Leslie Martin: A funny guy and, quite seriously, much more

Al Franken has a long list of qualities. Don't form an opinion without it.

By LESLIE MARTIN

Last update: January 9, 2008 - 7:03 PM

You can call him Al. Just don't call him a comedian-turned-politician. Please.

This description omits too much information about Al Franken, who hopes to be Minnesota's next U.S. senator.

For years, media people have been calling on Franken as a political analyst they could count on for incisive and insightful views with a side order of wit. I have a hard time believing that these same media folk have forgotten that. Now all they remember is the comedy part.

As a Franken supporter and campaign volunteer, I want people to know the whole story, especially because Al's political opponents have tried to use his past career as a comedy writer and performer against him. Maybe that's all they can think of.

In fact, he has appeared as a political analyst and commentator on such news programs as "The McLaughlin Group," "The Situation Room," ABC's "This Week," "Larry King Live" and numerous other shows on every major network.

Franken helped found Air America to bring voices of progressive politics to the airwaves. Among the regular truth-tellers on Franken's award-winning radio show were generals, professors, writers and activists who provided factual information on everything from the war to global warming to secrets our elected officials didn't want us to know. Franken always had a handle on the issues and came prepared with questions to help enlighten his audience.

Did I mention his Harvard education or his fellowship at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, at the Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy?

He has been traveling the state showing Minnesotans that he is, in fact, a regular guy -- a regular guy who happens to be very funny and who has a keen grasp of the issues as well as the intelligence and character to be a statesman and leader.

We've had plenty of elected officials who came from endeavors besides law and politics. A certain star of "Bedtime for Bonzo" (Ronald Reagan) and a failed owner of an oil company and a baseball team (our current president) both entered politics and managed to hang on for two terms as president without the brilliance that Franken demonstrates. Besides, the quintessential Baby Boomer has multiple careers, sometimes all at once.

As for Franken's background as a satirist, some of the most-respected political commentators in our nation's history have been writers and satirists, if not TV stars -- Ben Franklin, Mark Twain and Will Rogers among them. There's nothing wrong with making people laugh while making them think.

You can say he's formerly a comedian by trade, and he's certainly still a funny guy. But if you call him a comedian-turned-politician, please be sure to tell the whole story.

Leslie Martin, who has careers in communications, teaching and other enterprises, lives in Mendota Heights.

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