Franken Calms Down Health Care Opponents (VIDEO)

While coverage of the health care reform debate has focused on yelling, booing and fistfights, not all engagements between lawmakers and constituents turn hostile. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) discussed his beliefs and goals about health care reform at the Minnesota State Fair Wednesday with a group of constituents, and calmed down some who were upset, giving clear, honest answers to thought-out, sincere questions. "I thank you for your passion," he says to a vocal member of the crowd, "we need that, and we need to have these conversations." And then, remarkably, she calms down, and everyone discusses the matter in a reasonable and cool-headed manner. "We all want reform, the question is how do we do it," Franken said. A mixed bag of opponents and supporters gathered around as the senator explained his perspective, how he will vote, and how he believes the legislation will benefit the people of Minnesota and the nation.

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Comments

[Gatormouth]

Some have attempted to mock Franken because of his experience as a stand up comedian. I think it is exactly these skills that enable him to take control of potentially hostile debate environments with ease when a politician less skilled would flounder. I have always been a fan of his since his radio talk show days and think that he is going to do the citizens of his state proud!

[exflatlander]

And then there's Grassley and Wilson who throw gasoline on the fires with their lies and distortions. Maybe that's what some people here think their elected officials were elected for.

[NativeSonKY]

There goes Al, getting it right yet once again! You know as long as people are respectful to others and ask questions and listen to the answers, that's pretty much being American about it! I remember 30-40 years ago when this country had more of a moral compass and sense of decency for one another, at least in public. It's good to see this!

And how about his map demo the other day!

[jackster12]

Regardless of your position, if you're sensible you have to concede this is well handled... though I don't think calling this an "angry mob" is quite fair. They're on the defensive at the start, yes. But not out of control. Still... what Al Franken has done here is what other Democrats need to do... they've given up on trying to defend their own position at the outset, where they respond to stupid accusations ("death panels") on the defense. Instead, he does what good persuaders do... reach out to the areas on which we can all agree before submitting the possible alternatives.

[RDHawke]

Am I impressed by Sen. Franken's measured, calm, intelligent demeanor???
Ya shur u'betcha!
As for the blonde lady, standing next to Al, the one that was girded for battle? Nothing Franken says will EVER win this one over.

[spion]

first time I have ever had any respect for that knucklehead. still don't agree with him but it is nice to see him not beating people up for taking him on.

[chiefpayne]

He had a relatively calm crowd.

Let's see what he does if he comes up against one that flat out disagrees with him and aren't cowed by his position before we give him cudos.

Still, I will admit he didn't jump off the deep end like he has before...must be taking anger management classes or something. LOL

[definitelyNOTmisterRIGHT]

That is ridiculous. All he has done is slightly raise his tolerance level for stupidity.

[StevefromStPaul]

Michele Bachmann is arepresentative, not a Senator. She is from a very conservative district. Our second senator is Amy Klobuchar, who is outstanding. But yes, you are correct that Bachmann is bat-sh** crazy.

[chiefpayne]

So he's going to vote the way HE wants to vote???

Well you get what you voted for...so I guess he gets to do whatever HE wants, regardless of what his constituen­ts...those he's supposed to REPRESENT...want.

Wow...taxation but no representa­tion...sou­nd familiar?

[ScottyD1982]

So, Al Franken is independently intelligent enough to make decisions as to what is right or wrong, and that's somehow a distortion of democracy...but if a corporate schill votes the party line, that's democracy because he is representing his "constituents"?

Franken is absolutely right, and he understands his role as a Senator, not a House member. The House is designed by be more immediately responsive to constituents...the Senate is supposed to temper democratic passions. If Franken goes off the reservation with his voting and misrepresents Minnesota, then he'll get voted out in 2014. So he has an incentive to represent Minnesota...pay attention to what he says at the end...he is SPECIFICALLY representing what Minnesotans want in terms of Medicare reimbursements.

[chiefpayne]

Last time I looked, Franken was ELECTED by people to represent them. He flat out said he was going to vote the way HE wanted to.

BTW, did you see the incredulous look the lady who asked him about that gave him when he said that?

Whenever he comes up for reelection, I bet his opponent will use that in their commericals...it's taylor made!

BTW, the Senator is supposed to be more responsive to their states as a whole...so I guess we'll see what Minnesota as a whole has to say about his comments.

[diogeron]

Ours is called a "representative democracy" for a reason. We elect people to "represent" us and to demonstrate leadership by bringing their critical thinking skills to the table when making a decision. Otherwise, you could do what California does and use referenda and we've all seen how well that works. As David Brooks said today in the NYT, people in California pay taxes like libertarians and act like socialists. That's how a state goes broke.

Alternatively, you could have a senator like mine, Evan Bayh, who needs a weatherman to know which way the wind blows and makes decisions based upon polls and which special interest group gives him the most money. I'll take Al Franken and his "representation": any time over Bayh.

[chiefpayne]

Fine...just remember, those who voted him INTO office can certainly vote him OUT of office as well.

