“Two years ago, I would have sworn that I”
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Al Franken
Alan Stuart Franken is an American politician, comedian, screenwriter, and actor who served from 2009 until his resignation in 2018 as a United States senator from Minnesota. A member of the Democratic Party, before entering politics, he worked as an entertainer, appearing on television and in film.
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culture · American comedian and politician (born 1951) · screenwriter · politician · radio personality · television actor · writer · journalist · film actor · comedian · television producer · also Al Franken, Alan Stuart "Al" Franken, Franken
Born 21 May 1951 · Q319084
87 published statements · 0 followers
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Al Franken reads Operation Chickenhawk from his book, Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot, 1996
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2026· 12 entries
“Congratulations to @peggyflanagan.bsky.social for her victory in today's primary. Now the fight begins to defeat Michele Tafoya in November and take the fight to Trump & his rubber stamps in the U.S. Senate.”
- #social
- #bluesky
- #self-published
“Good morning, Minnesotans. Today's the day to get out and vote for @peggyflanagan.bsky.social, a true progressive in the tradition of Humphrey, Mondale, & Wellstone, who will fight for Minnesotan families in the U.S. Senate!”
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- #self-published
“Of course.Here’s what happened:Bondi wouldn’t indict Comey again.Then, she got fired(for all kinds of reasons).Blanche couldn’t indict right away(too obvious), so he waits a few months & says evidence came in - a yr after Comey posted the photo.This'll get thrown out. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/29/u...”
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- #self-published
“Saddened to hear of Lindsay’s death though we so regularly disagreed. But he was a good friend and an amazingly effective Senator. Also, the funniest. (1/2)”
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Public attention spiked: 2,985 Wikipedia readers in one day, 3.1× the usual 955, with 0 article edits.
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“Happy 250th, everybody! I think our Founders would be surprised at how much money Trump made last year. And without slaves!”
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- #bluesky
- #self-published
“My son Joe’s dog, Charlie, passed last week. He was 14 years old and still a great guy. This picture of him and my second grandson, Jacob, has been my phone background for the past 10 years, because I love them both very much and also because I don’t know how to change it. (1/2)”
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“Happy 13th Birthday to my eldest grandchild, Joe. Here's the two of us playing Rummikub. He's much better than me.”
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“This Week on The Podcast: Guest Host @normornstein.bsky.social welcomes Rep. Rosa @delauro.house.gov (D-CT) to cover all the news happening in Congress. Listen to the episode: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...”
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“Happy Mother’s Day, Fran, my mother-in-law. She’s 103 this month!”
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“Watching the Dodgers with my LA grandchildren.”
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2025· 1 entry
In his first acting role in 27 years, Franken plays a U
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2024· 1 entry
The Guardian: Al Franken to play senator in Netflix comedic drama about the White House
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2021· 1 entry
The Guardian: Al Franken rules out Senate run against Gillibrand, who led push to remove him
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2019· 7 entries
The Guardian: Al Franken: senators say they regret calling for his resignation
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Published video “Sen. Al Franken Questions Patrick Pizzella, July 13, 2017”.
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PolitiFact rated the claim “Then-Sen. Al Franken "was accused credibly by eight women of groping and forceable kissing. All were corroborated in real time. Two of them were since he was a senator. And the last one that came to light was a congressional staffer."” Claim has notable support.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
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Published video “Happy Birthday Grandpa!”.
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Published video “Thank You”.
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By New Yorker journalist Jane Mayer documented substantial inaccuracies in Tweeden's allegations
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Franken said that he was sorry that he made some women feel uncomfortable, and that while he was still trying to understand what he did wrong, he felt that differentiating dissimilar kinds of behavior is important
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2018· 4 entries
Snopes.com rated the claim “An explosion at Al Franken's Montana ranch killed six people.” False.
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Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
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And Minnesota governor Mark Dayton appointed the lieutenant governor, Tina Smith, to Franken's seat until a November 2018 special election, which Smith won
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As a United States senator from Minnesota
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2017· 14 entries
Claimed: “Roy Moore, who has been accused of sexual misconduct with teenage girls, is running for the U.S. Senate in Alabama “with the full support of his party.”” — rated Exaggerates by FactCheck.org.
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The Guardian: Al Franken resigns from Senate over sexual misconduct allegations
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The Guardian: 'All women deserve to be heard': Al Franken resigns from Senate – video
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The Guardian: The rise and fall of Al Franken: from comedy to politics to disgrace
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The Guardian: 'Enough is enough': leading Democrats call on Al Franken to quit
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The Guardian: Al Franken: two more women accuse senator of sexual misconduct
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Snopes rated the claim “The photographer of the infamous Al Franken image said that the moment was staged, that Leeann Tweeden "was playing dead," and that "she wanted him to ‘revive’ her."” False.
