When Al Franken decided to run for the Senate in Minnesota, it was as one type of crusade, to redeem the seat of Paul Wellstone, ripped away by Wellstone's death in a plane crash and then by Republican subterranean ratfuckers, who manipulated Wellstone's memorial into some kind of anti-American face fart. Franken, who has talked repeatedly about this as another kind of scar, went into the election to take down Norm Coleman, the slick as shit huckster who was elected over Walter Mondale, the Wellstone surrogate in 2002. There was redemption to be had, and someone with celebrity and name recognition and deep pockets was the person to do it.
What the election turned into was another kind of redemption for Democrats. 'Cause, see, when Franken didn't concede the tight race back in November, he finally stood up and said let's see what happens when you actually fight for all the votes cast. When he decided not to be a mensch, like Gore and Kerry did with their tails between their legs, he demonstrated that Democrats can get into the kind of bare knuckle fight that Republicans have challenged them to time and again. And win.
Franken is no pussy, despite his Stuart Smalley schtick and his general mild-mannered public persona. He was on his High School wrestling team and ain't a bit afraid to mix it up.
Reid, Pelosi, et al, you can learn a lot from him. You can take on Repugs and beat them, not just other Dems.
If real bare-knucklin' was allowed in Congress, you could address me'n Fixer as 'Senator' or 'Congressman'. Heh.
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