By: Gregg Levine Tuesday June 30, 2009 2:41 pm

“Minnesotans have earned the right to take pride in the transparency” of the recount process, said Franken, but, the Junior Senator points out, during that time, the people of Minnesota have suffered greatly from the economic downturn. Franken spoke in Minnesota after receiving a call from former Senator Norm Coleman conceding the 2008 election.

“I am not going to Washington to be the 60th Democratic Senator,” said Franken to a crowd of supporters and assembled media, “I am going to be the second Senator from the state of Minnesota.”

~~Video coming soon.~~

Mike Allen of Politico and Susan Page, appearing on Hardball immediately following the Franken presser, both stressed that Franken’s vote in the Senate should strengthen the hand of Democrats who want health care reform to include a public option. “This should put some calcium in their backbones,” said Allen.

You know what would really put some spine in their spines? A House vote on a bill that had a robust public option available to all on day one. You can make that happen—use our whip tool!

27 Comments

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27 Responses to “Senator Franken Speaks”

Loo Hoo. June 30th, 2009 at 3:01 pm

Franken’s got spine…go so much spine!

cathy June 30th, 2009 at 3:06 pm

Bill O’Reilly will pop a vein tonight.

Albatross June 30th, 2009 at 3:12 pm

Here’s my letter to the very pro-Coleman Minnesota Star Tribune, we’ll see if they print it…

The Republican party made a mockery of the memorial service for Senator Wellstone, and his wife and daughter. Honest calls to continue Wellstone’s legacy were turned into fodder for exaggerated Republican umbrage to win that Senate campaign. Senator Franken has repeatedly stated that his disgust over the Republican misrepresentation of the memorial is what moved him to challenge Senator Coleman. Hopefully the Republicans will learn a lesson from this rare loss by an incumbent senator, that a victory built upon the shallow foundations of puffery and misrepresentation inspired its own eventual defeat.

By the way, when I said “misrepresentation” I actually meant “lies,” but I know from experience the Strib won’t print THAT letter…

barbara June 30th, 2009 at 3:25 pm

OMG, OMG, OMG, I have been gone all afternoon and was incommunicado. Just half an hour ago, I discovered I have a new senator. I am over the moon. And if I am over the moon, where do you suppose that puts Al and Frannie?

Albatross, I’ve had some success with LTEs to the Strib, though I haven’t written for a while, but I’d say you have a good shot at it. They do more or less balance LTEs.

Teddy Partridge June 30th, 2009 at 3:26 pm

In response to cathy @ 2

Exploding Big Giant buffoon Head everywhere.

greenwarrior June 30th, 2009 at 3:28 pm

In response to cathy @ 2

from your mouth…..

NorskeFlamethrower June 30th, 2009 at 3:31 pm

AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…

Citizen Greg Levine and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:

Until recently, I was one of the many out here in the mean progressives streets who didn’t put much stock in the 60 vote threshold for Democrats in the Senate…however, I feel that the politics of our country and the internal politics of the Congress just passed a watershed. With a growing majority in the House and now a bullet proof majority in the Senate, the elected leadership in the Democratic Party, beginnin’ with President Obama, have all the bricks in place to build a new political structure that isolates and marginalizes the fascist opposition. Ironically (there’s that word again that scares the shit out of the wingnuts, lunatics and other assorted “movement conservatives”) it is the fascist strategy of scorched earth obstruction that has forced the Democrats to make a Sherman-like forced march unilaterally through the opposition on all the important domestic issues from healthcare, EFCA and energy through federal appointments. If Harry Reid can’t keep his caucus together for 60 votes for cloture on any issue then he won’t be majority leader for any length of time longer than it takes to say Dick Durbin.

KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, THE BATTLEFIELD IS CLEARED AND THE GUNS ARE SILENT…SHIT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN!!!

RevBev June 30th, 2009 at 3:32 pm

In response to barbara @ 4

And congratulations Barbara. I was just posting about how classy he was in his news conference + we are sort of all his constituents, having pulled for him for so long, starting with Air America and this long contest. Enjoy…how nice for you to have 2 Senators. He told a nice story about a conversation with a new citizen who had the question: How many Senators are there? A: 100. Al: No, 99.

