Funnyman Franken Faces Serious Challenges in Senate Bid

Jan. 10, 2008 — -- Say the name Al Franken and most people think of his comedy on "Saturday Night Live" or his controversial books and radio talk shows.

But after a 15-year run on the late-night comedy hit — where he was best known for Stuart Smalley's daily self-affirmations, often ending with "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!" — and a three-year stint as a radio talk show host, Franken now wants people to think of him as a U.S. senator.

In February, Franken ditched his Air America radio show and declared his candidacy for Minnesota's Senate seat currently held by Republican Norm Coleman.

"There was a great deal of initial interest in Al's campaign, some of it probably motivated by curiosity as much as anything else, but the crowds are still huge and energetic, and I think that speaks to his ability to turn the initial enthusiasm into real support and real momentum — not just for winning this campaign, but for really making a difference in Washington," said Andy Barr, Franken's communications director.

On the strength of relentless grass-roots campaigning and impressive fundraising results — in part, thanks to some big-money Hollywood fundraisers — it's clear that Franken's campaign is no joke.

And that's exactly the message he's trying to communicate to voters.

To convince Minnesotans that he should be their future representative on Capitol Hill, Franken has worked hard to shed his funnyman past for a more serious political present.

"Franken, at least to the people who have followed the race closely, is clearly serious," said Larry Jacobs, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota. "This is not a comedy routine. He is working very hard, and he's got an intelligent platform. You might disagree with it, but it's not a comedy routine."