[psmarc93]

The difference is that Franken expressly said he doesn't change his opinion according to polls, but was elected to express what in his considered opinion, apart from his caucus, transitory polls, or even his mom, he sees as the best option for his constituents. It is leadership. If he follows the polls, and votes the polls, and later the decision is found to be stupid, he is held responsible, not the polls. In the same way Bush and Cheney lead against all the polls, and their decisions were theirs, and the fault for their stupid decisions got the Democrats elected by huge majorities. If Franken is wrong voting his conscience and best educated guess, he will pay for it at the polls.

[chiefpayne]

Yeah.

Look for it!

[exflatlander]

This is a representative democracy, Chief. This means we elect people to use their intelligence and integrity to vote for what's best for the country, not what a bunch of yahoos, paid by the insurance companies, tell him to do. If you want that, stick to Republicans. I don't recall any of them voting against funding a widely unpopular war of choice in Iraq that has already cost us what Obama wants for the next 5 years for health care. Hmmm. Now which is a better investment of our money? Health care for all or blowing up civilians and children in Iraq? Hmmm. Tough choice. Except for Republicans who had no problem paying for blowing up civilians in Iraq because their defense industry contractors had contributed to their campaigns. Now THAT'S taxation (for those of us who still pay them) without representation. On the other hand, the Fat Cats and corporations have their representation; they're called lobbyists. Imagine what we could do in this country if the money spent on lobbying and scare tactics went into paying for health care!

[kisskins]

What bothers me is the fact that Obama wants to pay for this with "savings" from fraud and abuse of the Medicare system. If he doesn't get his plan, what happens to this fraud and abuse? If our President and Congress know how to take care of this, why aren't they stopping it now? I want my Congress to STOP it now!

[Bananafarm]

If you knew anything about the founding of this nation, you'd know that we have a representative government and not a direct democracy where the people vote on everything for this very reason--so that our representatives can use their best judgment to do what's right for the people. If a senator's job was to be a slave to the polls we could just decide issues on AOL.com. The people will have a say on what they think about Franklin's judgment come election time.

[DickyTrik]

Obama must carry on with the work of Ted Kennedy & if that means using the comedic talent of Al Franken, so be IT!

[BmoreKind]

It was nice to see a civil discussion for a change.

[exflatlander]

I wonder if it was because he had two nay-sayers, the woman at least obviously looking for a fight, and the rest - the majority, Chief, back him. He did say that the MAJORITY of Minnesotans want health care reform and a public option, didn't he?

[FerrellGummitt]

Looks like Al Franken went ballistic on the "mob".

What does this little ogre have to do before he is shamed into crawling back under the rock,where he must usually reside.

[psmarc93]

Did you watch this video? At what point was there a "mob" and at what point did Sen. Franken go "ballistic?" No matter what side of the debate one might be on, this was a refreshing, sober, civil discussion -- a stark contrast to your ad hominem metaphor.

[samus91]

exactly, yet another example of these people don't read the facts and just spout off incorrect ideas. Do people realize that this makes them look stupid?

[car2oons]

Julian Hattem,

How exactly did Mr. Franken "calm" down this "angry mob"?

[Laura Migliorino]

I live in Minnesota but not from here originally... that is
an " angry mob " by Minnesota standards :)!

[psmarc93]

I agree. God bless Minnesotans. Even their wingnuts are polite, willing to discuss civilly, and serve their opponent some hot coffee donchya know.

[scottyknows]

Exactly. He "calmed down" a reasonable and thoughtful group of people who were already calm and simply disagreed with his position on the issue.

That's the devicieveness you hear so much about.

[ScottyD1982]

What the hell is "devicieveness"?

[tiredofit10]

Al Franken graduated from Harvard; Jon Stewart graduated from William and Mary, where did Beck and Hannity graudate from?

[LOCUTUS13]

Glen Beck = a Yale dropout.

Sean Hannity = St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary + dropped out of New York University + dropped out of Adelphi University.

[exflatlander]

Wow. Dropped out of Adelphi? That's pretty bad. Yale and Beck? Well, they also own Bush. They apparently haven't been as selective as they are supposed to be. At least they knew enough to flush his crap out.

[redsongia]

Sen Franken,

Please do whatever you can to take Michelle Bachman under your wing and teach her how to engage in policy discussion like you did.

[MNCurler]

Michelle Bachman at least had the courage to do a face to face town hall meeting with her constituents and took the cheering with the jeering. Al Franken doesn't hold a town hall meeting. Instead he shows up one day, unannounced, at the fair. He has a tiny booth at the fair where only a handful of people can gather around- lots of courage there. Amy Kloubochar decides to have a "teleconference" town hall meeting where she can just hang up on people she disagrees with. Yes, these two are real role models on how to handle public discourse.

[Ouchimoo]

Wait, let me get this straight. You define courage as someone who holds town hall meetings and has questions screened at the door and if they don't like you're question, you don't get to ask it, but someone who can show up in a public forum say, the most popular attraction in Minnesota, and let anyone and everyone come up and ask their questions, they are cowards? Am I understanding this right because it seems. . . backwards.