINGS, Minn. (AP) -- In the 1980s, Al Franken was cracking jokes on ''Saturday Night Live.'' Mike Ciresi, his chief rival for the Democratic nomination for the Senate this year, was serving as general counsel to the government of India in a landmark lawsuit over a catastrophic industrial accident.

A decade later, while Franken was writing books like ''Rush Limbaugh Is a Big, Fat Idiot,'' Ciresi was leading the state of Minnesota's lawsuit against Big Tobacco, winning a $6 billion settlement.

Despite his impressive resume, Ciresi finds himself trailing Franken in the Democratic contest. The comedian-turned-candidate has raised millions more, lined up the most important labor endorsements and dominated news coverage.

To offset that, the multimillionaire trial lawyer is delivering a simple argument to Democratic regulars: He is more electable than Franken.

More (http://www.gopusa.com/news/2008/february/0212_franken_rival1. shtml)

This doesn't say much for the intelligence of the Minnesota voter.

[plainolcitizen]

do the people of minn. really deserve al franken????? i sure hope not.

[RW]

Hey, whaddya expect from Minnesota? They elected Jesse "The Body" Ventura, a wrestler, fr' g'sakes, as governor! He was a comedian, and so is Franken, these people just love to laff...

[Engineer Scott]

Gov. Jesse didn't last more than one term- he chose not to run because he knew he'd get clobbered. If Franken wins, he'll likely be a one-termer as well given his antics, the past being a predictor of the future. Ceresi might be a different matter, though I don't see him as invulnerable. Of that $6B he won against the tobacco industry, how much has actually trickled to the people of MN? Very little, IMHO, and therein lies his Achilles heel.

Scotty

[schillerbjr]

Nothing like two LIBERALS out to destroy each other!!

[Charie]

''I just think there are a lot of things Al Franken has said over the years that are going to sound harsh and they're going to sound in some cases outrageous,'' said Allan Spear,

Sound harsh? Sound outrageous? They are harsh and outrageous and :taunt: some are loony-toons besides. Probably most.