He recently won re-election in a landslide and is now putting himself all in to make sure the Dems take back the Senate in 2016.
He wants to remind Dems of the importance of the Senate race, to not overlook it in lieu of the race for the White House.
True the White House is so important in terms of conserving the President's agenda and changing the balance way on the Supreme Court from the Robert's Court. It's been 30 years of a conservative dominated SJC.
It' s easy to underestimate the importance of the Senate race-after all as the Dems aren't expected to win back the House, simply winning the Senate won't be enough to pass legislation.
But even so Frank does a great job of explaining why it is so important that the Dems take the Senate in 2016.
"The task is urgent: If Hillary Clinton becomes president, Franken said, the difference between a Democratic Senate and two more years of Mitch McConnell would be enormous. If Clinton wins, her early legislative agenda, as well as the fate of her Cabinet choices and potentially a Supreme Court nomination, hinges on which party controls the Senate."
"Plus, Democrats believe 2016 — with a favorable map and a boost from Clinton’s turnout machine — is probably their only shot to take back the Senate until 2020. In 2018, the Senate election landscape will tilt the other way, putting a slate of moderate Democrats on defense."
“It’s absolutely crucial that we take the majority. Because we’re not going to have that chance in ’18,” Franken said.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/franken-al-senate-2016-215455#ixzz3qTCZHdDQ
So now is the time.
"Franken, of course, has a well-earned reputation as a partisan warrior, supporting Democratic presidential candidates like Al Gore and John Kerry long before he even ran for election. He started a political action committee a decade ago, dubbed Midwest Values PAC, which has raised and spent more than $5 million for Democrats,according to the Center for Responsive Politics."
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/franken-al-senate-2016-215455#ixzz3qTDPdwzY
He's a partisan warrior who can raise money.
"This year alone, Franken has spread his star status around, raising money for safe incumbent Patty Murray of Washington, choosing sides in contested primaries by supporting Tammy Duckworth in Illinois and Ted Strickland in Ohio, and clocking four events for Catherine Cortez Masto in the swing state of Nevada."
"Franken is looking to replicate or surpass his performance in 2012, when he helped expand the party’s liberal wing by working for Democratic Sens. Warren of Massachusetts, Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin. Democrats are relying on Franken, Warren and Booker to be both show horses and workhorses: to remind voters that the Senate races may not draw the attention of Clinton’s presidential bid but are still critically important and to simultaneously raise gobs of money for Democratic candidates."
“He’s become a serious senator. But he still has that celebrity aura. So he’s a draw,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who stands to become majority leader if Democrats win the Senate.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/franken-al-senate-2016-215455#ixzz3qTDi8NX4
He wants to remind Dems of the importance of the Senate race, to not overlook it in lieu of the race for the White House.
True the White House is so important in terms of conserving the President's agenda and changing the balance way on the Supreme Court from the Robert's Court. It's been 30 years of a conservative dominated SJC.
It' s easy to underestimate the importance of the Senate race-after all as the Dems aren't expected to win back the House, simply winning the Senate won't be enough to pass legislation.
But even so Frank does a great job of explaining why it is so important that the Dems take the Senate in 2016.
"The task is urgent: If Hillary Clinton becomes president, Franken said, the difference between a Democratic Senate and two more years of Mitch McConnell would be enormous. If Clinton wins, her early legislative agenda, as well as the fate of her Cabinet choices and potentially a Supreme Court nomination, hinges on which party controls the Senate."
"Plus, Democrats believe 2016 — with a favorable map and a boost from Clinton’s turnout machine — is probably their only shot to take back the Senate until 2020. In 2018, the Senate election landscape will tilt the other way, putting a slate of moderate Democrats on defense."
“It’s absolutely crucial that we take the majority. Because we’re not going to have that chance in ’18,” Franken said.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/franken-al-senate-2016-215455#ixzz3qTCZHdDQ
So now is the time.
"Franken, of course, has a well-earned reputation as a partisan warrior, supporting Democratic presidential candidates like Al Gore and John Kerry long before he even ran for election. He started a political action committee a decade ago, dubbed Midwest Values PAC, which has raised and spent more than $5 million for Democrats,according to the Center for Responsive Politics."
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/franken-al-senate-2016-215455#ixzz3qTDPdwzY
He's a partisan warrior who can raise money.
"This year alone, Franken has spread his star status around, raising money for safe incumbent Patty Murray of Washington, choosing sides in contested primaries by supporting Tammy Duckworth in Illinois and Ted Strickland in Ohio, and clocking four events for Catherine Cortez Masto in the swing state of Nevada."
"Franken is looking to replicate or surpass his performance in 2012, when he helped expand the party’s liberal wing by working for Democratic Sens. Warren of Massachusetts, Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin. Democrats are relying on Franken, Warren and Booker to be both show horses and workhorses: to remind voters that the Senate races may not draw the attention of Clinton’s presidential bid but are still critically important and to simultaneously raise gobs of money for Democratic candidates."
“He’s become a serious senator. But he still has that celebrity aura. So he’s a draw,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who stands to become majority leader if Democrats win the Senate.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/franken-al-senate-2016-215455#ixzz3qTDi8NX4
His books are also well worth the read.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=al+franken
I've read two of his books. They were good. One of his early SNL skits remains a favorite with me too... the one where he and John Belushi play two Klan members in the deep south... he's a bar tender making fun of John for getting kicked out of the Klan for raising too much hell... when in pop an 18th century Belgian fop (Michael Palin) and his Spanish blackamoor (Garret Morris).
ReplyDeleteRegarding "downcard elections" (what's the word I'm looking for here?), it's hard to believe this guy:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/kentucky-governor-conway-bevin-obamacare_5638f8e2e4b079a43c04cea6
Yes, Franken is a funny guy. Or more was-he's been pretty serious since he got into politicians himself-I guess he doesn't want anyone to accuse him of making a joke of serious matters! LOL
ReplyDeleteO/T, Mike, you might like this Jason Smith comment to Sumner's latest post:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.themoneyillusion.com/?p=31191#comment-405211
It has an accompanying post on his blog:
http://informationtransfereconomics.blogspot.com/2015/11/who-should-we-listen-to.html