Not having read it, I couldn't say. But I do know about Al Franken. He's a failed comedy hack who's trying desperately to resurrect his moribund career by becoming a "pundit". And the liberals in this country are his target audience, very likely because he wouldn't be able to compete for a share of the conservative audience. The guy's a loser.
Well, to be fair Franken is really a satirist. But he did start his career as a comedy writer, and his film (authored and starring Franken and Davis-one of the funniest comedy teams of 70's) "One More Saturday Night" is not too bad for an early 80's Canadian teen sex comedy. I'm not a fan of Franken's political beliefs or his books, but the guys is just making a living in a country where we are allowed to express our opinions. The fact he is a writer by profession who has specialized in politics throughout his career (Harvard Lampoon, National Lampoon, Saturday Night Live), gives his opinions a little more weight in the national media (than say, Barbra, Penn, any Baldwin, Clinton). It doesn't mean he is right, but it is just what he does for a living now. Funny thing is that Franken started out as a Republican and turned Democrat. Much like how Dennis Miller started out Democrat and turned Repbulican. Both are funny, and both put their own political slant in their work. To me, Miller is much more funny because Franken comes off as spiteful. Anyway, my point is that I can live with Franken's act, he is just a satirist looking to make a buck. What bothers me is Al Gore looking to start an all news network geared toward an MTV audience, making no secret that it will be a news station with a liberal slant. We already have local news, CNN, MSNBC, Foxnews, BBC, International News, etc, etc, etc . . . what do we need with another 24/7 news station destined to be crappy b/c adults (much less politians like Gore) have no idea how to market cool to young people. Does Gore really think young people are excited about an all news stations geared like MTV? Do we need another liberal slanted all news network? Anyone want to place bets on how long this network will last? I give it 6 months.
No one is talking about sensoring Mr. Franken or any scumballs like him. Just as he has a right to do his thing, we have a right to talk about how asinine his thing is..
The right wing thinks anything that is not far right freedom-hating dogma and opinion is unfair and unbalanced. The complained that the media didn't sufficiently investigate clinton's sex life (so right wing sleaze like hyde and burton could have some jerk off material), although the media did investigate it ad nauseum. And then when the media refused to do a very modicum of research into the adultery of clinton's accusers - the republican house leadership - they didn't say a word. They demand 2 dozen investigations into the death of Vince Foster, but when an aide dies IN THE OFFICE of a far right congress person, who then quickly retires, they say nothing and cheer him on WHEN HE IS GIVEN A CNBC gig. Their favorite spokesman, caught with a needle in his arm (and the junkie finances his monkey via financial transactions aimed at avoiding reporting laws), deserves pampered drug treatment, while they (and he) demand that everyone else get sent to the pen. Fair and balanced, the right has no interest in. They demand a different set of rules for themselves and everyone else.
The lunatic-fringe ramblings speaks for itself...However: Hyde, Burton et al were not being accused of sexual harassment. Clinton was. Figure it out. Foster? Prescription drug addiction after surgery the same as heroin addiction? Conclusion: You are a F-ing Idiot and a perfect example of deranged leftist thinking (or lack thereof)
I didn't think my post called out people looking to censure Franken. I was just saying he is not a talentless hack who should keep his mouth shut. He does offer more to the political disscusion than the other Hollywood/NY actor liberals out there bashing the president and our country for no reason other than getting some face time. My point was about fair and balanced news. Can Al Gore's planned liberal all news network with a liberal slant geared toward the MTV crowd, be considered fair and balanced? For anyone who doesn't see the bias in news coverage based on which party is in office, check out the book "Bias".
Typical of the extreme right - engage in the ad homenim and attack people personally when you have no arguments to uphold your double standard. Lose an election? Try to overturn it. Clinton was sued civilly for sexual harassment - allegations that dealt with the time he was GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS. Congress investigated the Lewinsky situation which DID NOT INVOLVE sexual harassment. What were the government investigations by Hyde and Burton about? Why didn't they call for investigations into their sex lives? They were about a complete disdain for the constitution and an attempt to oeverthrow an election (a disdain universally held by the far right - especially the constitutional notions of individual sovreignty over government power) I am talking about Rush Limbo, the thrice-married chickenhawk extraordinaire and hero to the far right, who PURCHASED HIS DRUGS ON THE STREET from a drug dealer. He never made a distinction in his call for PRISON for drug USERS. He never made a distinction as to HOW you got addicted Until he is caught, that is. No use getting into how, when he gets a non-political job discussing sports, he has to throw their skin color into the discussion. but that's what we expect from the party of duke. Concluson - the right wing has one set of standards for themselves and another for everyone else.
