Via USAT: Liberal talk radio network Air America finds a buyer, Franken will leave:
The network says Franken’s last day on the air will be Feb. 14, and his noon-3 p.m. ET time slot would be taken by Portland, Ore.-based talk show host Thom Hartmann.The network didn’t say why Franken is leaving, but Franken told the AP earlier this month that he had contacted Minnesota lawmakers to seek advice about a possible run for the Senate.
One guesses that Franken is serious about a Senate run.
I do wonder, however, if he really has the proper temperament for politics. Running for office/governing are a tad different than being a highly partisan radio host.
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They found a buyer for Air America. Would have been nice if the buyer could have included Al Franken and then put him in storage.
Like we need him in politics.
Comment by Stanford Matthews — Monday, January 29, 2024 @ 8:20 pm
Well, if Minnesota will elect Jesse Ventura, Franken might have a shot. However, just as Ventura found out it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, Franken is likely to find the same.
But I must say, I think Franken is more suited to politics than Ventura ever was.
Comment by Jan — Monday, January 29, 2024 @ 9:45 pm
Jan: Franken is more suited to politics than Ventura ever was.
I think so, but being a Senator is rather different from being a Governor. It’s hard for me to imagine someone like Franken (or Ventura) as one of a 100. Then again, the Senate is not exactly filled with shrinking violets as it is, and his presence would surely enliven the cloakroom.
I’ll miss his radio program, though. He’s good.
Comment by MSS — Tuesday, January 30, 2024 @ 9:44 am
Tangentially related: One hears often of Liberal Hollywood, but I can’t off the top of my head name one entertainer-turned-Democrat office holder. Al Franken would be the first I can think of. Meanwhile, I can name lots of Republicans who are former entertainers:
Ronald Reagan
The Governator
Fred Thompson
Sonny Bono
That guy from the Love Boat
Clint Eastwood
Why is that?
Comment by LaurenceB — Tuesday, January 30, 2024 @ 9:59 am
Off the top of my head I can only think of Ben “Cooter” Whateverhislastnameis from Dukes of Hazzard–he was Democrat from Georgia (altough, on balance, a moderate to conservative one, I think).
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Tuesday, January 30, 2024 @ 10:24 am
Hey, I googled this a little bit.
Wikipedia has a list of “celebrities with links to the Republican Party”. There are 16 (past or present) office-holders. The equivalent list for Democrats has only three office-holders, and one of those is John Glenn - not exactly a hollywood celebrity turned politician.
That’s quite a discrepancy. What’s up with this? Is there a plausible explanation?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:MisfitToys/List_of_celebrities_with_links_to_the_U.S._Republican_Party
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:MisfitToys/List_of_celebrities_with_links_to_the_U.S._Democratic_Party
By the way, they missed “Cooter” (as I did). So I guess that says something about the accuracy of these lists. Still…
Comment by LaurenceB — Wednesday, January 31, 2024 @ 10:27 am