Al Franken: Douche extraordinaire

[DarrinS]

iUEypqnjufw

[ChumpDumper]

Are you and jack on the same mailing list?

[Ignignokt]

that fact wouldn't make al franken less of a douche.

[ChumpDumper]

Does Joe really need to speak more?

[Ignignokt]

we just won't know.

[ChumpDumper]

Is he a mute now?

[TheProfessor]

Does Joe really need to speak more?
Probably not. But Franken should have let him finish.

[iggypop123]

somebody interrupting somebody while they are talking. this sounds familiar....

[mogrovejo]

Would we be dealing with accusations of censorship and McCarthyism if it was a GOP senator doing this?

Very uncivil from Al Franken's part. That's to be expected though.

[spursncowboys]

I love the face franken made when he said no.

[Winehole23]

Rookie move. More balls than brains.

[symple19]

Rookie move. More balls than brains.

SO what? I don't like Franken, but I am all for somebody shaking things up. Maybe it will take somebody who has no idea of how things work in order to rattle the cage. I happen to be all for people rattling the cage, braindead though they may be

[TheProfessor]

Flashback: McCain Refused To Grant 30 Seconds Of Time During Iraq War Debate (http://thinkprogress.org/2009/12/18/mccain-hypocrisy-franken/)

Yesterday, Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), acting on the orders of the Senate leadership, refused to grant Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) “an additional moment” to continue speaking on the Senate floor after his 10 minutes expired. Franken’s objection caused Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to groan about how Franken’s move was unprofessional, unprecedented, and disrespectful:

McCAIN: I’ve been around here 20-some years. First time I’ve ever seen a member denied an extra minute or two to finish his remarks. … I just haven’t seen it before myself. And I don’t like it. And I think it harms the comity of the Senate not to allow one of our members at least a minute. I’m sure that time is urgent here, but I doubt that it would be that urgent.

Unfortunately, McCain’s memory is suffering. In fact, McCain has engaged in the very same behavior that he was criticizing Franken for yesterday.

On October 10, 2002 — just ahead of the looming mid-term elections — the Senate rushed a debate on a war authorization giving President Bush the power to use force against Iraq. The resolution ultimately passed the Senate after midnight on an early Friday morning by a vote of 77-23.

During the course of the frenzied floor debate, then-Sen. Mark Dayton (D-MN) spoke in favor of an amendment offered by Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) that would have restricted Bush’s constitutional powers to wage war against Iraq. After a minute and a half, Dayton ran out of time, prompting this exchange:

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator’s time has expired.

Mr. DAYTON. I ask for unanimous consent that I have 30 seconds more to finish my remarks.

Mr. McCAIN. I object.

Byrd stepped in to grant Dayton time to finish his remarks. But just moments later, Byrd asked for more time to speak for himself. Again, McCain objected, prompting Byrd to chide him for doing so. “This shows the patience of a Senator,” Byrd said. “This clearly demonstrates that the train is coming down on us like a Mack truck, and we are not even going to consider a few extra minutes for this Senator.”

After being publicly shamed, McCain acquiesced to Byrd’s request. But moments later, McCain added this disclaimer: “I wish to say very briefly that I understand people have a desire to speak. We have a number of Senators who have not spoken on this issue. It is already looking as if we may be here well into this evening. From now on, I will be adhering strictly to the rules.” In other words, he acted just like Franken did yesterday.

[symple19]

WTG - Repubs have short memories - anything else?

[exstatic]

Senators know how much time they have to speak. They need to tailor their remarks thusly, or THE CLOCK might cut them off. Franken was just doing his job. Nothing says he can't enjoy that, though.

What I can't wait for is for the composition of the Senate to change even one seat up or down, and for the Dems to send his NeoCon ass packing over to the the GOP caucus. He'll lose his remaining committee chair, the ability to direct pork back home, and all cred with the strong unions back home, followed shortly by the 2012 Senate election.

[exstatic]

:lol Lieberman's boyfriend jumps in and defends him.

[boutons_deux]

Liebermans profoundly deserves all the scorn and disrespect Franken and anybody else heaps on him. Now it's up to the feckless Dems to expulse Lieberman from all Congressional roles and from the Democratic party. But I expect they won't.

[Winehole23]

SO what? I don't like Franken, but I am all for somebody shaking things up.I'm not sure what gets shaken up by Franken rudely cutting short Sen. Lieberman's remarks (about a proposal Franken's spokesman said Franken agrees with and supports) -- besides the tender feelings of the GOP, or those of the concerned citizens whose eulogies freshen the mausoleum of political comity.


Maybe it will take somebody who has no idea of how things work in order to rattle the cage.Maybe.

http://zzzlist.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/sarah-palin-01.jpg

[Winehole23]

After being publicly shamed, McCain acquiesced to Byrd’s request. But moments later, McCain added this disclaimer: “I wish to say very briefly that I understand people have a desire to speak. We have a number of Senators who have not spoken on this issue. It is already looking as if we may be here well into this evening. From now on, I will be adhering strictly to the rules.” In other words, he acted just like Franken did yesterday.Senator McCain said he'd never seen such behavior in 27 years.

