Franken’s book release and book tour thread

[Mr. Morden]

I’m starting this rather early, but only because Franken is already doing interviews about the book.  His new book, “Al Franken, Giant of the Senate” comes out on May 30th.  Franken has already given a Shermanesque denial of 2020 ambitions (which he gives again in this interview), but not everyone believes him.  And indeed, in the USA Today interview I link to below, his answer is more ambiguous.

Anyway, here is the short take on Franken from People, which will have a longer Franken story in this week’s issue:

http://people.com/politics/sen-al-franken-is-flattered-by-buzz-but-definitely-not-running-for-president-in-2020/

And here is a USA Today interview that talks about the content of the book:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/23/al-franken-comedian-turned-senator-takes-donald-trump-tv-star-turned-president/101931684/

One interesting note from that story: Franken’s description of his early troubles with Obama:

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[The Other Castro]

This is going to be a good book:

[Mr. Morden]

Here's a trailer for the book:

http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/al-franken-giant-of-the-senate-book-trailer.html

[Mr. Morden]

Ted Cruz is not happy:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/24/ted-cruz-al-franken-book-giant-of-the-senate-238782

[Shadows]

He is Lyin' Ted so I see no problem with Franken here - His rating just went higher in my mind !

Lyinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn' Tedddddddddd !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mr. Morden]

NY Times interview with Franken on his reading habits:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/25/books/review/al-franken-by-the-book.html

Franken was also on CBS this morning, and here’s a clip on his dislike (hatred?) of Ted Cruz:

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/335446-franken-explains-why-he-made-an-exception-to-diss-cruz-in-his

[The Other Castro]

I got tickets to a Franken DC book talk in June, so maybe I'll get to ask if he's at all interested in running for president.

[Mr. Morden]

I got tickets to a Franken DC book talk in June, so maybe I'll get to ask if he's at all interested in running for president.

He's probably not going to say anything new on that question.  But one thing you can try is to ask him if he's looked into whether it's legal in Minnesota to run for president and Senate at the same time. 

[Hoosier_Nick]

On a related note, when I met him in D.C. as I was leaving, I said "Franken 2020!" and he just laughed. Not that it's much relevant, I just thought it was funny.

[hueylong]

On a related note, when I met him in D.C. as I was leaving, I said "Franken 2020!" and he just laughed. Not that it's much relevant, I just thought it was funny.

Do you have any more Franken anecdotes?

[Hoosier_Nick]

On a related note, when I met him in D.C. as I was leaving, I said "Franken 2020!" and he just laughed. Not that it's much relevant, I just thought it was funny.

Do you have any more Franken anecdotes?

When I met him he gave his reasoning why he planned on voting against Gorsuch, which was super sound (this happened in late-March since I was there when the hearings were going on).

And at the beginning of the speech to the crows before the meet-and-greet, he said that "a lot of Democrats who hadn't considered running are going to start considering it," but when people mentioned him (including myself), he brushed it off.

That's all I can really think of. I didn't get too good of a convo with him other than a photo-op, a hand-shake and my suggestion for 2020 (lol).

[Hoosier_Nick]

On a related note, when I met him in D.C. as I was leaving, I said "Franken 2020!" and he just laughed. Not that it's much relevant, I just thought it was funny.

Do you have any more Franken anecdotes?

When I met him he gave his reasoning why he planned on voting against Gorsuch, which was super sound (this happened in late-March since I was there when the hearings were going on).

And at the beginning of the speech to the crows before the meet-and-greet, he said that "a lot of Democrats who hadn't considered running are going to start considering it," but when people mentioned him (including myself), he brushed it off.

That's all I can really think of. I didn't get too good of a convo with him other than a photo-op, a hand-shake and my suggestion for 2020 (lol).

[Mr. Morden]

Video of Franken's appearance on Morning Joe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2CN4I8vdUY

[Mr. Morden]

The Cruz-Franken feud continues:

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/335822-franken-dem-colleague-dropped-cruzs-name-during-secret-santa-name-drawing

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[Mr. Morden]

WaPo has yet more about the Cruz-Franken "blood feud":

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/06/01/the-guy-who-microwaves-fish-in-the-office-inside-al-frankens-blood-feud-with-ted-cruz/?utm_term=.22a2b3d3cd38

[Mr. Morden]

Franken now wants Kathy Griffin out of an event he was scheduled to do with her:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/01/al-franken-kathy-griffin-cancels-event-239047

[Shadows]

Al Franken is the biggest FF in the Senate now taking down Cruz !

[Technocracy Timmy]

I remember reading somewhere that Al Franken won't run if his same state colleague Klobuchar jumps in. Is there any truth to that?

[Mr. Morden]

Franken cancels his scheduled appearance on Real Time over Bill Maher's use of the n-word:

http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/al-franken-cancels-real-time-with-bill-maher-appearance-n-word-1202454539/