Al Franken’s only competitor dropped from the Democratic primary race for US Senator representing Minnesota.
AP reported:
Al Franken won a resounding endorsement for the U.S. Senate on Saturday from Minnesota Democrats, quickly dispatching with concerns about jokes that offended some and promising a tough challenge to Republican Sen. Norm Coleman.
“To the people of Minnesota, let me say this: I’m not a perfect person,” said Franken, a former “Saturday Night Live” writer and performer. “I’m not going to pretend to have all the answers. But I’ll tell the truth, I will keep my spine, and I will work for you.”
Franken’s only competitor, college professor and peace activist Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, withdrew after Franken passed the necessary 60 percent threshold on the first ballot. Nelson-Pallmeyer proposed that delegates unanimously back Franken, putting him over the top.
Franken’s show of strength came as something of a surprise after a rocky few weeks in which some Democrats, led by U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, criticized a racy column he wrote for Playboy magazine in 2000 and, earlier this week, joking comments he was reported to have made about rape that were included in a 1995 New York magazine article about “Saturday Night Live.”
…Nelson-Pallmeyer said he would work for Franken’s election and won’t run in the Democratic primary in September, and for now Franken is facing no opposition. But trial attorney Mike Ciresi, who dropped out of the endorsement race several months ago, has said in recent days that he is considering running in the primary.
Besides his torrid wacky past, Franken will have to contend with Minnesota Democrats Exposed– a blog that has been doing yeomen’s work in Minnesota dogging Franken and doing the investigative work the MSM won’t do.
Al Franken hsa been involved in many scandals including a report this year that he failed to comply with workers’ comp, disability benefits laws.
By the way…
FRANKEN DIDN’T APOLOGIZE TODAY FOR HIS GRAPHIC JOKES AND SATIRE
McClatchy Watch has more on the tax cheat and former Air America host.
