As a humourist, comic, satirist or pundit, he has the right to mock anyone he wants.

But Al is more.  He is now a political candidate, and as such, is it really a good thing to mock his potential constituents?  Like it or not, when you are elected you represent all the people in your State, not just the ones you agree with.

Apparently Al needs a lesson in what a Representative Republic is…and on how to be professional.

Franken didn’t exactly leave ‘em laughing in Northfield - Franken apparently had more fun than senior history major Peter Fritz.

Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Al Franken didn’t exactly leave ‘em laughing in Northfield.

Earlier this month Franken was at Carleton College, where the late Sen. Paul Wellstone was a professor,  for a student rally related to a special election in the state Senate District 25. After the rally in the great space of Sayles-Hill some students crowded around to take photos with the “Saturday Night  Live” alum, author, satirist and celebrity.

Franken’s spokesman Andy Barr said via e-mail Tuesday that Al “remembers having a spirited convo w/ College GOPer at the urging of some of the kid’s College Dem pals. Seemed like everyone was having a good time, or as good a time as you can have debating Reaganomics.”

Franken apparently had more fun than senior history major Peter Fritz.

According to Fritz, things started out fine with him taking photos of  fellow Carls (that’s what students call themselves) with Franken. Then Franken’s curiosity was raised about why Fritz didn’t want to be in a pic.

Apparently, his ego is such that no one should NOT want to have their picture taken?

He’s a conservative, another Carl yelled out by way of explanation.

At that point, Franken reportedly began peppering Fritz with questions about supporting  President George W. Bush and former President Ronald Reagan’s tax hikes. Fritz told me he got tense and, as he does in those situations, started chewing the inside of his mouth,, a gesture he said was mimicked by Franken; Fritz also thought  his style of speech was mocked by Franken.

So, for the unholy crime of not wanted a personal memento of meeting the great Al Franken, the kid gets called out on his politics, forced into a debate and then is mocked  regarding his physical characteristics and his speech patters?

How truly tolerant of this Democrat….

An aide eventually interrupted Franken’s act, Fritz said, by announcing to the candidate that it was time to go.

Fritz told me Monday that he then stuck out his hand to shake Franken’s. “Well, at least it’s nice to meet you,” the GOPer said he told Franken, who reportedly replied, I can’t say the same.

There  was no handshake, said Fritz.

Oh yes, and the shun…can’t forget the parting snipe and shun.

Barr, Franken’s handler, said, “Al doesn’t remember saying that, but if the kid does, then okay.. … Al takes enough pictures with people that he doubts he would ‘take umbrage’ at someone not wanting one.”

Although Fritz did not disagree with my use of the phrase “take umbrage,” that was how I characterized the moment in my e-mail to Barr.

I asked Barr if Franken’s electrolytes were on the decline, or whether he was in a bad mood, wasting such truculence on somebody who hasn’t graduated college yet.

“So electrolytes-wise I don’t know  what to tell you,” wrote Barr.

How about “Al is a habitually intolerant rude bastard?”

“Certainly, it was a long, hard day of campaigning on behalf of [DFL senator-elect] Kevin Dahle. But Al told me he had a really good time meeting all the students — even the ones who  thought he was wrong about everything.”

Yes it’s always fun to make fun of how college kids talk…

Fritz told me Wednesday he was stunned by Franken’s behavior: “I usually expect politicians to, at least, pretend  as though, even in that kind of interaction, that they can convince me or have some kind of reasonable dialogue — the whole Minnesota Nice thing, at least.”

That would be so unlike Franken…

And for Franken’s apologists who would say the Republican kid has sour grapes:

 Fritz’s version of the encounter was backed up by Pablo Kenney, prez of the  Carleton Dems.

I guess not.

Franken continues to be an ass. 

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