The Olympian Chat Transcript

hn. Capitol Chat Transcript: Liberal comedian, author and radio host Al Franken

The Olympian, Feb. 15, 2006

Moderator: Welcome to The Olympian’s Capitol Chat. I’m your moderator, State Government Reporter Adam Wilson. Our guest today is liberal author and radio host Al Franken.

Kevin, Lacey: I heard you might run for senator in Minnesota. I know a lot of people find you out-of-touch with mainstream America and too far to the left. In an attempt to reach out to more conservative voters, would you consider going hunting with vice president Cheney?

Franken: Um … no.

David, Seattle: After you are elected to the U.S. Senate, who in your opinion will be the second-funniest senator?

Franken: Ah, well first of all I don’t know yet whether I’ll run, but if I run and win, I guess … hmmm, someone will take this really personal. I wish Bob Dole were still there. I’ll tell you who it isn’t. Chuck Grassley. (laughs) I don’t know why that strikes me as funny.

Kyle, Colorado Springs, Colo.: What do you see as the essential piece for the Democratic party putting their presidential candidate into the White House?

Franken: Nominating someone who is authentic. I think that a lot of presidential politics unfortunately is casting. I think you want someone people trust and like and means what they say and says what they mean. I actually kinda like Barack Obama. I know, I know, he won’t run, but I like him. I think people inherently get a feel from him that he’s the real deal. I don’t think that’s in short supply, but I think you need someone who projects that. I think Russ Feingold is someone who stands on principle and people know that. I think there’s a lot of good candidates and I wanna see how it kinda sorts it self out.

Timothy, Olympia: As a noted comedic writer, you have had a very impressive career. What has been your personal highlight? And can I still get the Lincoln Medallion?

Franken: Wow. My personal highlight—I’ve been in the biz 30-some years, so to pick out one moment is difficult. For comedy, Saturday Night Live was the best thing to ever happen to me. I can pick out moments on screen, like Stuart Smalley with Michael Jordan, but what I think of most is just rolling on the floor laughing late at night writing with the other writers. Other highlights, there have been a lot in my career. Doing USO tours is something that’s always very gratifying and moving and fun.

Bruce, Buffalo: What is the best advice you could give someone to get out of a rut and get that Stuart Smalley outlook on life? Feel free to go into character if you’d like.

Franken: I’m not sure what he’s talking about. Read the question again. (In character) Um … get out of a rut, get out of a rut … I would go to some meetings, you know, and just find a sponsor and talk to your sponsor about it. You know, do some affirmation work, that’s always good.

Joel, Maple Grove, Minn.: What is it about being in the entertainment industry that makes entertainers such as yourself become heavy-handed political advocates? You starting losing me once you became so partisan.

Franken: Well, I guess I started becoming more partisan when I left SNL, because I never felt it was appropriate for the show to have a dog in the race, but once I left I felt free to express my political views. And I feel like the country is going in the wrong direction now. Take Dennis Miller for example, I admire the fact that he chose to have a dog in the fight and he did what he did. There’s a difference between a comedian and a satirist and an advocate, and I’m kind of all of the above. I get that from people who are Republican or totally political, and I’ve chosen to do what I do for a reason and I’m not going to change because of that question.

Mark, Lacey: I feel that revealing NSA programs to the public creates a danger to our fighting men and women in the field and to the American public. It seems to be a criminal act—someone should go to jail. Why do you think I am wrong?

Franken: What seems to be a criminal act is surveilling americans without a warrant, there’s trememddous danger to a president that feels they can do anything without the checks and balannces in our Consititution, even if you look at it from the perspective of the Bush administration, they’re not going to be in office forever. And the next president may not be as trustworthy. (That’s sarcastic.) I’m not sure the terrorists don’t know they’re being watched. (laughs) They probably realize that.

John, decorated Marine Corps Vietnam combat veteran from Olympia: Once Roe v. Wade is overturned, abortion is outlawed, and the right-to-life movement fades away as a tool to influence national election outcomes, what new “special interest” group will the Republican Party then latch onto in order to maintain domination in national elections? P.S. Thank you for having the guts and commitment to do what you’re doing … you’re an American Patriot.

Franken: He makes a good point, I have to say. I think that a lot of people on the right don’t want Roe v. Wade to ever be overturned because then they wouldn’t be able to use it to mobilize a certain part of their base. It could eventually get overturned. (Justice) Stevens is kind of old. He’s gotta hang on.

Nancy, Olympia: Why do so few people except Minnesotans, North Dakotans, Canadians (OK, I’ll include the Norwegians too) understand the poetry and high drama of curling?

Franken: Because it involves brooms. (laughs)

Peggy, Elma: How might we go about changing our economic system to a social system similar to Scandinavian countries’? Is there any chance we can elimination the “personhood” of corporations so people once again can run the country?

Franken: I think that there are certain things we can do that other industrialized countries have done that would be a huge improvement such as national health insurance and public financing of elections. I’m an entrepreneur and I’m a firm believer in entrepreneurship, not that the questioner isn’t, and I do think corporations have far too much power in this country.

Dan, Sioux Falls: What do you think of Cheney choosing Fox for his first interview since the hunting accident?

Franken: I found it puzzling.

Sam, St. Paul: Why do you think the media has been so focused on the Cheney incident when the Libby story is so much more important.

Franken: I think that’s a great point, why do you think Cheney shot the guy. I don’t think Scooter Libby necessarily said that he was instructed to out plame, I think he said he was instructed to leak classified information, that may be it, but I don’t think he was necessarily told to out Plame.

Ed, Olympia: As certainty of conviction seems to appeal to a large segment of the population, how can liberals and Democrats improve their “truthiness?”

Franken: There is sometimes a certainty of conviction does come into conflict with actually having a healthy respect for reality, and I feel very certain of my convictions, but I don think sometimes I see a little more nuance than some of the people who seem more certain than I am.

Moderator: Do Democrats and liberals share the same future, going in the same direction?

Franken: I hope so, there is the more progressive wing of the party, but every individual doesn’t conform to one label or the other and people are more liberal on one issue and less liberal on the other and the Democratic party has to be a big tent in order to win.

Elijah, Tumwater: Where did you receive your education, and how are your show’s ratings on Air America compared to conservative hosts?

Franken: I was educated at a place called Harvard College, and Rush Limbaugh has higher ratings than I do, but he’s been doing it a lot longer. I get between 1.25 million and 1.5 million listeners a week. I know in the markets I go opposite Bill O’Reilly I beat him in a large majority of those markets. My audience is also much younger. Our average listener is 47, his is 67, which is really old. I think Rush’s is about 60 or something.

Moderator: Is this where you expected to be when you were 54?

Franken: I never thought I’d do radio, but while doing research, I saw 21 percent of Americans said they got the majority of their news from talk radio and I felt we’d been feeding that far too long and someone needed to step in, even if it meant working all the time, and I’m doing it.

Moderator: You’re doing a show at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle on Saturday. What’s your show?

Franken: The show is probably an hour or two of political comedy. If Whittington is still alive, there might be some comedy about Cheney. But, uh, if he’s not, I’ll probably leave that subject alone.

Moderator: Who shows up to your shows?

Franken: It’s usually a pretty liberal audience at the concerts, but yeah, everybody’s welcome, obviously. The more conservatives the better, as far as I’m concerned.

Moderator: Any closing thoughts?

Franken: I hope everyone can get to the show at 8 p.m. at the Paramount in Seattle. Tickets available through Ticketmaster. (laughs)

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