Al Franken Sketches Sessions During Kagan Confirmation Hearing (PHOTO)

Senator Al Franken has quite some talent for sketching.

AP photographer Alex Brandon caught Franken drawing a portrait of his GOP colleague Sen. Jeff Sessions during the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. The likeness is definitely there. Scroll down for an enlarged image.

(By the way, if you think this is impressive, watch this incredible video of Franken drawing an entire map of the United States by memory.)

Comments

[Clevelandinwi]

09:28 AM on 08/06/2010

I notice Senator Franken is pretty good at dealing with the worst of the Repugnants - jeffiesessions, ol'dimwittymcconnell, etc. My personal belief is that it would take about 10 repugnants to fill a pimple on Mr. Frankens behind.

[ynot4tony]

05:53 PM on 08/06/2010

And people say liberals aren't clever or mature.

[queenofcore]

12:07 AM on 08/06/2010

GO Al I love AL Al for president!!!

[Fenarkleman]

11:26 AM on 07/01/2010

Pete Tagliani obviously rocks. The only drawback to the Sessions drawing is that it simply does not look inbred and neo-fascistic enough. Otherwise, let's ship this thing off to the Louvre right now!

[Matt Osborne]

05:01 PM on 06/30/2010

SCOTUS hearings have turned into self-parody.

[Tails]

04:54 PM on 08/06/2010

That happend the day CokeCan Thomas was nominated.

[ynot4tony]

05:54 PM on 08/06/2010

Two words for you: Robert Bork.

[StillAmused]

03:53 PM on 06/30/2010

What's most unsettling is that the sketch has a much higher I.Q. than Sessions.

[Matt Osborne]

05:02 PM on 06/30/2010

Sessions is my Senator, dangnabit, and he resembles that remark.

[tigah]

07:09 PM on 06/30/2010

Folks who study how we learn have shown that doodling while listening enhances the process of learning. Senator Frankin likely absorbed and processed more info than those who watched passively.

[foxbat]

11:15 PM on 06/30/2010

Also dramatically increases memory according to some research.

[DrInsula]

02:18 PM on 06/30/2010

Great drawing, but...Where's the pointy white hood???

[Clevelandinwi]

09:30 AM on 08/06/2010

jeffiesessions had it in his pocket - he only wears it when showing off for his base.

[ynot4tony]

05:57 PM on 08/06/2010

How clever! You associated a political opponent with the Klan, in spite of any connection. No one has ever been so brilliant to have thought of this in the past. You have discovered a new debate tactic. You have done your country proud. You have demonstrated true insightful intellect and originality.

[gsltracks]

03:43 PM on 08/11/2010

Uh, actually it WAS kind of clever - and Sessions HAS been associated with the Klan - not that he was ever a member as far as I know, but his nomination to federal district court was rejected in part because of his racial views ... including the priceless comment (which he admitted to but called a joke) that he thought the Klan was "OK until I found out they smoked pot".

[RightWingMarine]

12:43 PM on 06/30/2010

that's way better than paying attention to what is going on in the hearing, I'm sure he got the gist of it during his nap.
It's good to see the distinguished Senator representing his state. It's clear that Sen Franken hasn't at all already made up his mind about how to vote and that additional info just isn't needed. Why bother having a Senator if they simply rubber stamp whatever the President wants rather than investigate and see if this would be best for you?

[whitey55]

01:26 PM on 06/30/2010

A true Marine believes in the Constitution and believes that people have the right of their own to determine which way they want to vote.

[sprootles]

02:16 PM on 06/30/2010

Snap!

[RightWingMarine]

07:52 PM on 06/30/2010

and I do as well though, unless you have earned the EGA your opinion of what makes a true Marine really isn't that important to me. I'm not saying that Senator Franken doesn't have the right to vote the way he wants or that anybody else doesn't have that right. I am pointing out that when it comes to representing the people of his state Franken isn't even pretending to care. He does not know what will be revealed during this hearing and it could be an issue that the people of his state care strongly about. Would you hire an attorney to represent you in a legal matter that ignored what was going on and had clearly already made up his mind about what his decision would be?

[foxbat]

02:49 PM on 06/30/2010

Come on. Inhofe stated, before Obama had made the announcement of his first SCOTUS nominee, Sotomayor, that he would be opposing an Obama nomination without even knowing who it was. Then when he found out who it was, he declined to meet with her. When Miers was nominated by Bush, Orrin Hatch declared, before the hearings, that he already knew Miers and didn't need to hear anything else and that he supported her unconditionally.