[Winehole23]

Must have a blind spot.

[ChumpDumper]

Senator McCain said he'd never seen such behavior in 27 years.So McCain is also a douche extraordinaire as well as a hypocrite and a liar and board Republicans are going to call him out for it.


Right?


Right?

[TheProfessor]

So McCain is also a douche extraordinaire as well as a hypocrite and a liar and board Republicans are going to call him out for it.


Right?


Right?
Good luck with that.

[iggypop123]

give mccain a break. he is old he has selective memory

[Winehole23]

give mccain a break. he is old he has selective memoryApparently so.

[Nbadan]

politically convenient selective memory apparently..

[Winehole23]

More like guile, I think

The Senior Senator from Arizona is counting on others not remembering either, or not caring. IMO he is not wrong to do so, though in so doing he lays himself open to the charge of hypocrisy, one of the commonest and also one of the least punished political vices.

McCain had an opportunity to slam Franken, while elevating himself as a lion of Senate tradition, and he took it.

[whottt]

Does anyone remember when Al Franken used to be funny?

Bush really kicked his ass :lol

[Jacob1983]

All politicians are liars and douche-bags.

[Nbadan]

All politicians are liars and douche-bags.

...and all NBA players are stoners and philanderers....

....see how stupid you sound when you make such broad generalizations...

[Nbadan]

Does anyone remember when Al Franken used to be funny?

Bush really kicked his ass :lol

You could say the same about Dennis Miller, except Franken is a Senator and Miller? ......well, not so much...

[whottt]

Dennis Miller was never funny except on Weekend Update and his ceasing to be funny had nothing to do with politics.


Al Franken OTOH actually was funny for the better part of 3 decades he was on SNL and even after he left it, until Bush gave him brain damage pretty much simply by being elected.



Now? Even liberals do not want to listen to him.


Edit: From what I know conservatives actually do listen to Dennis Miller(although I don't know for sure because I don't listen to him because I don't think he's funny).

[boutons_deux]

Friend Of Joe

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?cid=N00000616&cycle=2010&type=I&newMem=N&recs=100

[whottt]

Friends of Obama:


http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00009638


Mr Anti-corporation.

[PublicOption]

DARRINS i guess you like to hear politicians talk ad nauseum and not say anything?

you are the douche.

[boutons_deux]

Lieberman's it's-all-about-me-droning 10 minutes were up. Rules is rules.

[Blue Jew]

If you know you only have 10 minutes which by the way is enough time to make many points,and you go over the time?..... it means two things. your either new at talking to an audience, or you need to buy a watch.

[whottt]

Notice how Blue Jew avoids this thread:

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142490

[whottt]

and prefers instead to engage in discussions about whether or not Al Franken is a douchebag extraordinare.

[Winehole23]

and prefers instead to engage in discussions about whether or not Al Franken is a douchebag extraordinare.In fairness, that is the topic.

[Winehole23]

My mistake, whottt. Strike that.

You said douchebag extraordinare, that only resembles the topic. It's not the exact same thing. :hat

[elbamba]

If you know you only have 10 minutes which by the way is enough time to make many points,and you go over the time?..... it means two things. your either new at talking to an audience, or you need to buy a watch.

Or you are talking about a bill that contains thousands of pages.

[EmptyMan]

I'd rather the politicians be douche bags than politically correct pussies with hidden agendas.

I'd wreck shop if I were a Senator. These traitors are pissing on the floors of D.C., why not throw this fake civility out the window as well.

[boutons_deux]

"The recovered footage shows Sen. Dayton asking for an extra 30 seconds to complete his speech. Sen. McCain's voice can be heard off-camera: "I object."

"Either Sen. McCain cannot remember that he himself objected to a senator getting an extra 30 seconds to finish his remarks during the Iraq war debate, or Sen. McCain knows perfectly well that this stuff happens in the Senate,"


http://rawstory.com/2009/12/mccain-hypocrisy-recovered/

Stopping comments at 10 minutes is only douchebaggery when the Dems do it to Repugs.

[MavTalker]

If you know you only have 10 minutes which by the way is enough time to make many points,and you go over the time?..... it means two things. your either new at talking to an audience, or you need to buy a watch.

+ 1

Why have a 10 minute limit if your not going to enforce it?

I used to do stand up and when you get the light you have 2 minutes to wrap it up, if you go over you may not get to do another open mic,

You tree hugging butthurt homos need to get over it and learn how to tell time.

[Winehole23]

Welcome to politics, MavTalker. You'll fit right in.

[admiralsnackbar]

I'd rather the politicians be douche bags than politically correct pussies with hidden agendas.

I'd wreck shop if I were a Senator. These traitors are pissing on the floors of D.C., why not throw this fake civility out the window as well.

You wouldn't, though. Civility and openness is the bedrock of political discourse. Based on your comments, you assume majorities of people see it your way, but as a senator, it's incumbent upon you to try to discern a common ground between people, including majorities that feel your opinions aren't inclusive to their needs. That doesn't mean they aren't aren't always douchebags, but it does mean you have the need to try to appease disparate polities so as not to fail representing them, and destroy your job in the doing.