Al Franken News Archives

Former funnyman Al Franken has a serious job now, proving that there can be a second act.

Al Franken has given new meaning to the dog days of summer with his first successful piece of legislation as the newest member of the Senate.

What I consider the major part of the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court designate Sonia Sotomayor is when new Sen.

This isn't Al Franken's first Supreme Court confirmation hearing. In 1991 he appeared in an opening sketch on "Saturday Night Live" that mocked Clarence Thomas's appointment process and those involved.

Back in 2003, I had the opportunity to sit down with then-author, now Minnesota Senator Al Franken.

July 16th, 2009 3:18 PM by Eric Roper There has been a lot of talk in recent days that Sen.

Share + Jul 15, 2009 6:10 pm US/Central 1 of 1 Sen. Al Franken questions Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor during the third day of confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee July 15, 2009 in Washington, DC.

EMBED SUMMARY: Sean Hannity falsely claimed that during Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearing, Al Franken talked about Perry Mason "instead" of questioning Sotomayor about her "judicial philosophy." In fact, Franken asked Sotomayor numerous questions about her "judicial philosophy." 14 Comments On the July 16 edition of his Fox News show, Sean ...

Larry Wood from Mauldin, S.C., challenges the description of newly seated Sen. Al Franken as "former comedian." "These two descriptions are not mutually exclusive," Wood writes, referring to comedian and senator.

Al Franken is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee -- only a week into office? Well, Franken was, briefly.

Let's face it, folks, it's been a rough couple of weeks to be a Republican. It's bad enough that there's a Democrat in the White House and that the Democrats control Congress, but the troubles don't stop there.

For the most part, Sen. Al Franken looked as if he were channeling Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." The occasion: Franken's questioning of Judge Sonia Sotomayor during her Supreme Court confirmation hearings.

Last summer, Stephanie Schriock took leave from her Capitol Hill job and drove her Toyota hybrid toward Minneapolis.

Sen. Al Franken, saying that "the past decade has made it a little bit harder for American citizens to defend themselves," took direct aim at the conservative wing of the U.S. Supreme Court today as hearings began for Obama administration nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

Not only are this week's hearings Sonia Sotomayor's introduction to the nation, but in some ways it's also the introduction of Al Franken the Senator.

Some fifty or so people crammed into a small chamber within the complex of offices that used to be occupied by Norm Coleman, Franken's predecessor.

Here are some facts about the hearings and the court: Some witnesses listed for the hearings: For Republicans: New Haven, Conn., firefighter Frank Ricci, who was central to a civil-rights case that Sotomayor ruled against and the Supreme Court overturned; Linda Chavez, Center for Equal Opportunity; Sandy Froman, National Rifle Association; Dr.

Watch the Hearing Today: The confirmation hearing begins at 9 a.m. Monday. The 19 committee members each will make 10-minute opening statements, then Judge Sonia Sotomayor will make her statement, probably in mid-afternoon. Tuesday: The senators will begin questioning Sotomayor.

Al Franken won a resounding endorsement for the U.S. Senate on Saturday from Minnesota Democrats, quickly dispatching with concerns about jokes that offended some and promising a tough challenge to Republican Sen.

Al Franken was sworn in Tuesday as Minnesota's second U.S. Senator. No joke. In a ceremony that started a few minutes late - and 246 days after the election - the former "Saturday Night Live" comedian joined the Senate with a simple "I do." Flanked by Sen.

Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., said he would work hard to prove he's no longer a comedian.

Al Franken's been anointed as Minnesota's junior senator, but how did the former "Saturday Night Live" writer win over voters on his way to elected office? With Heavy Changes Ego Spray.

Until the last few years most people only knew of Al Franken from the SNL skit, playing the host of a self-help advice show "Daily Affirmations With Stuart Smalley", but A l Franken's long and interesting career is colored with an array of achievements.

July 7, 2009: Sen. Al Franken takes the oath of office in the Senate during a ceremonial swearing-in by Vice President Biden .

Business Entertainment Sports Minnesota's Democratic Senator-elect Al Franken, right, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Monday, July 6, 2009, in Washington.

So, did you hear the one about the comedian who spent a whole day on Capitol Hill and told no jokes? Democrat Al Franken arrived in Washington on Monday content to be as mundane in the Senate as he was brazen in his previous job as a Saturday Night Live performer.

"Good to see you. It's about time," they shouted at the parade in Aurora. "Took you a long time to get here," they screamed in Gilbert.

Democrat Al Franken has been sworn in as US senator for Minnesota, potentially giving his party a crucial 60 votes in the chamber.

When Al Franken assumes his new Senate perch Tuesday, the numbers will tell his tale: Minnesota's second senator, the symbolic 60th vote for Democrats - and No.

This week's ruling that comedian and former SNL personality Al Franken was the winner of Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, eight months after the actual election, should have me thinking about things like filibuster-proof majorities and how it affects the prospects for health care reform.

Yesterday, Al Franken joined the most exclusive club in America. No, not the Senate, nor even the 60-member-strong and theoretically filibuster-proof Democratic majority caucus within the Senate, but the even smaller club celebrities who have won major public office.

Residents of northern Minnesota's Iron Range say they know Democrat Al Franken , waiting to be sworn in as Minnesota's new U.S. senator, will do well in the job.

All joking aside, Al Franken is about to face his toughest crowd yet. As the Minnesota Democrat and former comedian takes his seat in the Senate this week after an eight-month election battle, he follows a long line of celebrities who have had to put their fame in check to serve as humble, freshman members of Congress.

Now that he's finally won his U.S. Senate race, Al Franken can turn his attention to who he'd like to see turn the parody tables on him.

Senator Al Franken was greeted by Eveleth residents during their Fourth of July parade.

THUMBS UP TO: Al Franken becomes new Minnesota Senator After eight months of recounts and court battles, Republican Norm Coleman conceded to Democrat Al Franken in Minnesota's contested Senate race on Tuesday.

Well the " Land of 10,000 Lakes " took what seemed like 10,000 years, but the Minnesota Supreme Court finally ruled yesterday in a unanimous decision to certify Al Franken's election victory last November.

In this economic climate, there are not a lot of cities and towns in Massachusetts boasting good financial health.

Don't break out the champagne quite yet: The Democrats' supermajority is just as much a curse as it is a blessing.

Yesterday, Minnesota's Supreme Court declared Al Franken the winner of his long-fought senate race against Norm Coleman.

July 1, 2009 -- Al Franken's torn over who he'd like to see turn the parody tables on him.

The metric system is the kind of thing that you can expect from the 60-vote filibuster-proof majority Democrats now have in the United States Senate.

Editor's note: John Feehery worked as a staffer for former House Speaker Dennis Hastert and other Republicans in Congress.

Al Franken's victory was sealed on Tuesday when the Minnesota Supreme Court rejected former Sen.

There will soon be a doctor in the Bish family. In a couple of years, Heather Bish hopes to earn a doctorate from the law and policy program at Northeastern University.