Al Franken Interviewed On "Today Show" About Coming To The Senate (VIDEO)

Asked by Meredith Vieira on the "Today Show" if it was difficult to ignore his penchant for speaking out and keep a low-profile while the recount and appeals processes in Minnesota dragged on, Senator-elect Al Franken replied, "Fortunately I lost my sense of humor right away. (laughing) So I didn't have a problem... Minnesota has a real process here. Minnesotans should be proud of our process. It's thorough; we can say that. It's transparent. And our election officials acted with incredible integrity. "

Reflecting on the extraordinarily close result of the election (out of 2.9 million votes cast, Franken won by a margin of 312 votes), he acknowledged that he's "very conscious" of that fact and realizes a lot of Minnesotans didn't vote for him.

Franken reiterated that he doesn't see himself as the 60th Democratic senator but rather as the second senator from Minnesota.

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Comments

[wadenelson1]

Don't lose your sense of humor, Al. It's the only thing that will save you in this crazy world, ESPECIALLY the the x'd up world of DC politics!

We are 100% behind you buddy, milions of us across this ENTIRE country! Live Strong! Vote Right! Act with integrity! Speak out against injustice and corruption!

Be who we firmly believe you to be! A funny, great, honest man! GO AL!

[MontanaSouth]

After listening to Senator Franken's speech as the Senator-elect, I was impressed with his graciousness. He and Frannie seem so down to earth, like most of the Minnesotans I know. Best wishes for your service in the Senate! Hopefully your sense of humor has returned and will carry you through the circus that is the US legislature.

[T Pol]

Al Franken proves, once again, that he is a class act.

Congratulations, Senator-elect. More importantly, congratulations, Minnesota and U.S.

[Ohsherri]

Who cares what the Repubs say about Franken?
They got enough tea- bagging clowns who say and do things ON PURPOSE!
They are the National Enquirer Party.
It's wonderful to watch.

[bosha]

AMEN!!

[bigsexyshaq]

It's so obvious from any clip of Al Franken is that he is extremely smart. That is a quality very lacking in politics. That's why Republicans hate him so much. They absolutely can't stand incredibly smart people.

[runfastandwin]

ain't it the truth. Witness Sarah Palin and Mr. The Plumber.

[KarateKid]

I don't know why people deride Franken as unqualified because of his comedic background. They alread have a comedienne, Bachman, in Congress.

[CherryIce1988]

What About the Govenator

[bigsexyshaq]

Ronald Reagan wasn't good enough to be a comedian.

[christopherflynn]

nor a cowboy...

[stubbhead]

Most people don't seem to realize that to become a successful comedian requires at least three things:
1. Hard hard work;
2. Relatively high intelligence; and
3. Relavtively high creativity.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

That leaves Imhofe out.

[FGDinVA]

Congrats Senator-elect Franken!

[whatthel]

I would like to second that.

[dst1]

I'm in to third that one.

[CharlottesvilleVA]

Merideth Viera doesn't even know what a "super majority" is. It's 67, not 60. 60 is a (potentially) fillibuster-proof majority, but for the rare votes that require a super majority, Dems will still need to peel off some GOP votes.

[YLS2007]

Meredith should thank her lucky stars a genius like you exists to fix her mistake...

BTW, congrats Senator Franken

[Bright Creature]

It's not just Merideth. I've seen this "super-majority" silliness in many different locations. Silly producers as well as newsreaders.

[bigsexyshaq]

Yeah I heard it on the news too, and thought it was strange. Believe it was CNN.

[Plebean]

I love how Meridith introduces Al Franken, "a former SNL member", as if Minnesota just elected some clown into office. This former member of "the View" doesn't even mention the fact that he graduated cum laude from Harvard College in 1973 with a bachelor of arts degree in political science.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

and math.

[justmeinAz]

Closing question: Are you more worried about Republicans in the Senate, or SNL? What a perfectly idiotic question to cap off a going-nowhere interview. I'd love to hear Al talk, but interviews like this give him no chance to actually say anything. I'm beginning to think that journalism school is just code for hitting the bars.

[wayne64]

As bad of an interview as I've ever heard...you are right, this was a going-nowhere interview from the beginning. I learned absolutely nothing from it.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

Real crackerjack media question, on par with genius Glen Beck when is asked, than Congressman elect Keith Elison if he could assure some Americans, a BS media term translated no one really cares, that he wasn't the enemy, Rep' Elison was far to gracious, I would of asked Beck for an apology.

[RevDrSchlomo]

Al rocks. If you have never read his books, then you are missing out.

[exigent]

Did you hear about the rabbi who did circumcisions for free? He only took tips!

-Original Al Franken joke

[henrypapillon]

i doubt that

[Dan Garfinkel]

That joke goes back to before my grandfather's generation.

[wadenelson1]

That one goes back to before Christ. Trust me.

[nickypoo]

Finally.

[SangZe]

Congratulations, Senator Franken. I hope you find your time in the Senate as rewarding and interesting as your earlier career.

[ratiocinative]

It's ironic that Franken claims to have lost his sense of humor considering he's such a joke.

[Shashi0224]

You obviously know nothing about him. I wouldn't post anymore until you learn something.

[jsrl317]

Hater.

[greendrake]

I'd say the joke's on Coleman....

[gonbald]

The joke IS coleman.
Not funny though.

[piloto]

Thats for sure, he was more elected than Gore, the other loser that won.

[nuclearmonkeys]

And yet he won. How does it make you feel to know that the dems can run a "clown" and still beat a repub incumbent?

[FGDinVA]

*snort*

[dessertsfirst]

ROFLMAO!!
Minnesotans are very lucky to have this intelligent, savvy, well-educated man with a huge sense of humor, as their representative in DC

[shivadas]

Not as much as you, though!

[BlackYowe]

He is a good guy I hope he can take the cra_p they peddle in Washington. It is bound to frustrate him allot.