Satirist Franken announces bid for US Senate

[Ron Burgundy]

AFP - Comedian Al Franken, known for his lacerating satire of the American right, discarded his customary wisecracks as he announced soberly he would run for the US Senate.

In a video posted on his website, there were no gags or barbs as Franken confirmed earlier reports that he would make a bid to become Minnesota's next senator.

Franken, who won Emmy awards for his writing on the hit show "Saturday Night Live," pleaded with voters to take his candidacy seriously -- even though he owes his fame to comedy sketches and joke-writing.

"I'm not a typical politician. I've spent most of my career as a comedian," Franken said.

"Minnesotans have a right to be skeptical about whether I'm ready for this challenge and they'll wonder how seriously I would take the responsibility that I'm asking you to give me," Franken said.

"I want you to know that nothing means more to me than making government work better for the working families of this state, and over the next 20 months I will look forward to proving to you why I take these issues seriously," said Franken, who grew up in Minnesota.

Franken's announcement completes his evolution from an award-winning television comic writer and performer to a partisan liberal activist who raised money for Democratic candidates in legislative elections last year.

Franken is seeking the Democratic nomination to take on incumbent Republican Norm Coleman (news, bio, voting record), who has held the seat since 2003.

The comedian's announcement coincided with the final day of his radio talk-show in which he blends ridicule of President George W. Bush's Republicans with serious-minded criticism.

Franken lampooned right-wing commentators in his best-selling 1996 book, "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations," and was sued over the title of another satiric bestseller, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right."

Fox News television argued in court that the title infringed its trademark slogan "Fair and Balanced," but a judge dismissed the highly-publicized suit.

In his video, Franken spoke in an earnest tone of his middle-class roots and made an impassioned plea for government scholarships and other programs designed to help low or middle-income Americans.

He said middle class families were "being squeezed harder and harder every year" by the rising cost of health care and university tuition.

Addressing Minnesota voters, Franken said: "Maybe you know what it's like to be one health care crisis away from bankruptcy ... Maybe someone you love is in Iraq and you don't know how long they'll have to stay there or what will happen when they come home."

Working families were struggling with "the sense that things can fall apart without notice, outside of your control," Franken said.

"Your government should have your back. That should be our mission in Washington."

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070215/pl_afp/usvotecongress [link]