Franken's 'Truth': Politics can be serious business

[Autonomy]

Senator Al Franken?

Franken, the liberal satirist, radio talk-show host and best-selling author, isn't joking - at least not all the time.

In the epilogue to his newest book, The Truth (with jokes), published today, Franken writes a letter to his grandchildren, dated 2015, reviewing how Democrats "took our country back."

The unnamed president is a Democrat. President Bush has been impeached, convicted and "began drinking again, all in the space of a single afternoon." And a Democratic senator from Minnesota is Al Franken.

"But you'll note that I didn't decide to run until 2007," he says. "That was very cleverly done."

<snip>

Franken will be a guest tonight on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, a show he praises. He says Stewart "has wisely chosen not to have a dog in the fight" and doesn't let politics get in the way of a laugh.

Franken sees himself becoming more serious and says he's "trying to ramp down" his swearing. In The Truth, he mocks Vice President Cheney's use of an expletive, without repeating it.

He also writes, "I'm no partisan."

Not partisan?

"That's one of the jokes," he says with a laugh.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20051025/en_bo_usatoday/frankenstruthpoliticscanbeseriousbusiness

[mzmolly]

1. Recommended. I adore Al Franken. I don't get those who don't "get"

him, "frankly." ;)

[NYCGirl]

2. We're going to see him at his book signing tomorrow. I'm stoked! NT

[Autonomy]

3. There are some people who just cannot perceive subtle humor

in the same way there are some people who are color blind. It's not that they cannot identify a joke, but that they are incapable of seeing the humor in it. It's a frontal lobe thing.

Then there are the single-issue folks who hate Franken because he says we cannot pull out of Iraq right now. I don't necessarily agree with him, but I don't hate him for his position. He's not the one who sent the troops in, and he's not responsible for the mess. For the single-issue folks it's also a frontal lobe deficiency.

[mzmolly]

6. Give him a hug from Minnesota.

;)

I'm stoked for ya!

[FreedomAngel82]

4. I'm getting the book today!

My mom went out now shopping at the mall and is going to pick the book up for me. I can't wait to read it. I'm reading his "Lies" book now.

[NYCGirl]

5. It's up to #8 on Amazon. NT

[mzmolly]

7. Cool.

:D