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Radio broadcaster and model Leeann Tweeden alleged in a blog post and an interview with her radio station, 790 KABC, that Franken kissed her on a 2006 USO tour during a rehearsal for a skit
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Claimed: “"President (Ronald) Reagan did a similar thing. George H.W. Bush did a similar order" as former President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.” — rated Mostly True by PolitiFact.
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PolitiFact rated the claim ““Libtard hero Al Franken forced to resign in disgrace.”” Pants on Fire.
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Published video “Sen Franken, Top Dems Push Legislation to Crack-Down on Unfair Forced Arbitration Clauses”.
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Published video “Sen. Al Franken Live Stream”.
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Published video “Senator Al Franken Speaks out in Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing”.
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Career landmark: United States senator (2017–2018).
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2016· 2 entries
Snopes.com rated the claim “Senator Al Franken told a CNN interviewer that his judgment as a superdelegate was more important than that of his constituency.” Mostly False.
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Published video “Sen. Franken's Floor Statement on Amendment to Establish a National Energy Efficiency Standard”.
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2015· 5 entries
Published video “Sen. Franken's Floor Statement on Paris Climate Negotiations”.
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Published video “Sen. Franken Calls on Senate to Pass “No Child Left Behind” Reform”.
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Published video “Sen. Franken's Floor Statement on SAVE Benefits Act”.
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Career landmark: United States senator (2015–2017).
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During Loretta Lynch's confirmation hearings, Franken asked her about the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, reiterating concern for the aggressive prosecution of Aaron Swartz in United States v
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2014· 4 entries
Election won: 2014 election.
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His seat was thought to be a top target for the Republicans because of his very slim margin of victory in 2008
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Campaign: 2014 election.
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Objected to efforts to privatize Social Security or cut benefits, favoring raising the cap on wages to which Social Security taxes apply
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2013· 5 entries
Franken voted to remove a provision that would repeal Obamacare's medical device tax from a government funding bill, saying that though he supported the provision, he disagreed with its being used as a condition for prev
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Franken received the Stewart B
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That, contrary to expectations, Franken did not seek out the media spotlight: "He rarely talks to the Washington press corps, has shed his comedic persona and focused on policy, working to be taken seriously
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That Franken supported the National Security Agency's data mining programs, believing they had saved lives, and that "I can assure you, this is not about spying on the American people
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Career landmark: United States senator (2013–2015).
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2011· 1 entry
Career landmark: United States senator (2011–2013).
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2010· 1 entry
Franken presided over the confirmation vote of Elena Kagan
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2009· 7 entries
Engaging in a discussion with a group of Tea Party protesters on health care reform, began circulating on the Internet and soon went viral
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Franken presided over the confirmation vote of Sonia Sotomayor to be an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
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The Minnesota Supreme Court unanimously rejected Coleman's appeal and said that Franken was entitled to be certified as the winner
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Was presented with the USO Metro Merit Award for his ten years of involvement with the organization
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Coleman's campaign filed an election contest which led to a trial before a three-judge panel
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The Minnesota State Canvassing Board certified the recounted vote totals, with Franken ahead by 225 votes
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Career landmark: United States senator (2009–2011).
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2008· 3 entries
Franken was endorsed by the DFL
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Campaign: 2008 election.
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Defeating incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman by 312 votes out of nearly three million cast (a margin of just over 0
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2007· 3 entries
Franken's campaign stated that it expected to announce that he had raised more money than his Republican opponent, Norm Coleman, during the second quarter of the year, taking in $1
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At the end of which he announced his candidacy for the United States Senate
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Franken announced his departure from Air America Radio, and on the day of his final show, February 14, he formally announced his candidacy for the United States Senate from Minnesota in 2008
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2006· 2 entries
Franken touched her buttock in a photo line at an event for Patty Murray
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Franken leaned in toward her face during a handshake and gave her "a wet, open-mouthed kiss" on the cheek when she turned her face aside
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2005· 3 entries
Released album “The Al Franken Show Party Album”.
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Franken announced his move to Minnesota: "I can tell you honestly, I don't know if I'm going to run, but I'm doing the stuff I need to do in order to do it
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“I can tell you honestly, I don”
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2004· 3 entries
The show aired three hours a day, five days a week for three years
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Released album “The O'Franken Factor Factor”.
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Franken favored transitioning to a universal health care system, with the provision that every child in America would receive health care coverage immediately
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2003· 1 entry
Franken served as a Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy
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1999· 1 entry
Franken released a parody book, Why Not Me
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1995· 2 entries
Franken wrote and starred in the film Stuart Saves His Family, which was based on his SNL character Stuart Smalley
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Franken left the show in protest over losing the role of Weekend Update anchor to Norm Macdonald
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1991· 1 entry
“In the United States of America, satire is protected speech, even if the object of the satire doesn’t get it.”
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1973· 1 entry
Studied at Harvard College, Bachelor of Arts (1973).
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1969· 1 entry
Where he was a member of the wrestling team
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1951· 1 entry
Born 1951-05-21.
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