I really like his wife, also,and how he seems to treat her….Enjoy. And now there are 2.

barbara June 30th, 2009 at 3:34 pm

In response to RevBev @ 8

Thanks. And congratulations to all of us. The waiting has been tres tense, eh? And finally, it tilted left and stayed there. One of the first Republican losses of a nail-biter at the national level, or so I’ve been told (open to but, but, but…). You know who must be REALLY over the moon? Amy Klobuchar, the lone senator.

Teddy Partridge June 30th, 2009 at 3:34 pm

What a relief this must be for Amy Klobuchar and her staff, who have worked so hard to meet Minnesotans’ needs these past months. Congratulations to all of them for a job very well done.

barbara June 30th, 2009 at 3:38 pm

In response to Teddy Partridge @ 10

Teddy! We’re brilliant!

RevBev June 30th, 2009 at 3:40 pm

In response to barbara @ 11

With a brilliant new Senator..I hope he really soars. I think he has a acquaintance with the truth..

Kassandra June 30th, 2009 at 3:45 pm

Mr. Smith goes to Washington. I’m PINK I’m so tickled!

No more excuses, Dems/ Obama

NelsonAlgren June 30th, 2009 at 3:52 pm

In response to Teddy Partridge @ 5

Boss Limbaugh was already whining that the election was stolen from Stormin’ Norm

RevBev June 30th, 2009 at 3:55 pm

In response to NelsonAlgren @ 14

As if anyone cares what Oh, Bah, says.

Adie June 30th, 2009 at 4:10 pm

O.M.G.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No time even to check in for news till just now.

Whooot! Congrats Minnesota!!! Suggest you send the bill for obscene legal costs to the RNC.

We’ve worked today till we’re ready to drop, but all of a sudden there’s adrenalin to spare.

THANKS to AL FRANKIN for being totally stubborn when it served the nation.
I hope he can take a breath over the 4th while all the OTHER senators have to campaign and explain and pain.

HOO! RAY!

Waccamaw June 30th, 2009 at 4:10 pm

If we’re very, very good pups may be both Keef *and* Rachel will be on duty tonight…….would be a shame for them to waste such a good news day by being AWOL.

Adie June 30th, 2009 at 4:13 pm

In response to RevBev @ 12

agreed. thank you for looking beyond the moment to the promise of the future.

Adie June 30th, 2009 at 4:16 pm

right now on my teevee, MSNBC is hazarding a guess that, my gosh, Franken can actually sound just as serious as he needs to be. (paraphrased; unable to cope with more nonsense at the moment.)

This is a good day.

Adie June 30th, 2009 at 4:20 pm

over & out, with a WHOOP! of joy.

to the doubters out there, yes, we are used to having to work to exhaustion when we have to. we know it won’t be easy for Franken, or us.

Still…. ;-)!

RevBev June 30th, 2009 at 4:24 pm

In response to Adie @ 19

For us, citizens, I do think that the seriousness comes in as one more step to move away from the lies and tragedies of the W-Dick years…It is serious time with so much work to do…Let it begin; let it succeed. Isn’t it sweet that Al can be a voice and be in position to help us all.

midiwiz June 30th, 2009 at 5:19 pm

Cya Norm…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75yo42QvSPM

Sara June 30th, 2009 at 5:57 pm

For those in driving distance of downtown St. Paul, The DFL is calling a Victory Rally for Senator Franken for Tomorrow, July 1, on the ground of the State Capitol. Time 12:00 Noon. Senator Franken to speak.

It is about time to finally have the Victory Rally we all expected or hoped for last November.

Adie June 30th, 2009 at 6:39 pm

In response to RevBev @ 21

Amen. I personally look fwd to the populace learning that a “funny guy” can also be a brilliant and deep thinker.

I can dream.

Hmmm June 30th, 2009 at 7:27 pm

Well. That was easy, wasn’t it?

(Hmmm ducks.)

Congratulations, all. Go team, Yay us!

Now, speaking of ducks, let’s get them BlooDawgs in a line and START DELIVERING MEANINGFUL BILLS IN THE SENATE already, dammit.

MrWhy June 30th, 2009 at 9:12 pm