Of course, Franken didn't say any of these things and he also sat through about 19 hours of BS from his counterparts on the committee before Kagan even got to say her first word. I'm surprised he used the pencil to draw something rather than poke out his eardrums. He did, however, take time today to ask some pretty good questions when it was his turn. Also, given that he sits on the Judiciary Committee, he's probably got a lot more extensive background on Kagan and her works than many of his senatorial colleagues.

[RightWingMarine]

07:55 PM on 06/30/2010

it never ceases to amaze me when adults resort to the arguments of children. So because those other politicians did it too makes it okay? Yes those Republicans did the exact same thing and just like those Republicans Sen Franken was doing a poor job of representing the people of his state. Hatch made an especially large fool of himself by giving such a comment about Miers when she was so clearly unqualified, does this mean that Franken will have to outdo him?

[Phranquenstew]

12:29 PM on 06/30/2010

He could have been sketching Scott Brown... he really enjoys posing.

[Phranquenstew]

12:10 PM on 06/30/2010

Senator Franken, in addition to being a great legislator, is obviously a very talented artist. May he continue sketching his Senate colleagues for many, many more years and terms... I'd be throwing shoes.

[floodberg]

10:25 AM on 07/01/2010

I'm hoping he will continue as well, but perhaps at a better address. It took me a second to get the shoe reference (I'm slowing down), but I think I would be sorely tempted to join you.

[ynot4tony]

06:01 PM on 08/06/2010

"A very talented artist"? VERY? Oh, come on! Get the stars out of your eyes and take off your kneepads.

Yes, Franken can draw better than I, but I can play guitar better than he. Yet, I don't consider myself to be "very talented." Franken's drawing looks like an inspiring high school artist drew it.

And as far as being in the Senate for years to come...sure...as long as felons in Minnesota continue to vote illegally and that Franken-friendly precincts continue to report more votes than registered voters (look up these facts if you doubt me).

[5JackW5]

11:46 AM on 06/30/2010

How fortunate the cameras were there to document the most significant thing this fool will do in his only 6 year term in the US Senate

[Scar]

12:14 PM on 06/30/2010

Keep it dumb GOPer! Now back to your Moms basement.

[ritgar]

03:33 AM on 07/01/2010

sorry - I'm laughing so hard I need a break!

[Phranquenstew]

12:21 PM on 06/30/2010

The FOOL was elected to the Senate in 1996, making this his third term, and posing for a portrait may be the most benign thing he's done since then, but his 1995 support of the "nuclear option" to prevent Democratic fillibusters was more significant, given his apparent change of opinion when the tables were turned.

[Jared Watts]

11:14 AM on 06/30/2010

I'm a Franken supporter and all, but seriously? The guy doodles and it's on the front page of the HP?

[Franklin1776]

11:25 AM on 06/30/2010

It's on the front page of fox too.

[Jared Watts]

11:56 AM on 06/30/2010

interesting. I don't read fox so i never would have known, but the comments there are hilarious

[Phranquenstew]

12:23 PM on 06/30/2010

What were you expecting... news?

[Foxxy]

11:04 AM on 06/30/2010

It's amazing how a liberal Democrat is lauded for doodling and falling asleep during important hearings for an individual to receive a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. Put an R behind the name and you would hear from this group "out of touch", "incompetent", "indifferent". Hypocritical.

[Franklin1776]

11:25 AM on 06/30/2010

It's not like he was sticking up for BP or anything. He was trying to ignore the garbage coming from Sessions mouth.

[sprootles]

11:32 AM on 06/30/2010

It's not like he was stupidly shouting out "You lie!" during a presidential address. Get over yourself. Waaaaa! Waaaaa! Waaaaaa!

[AddyGmom]

09:46 AM on 07/27/2010

My first thought!

[niceguysneverfinish]

10:57 AM on 06/30/2010

First a comedian, now an artist! I think Barney showed him a thing or two. Back to work youngster!

[wesinohio]

11:09 AM on 06/30/2010

And a senator. In the last sentence you wrote you were referring to yourself , clearly.

[niceguysneverfinish]

11:44 AM on 06/30/2010

lol

[Scar]

11:41 AM on 06/30/2010

Well Sessions was first a moron and now he's an idiot. Back to the Klan Sessions

[beautyontheinside]

10:52 AM on 06/30/2010

Love it. He really got the essence of his model.
Quite funny.

[gamoonbat]

10:48 AM on 06/30/2010

He is not just drawing sketches now. Senator Franken just got the nominee to admit that she would be a more effective champion of progressive causes and of the opportunity for ordinary Americans to be heard in court than is Justice Anthony Kennedy, sometimes considered to be a "moderate" on the Roberts court.

[Scar]

11:39 AM on 06/30/2010

Well Sessions was first a moron and now he's an idiot. Back to the Klan Sessions