NRSC Distorts Franken Video To Make New Senator Look Angry (VIDEO) [UPDATED]

[UPDATED, below.]

The GOP is running this ad online, lamenting the fact that the Democrats now have the sixtieth Senate vote in the form of Al Franken. "It's finally here, with 60 Senators, the Democrats have total control." And thus, the logic goes, you can blame them for everything, because there will be "NO DEBATE", not even where negotiating with terrorists! I mean, should anybody want to start doing that! No senator, Democratic or otherwise, has made that suggestion, but now HOW WILL BRAVE MITCH MCCONNELL FILIBUSTER IT? Why, he can't! He can only stand by, helplessly, as the Democratic Senate majority passes the Let's Set Kentucky On Fire Act of 2009.

[WATCH]

Anyway, it just goes to show, no one is more naively optimistic about Democratic Party discipline than Republicans. But here's an astute catch from Dave Weigel at the Washington Independent: you see that gesture that Al Franken is making, over and over again, that makes him look angry? Turns out, it's all just part of a bit he does while telling a story about the late former Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone.

[WATCH]

Weigel notes that "Former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) repeatedly used the video in ads to make Franken look like a madman." And Coleman lost! And now the National Republican Senatorial Committee is basically doing the same thing. It's all a part of the same awesome strategy that's helped the GOP achieve nearly 40 votes in the U.S. Senate.

I'll point out again, for the 100th time, that the NRSC could have made the point they are trying to make without including this distortion that was readily caught out by people on the internet.

UPDATE: Greg Sargent has a statement from the NRSC about this ad, in which spokesperson Brian Walsh makes the "tongue-in-cheek" suggestion that they use a photo of Franken wearing diapers, instead. It's a bizarre suggestion, given that the photo in question is just ONE MORE EXAMPLE of a well-reported fake. It's weird. It's like Brian Walsh is saying, "My heart wants to make a legitimate critique of the Democratic Party's Senate majority, but body says no, let's act like we're disingenuous fakes who have no idea what the internet is."

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Comments

[Skeptiqone]

I love the part about, it's finally happened..­.Yes it has. People woke up and VOTED for a Democratic majority. Hello? What is it about that they do not understand?

[FrankensteinBlack]

Don’t let then goat you into being a pacifist Al, (Dems already have too many of those). BE ANGRY! You have a right to be! They F’ed with you, now you F with them!!!

[ranchero42]

The GOP'r'holes seem deathly afraid to do anything to surprise anyone. When you're set in your ways you only win elections in your mind.

[ATrumanDemocrat]

Internet? That's all that gobbledy gook futuristic science sort of stuff that those tax and spend Democrats want to cram down the throat of the hard working American taxpayer! Another pie in the sky Liberal boondoggle that will never work and costs taxpayers billions of dollars. We need to cut taxes on families and small businesses-not waste money on frivolous non-sense like these so-called InterWebs or whatever. You can find out more by following me on Twitter at KnowNothin­'BoutAnyth­in'@Twit.R­epublican.­whatever

[Skeptiqone]

Yeah! and that crazy Al Gore did it!

[marco01]

Get over it GOP, you lost.

Sore losers.

[isadora]

The GOP (God's Own Party) is nasty, nasty, nasty. As Chubby Checker sings in "Limbo Rock" How low can you go? Just when one thinks this group has stooped to the lowest level one is proven wrong. This 'Godly, morally exemplary' party keeps stooping. The people have gotten wise, and that is why such a fine group of people have been elected. The other side of the coin is the unbelievably thin skin God's party members have when it is one of their own pretentious phonies. Senator Al is the best of the best. This is a great day, the capping victory of a historic and wonderful election.

[Westof405]

The GOP and conservatives have no interest in the truth. Bush lied about WMD and his reasons for attacking Iraq, costing us hundreds of billions and thousands of American lives, not forgetting the thousands of dead Iraqis as well.

Recently Rush said the Supreme Court voted 9-0 in the New Haven firefighter case and called Sotomayor a rascist in their opinion. TOTALLY FALSE. The vote was 5-4 and nowhere in the opionion are any of the lower court judges singled out by name or called rascists. Total BS, which the far right no doubt believes because they are too lazy to actually read the opinion and believe everything that Rush and O'Reilly and Faux News says is true.

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/08pdf/07-1428.pdf

It is no surprise that they would distort Franken's storytelling at the Wellstone event. Wellstone was very well liked in Minnesota and his death was a great tragedy for the state. Dishonest and disrespectful is the GOP's M.O. as we have seen from all the attacks on Pres. Obama. Don't expect them to get any class soon.

[noamjunior]

The repubs have an irrational hatred of many dems including Franken, Gore, Pelosi, Kenedy, and Obama. These ads aren't for thinking people- they are trying to spread fear among the 20%ers

[SteveDenver]

Democrats are to blame for EVERYTHING? Republicans have me so scared... especially after looking at the fruits of their antics for 8 years. Of course they know how terrifying one-party control is, they had it and drove the country into a ditch, wrecking the economy, environment and military.

No cred, Repubs. No cred.
But there are plenty of people who will buy this and eat it up.

[RickCoMatic]

Senator Franken has finally arrived.
The GOP's Obstruction and Delays could only go so far.
Now, the GOP will relentlessly attack the new Democratic Senator as payback for authoring his books.
Today, the Country is better than it was yesterday.
Today we installed a Senator from, of and for the People.
The GOP is further weakened by Senator Franken's presence in the Chamber.
There is not one GOP Senator I would pick ahead of Senator Al Franken. None.
With the swearing-in of Senator Franken, the Country begins to heal form the GOP's neglect and abuse.

[jj]

The exact same ridiculous selective editing Coleman used for his campaign against Franken and the GOP is recycling it?

They literally have NO new ideas even when it comes to the only thing they can do well: attack.

[Masimo]

the not so Grand OLD Party seems to have become like a baseball player that goes up to the plate every at bat to strike out to make the coach look bad...miss­ion accomplished.
Coach, time to cut em loose.
WE ARE the coach and it's time to take back our country.

[Jacksonian]

I'd like to hear more about the, "Let's Set Kentucky On Fire Act of 2009."

As a resident of neighboring Missouri, I not only have a right to know more about this legislation but also a duty to see my lawmakers get firmly behind the proposal.

You're TFF, Jason.

[bltmn]

GOP distorts Franken.
GOP distorts Sotomayor.
GOP distorts Health Care reform.
GOP distorts Climate bill.

Anyone see a pattern here?

[filo]

Hey GOP !

Jealous much ???