'Old Iron Pants' Franken...

Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:33 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Congress, Courts

From MSNBC's Adam Verdugo
Newly minted Democratic Sen. Al Franken may get a new nickname: “Old Iron Pants,” a name given to famed TV newsman Walter Cronkite because he never seemed to need a bathroom break.

The junior senator from Minnesota had to wait until yesterday, Day Three, to make his high-profile debut during the confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor, and he seemingly never departed his perch stage left of Judiciary committee dais.

The former Saturday Night Live star, who once parodied the role of a senator during Clarence Thomas' confirmation hearing for the popular sketch show, looked more like a student rather than a comedian. During the hearing yesterday, the senator was seen listening intently and taking copious notes. Unlike most senators who come and go during the hearing for various reasons as they please, Franken -- the committee’s most junior member -- appeared to stay in his seat for the duration. At one point, he was the only other Democratic senator present other than the chairman, Sen. Patrick Leahy.

The Franken “marathon session,” however, ended on Day Three when Franken flashed a handwritten note to aides that were seated directly behind him. The aides flashed a smile back to their boss, and moments later he was seen departing the hearing room for what seemed to be the first time.

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Comments

Franken is wearing a Depends.

Alda Simmons, Kansas City (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:41 AM)

Simple. Rubberbands.

Grayerson (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:42 AM)

The comic is truly a joke.

Dems will elect anything ... with ACORN's help.

Moon Dawg (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:44 AM)

Franken is one of many poster boys for next years election. Just put a screen shot of his goofy mug up and have a voice over say: "You want this guy in charge?"

Republican landslide.

Deb T., Illinois (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:45 AM)

Senator Franken's comment yesterday about the WH not briefing her on the which Perry Mason show the prosecutor finally won during the Sotomeyor hearing added a nice touch of levity!

About time after having to sit there and listen to the stale pale male's ramble on about alot to do about NOTHING!

Ironic how the Republicants wanted more time to review her case files... but... are fixated on nothing more than 'sound bites'

Simply too predictable!

Feisty Redhead Roselle,IL (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:45 AM)

This as opposed to Schumer, who is known as Old Iron Head.

Maggie Mays, Upstate NY (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:48 AM)

Let's hear from cry baby '... New Haven firefighter Frank Ricci,..'

When Crybaby Ricci took the Firefighter entrance exam, he FAILED !!
He couldn't pass !!
That's when he knew the test was BIASED
Crybaby Ricci SUED for a PASSING GRADE and won !!

When Crybaby Ricci PASSED the promotion exam, he knew it was FAIR
It had to be HE PASSED

(he probably cheated)

Sue if you DON'T PASS
Sue if you PASS

That's the secret of Cruybaby Ricci's success !!

(What a role model for white youth)

MSierra, SF (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:48 AM)

Spongebob Iron Pants. The guy is a cartoon character.

Walt D., CA (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:49 AM)

I have to ask-did anyone on First Read actually watch his question eriod?

If I were fromMinnesota, I'd lie and say I was from somewhere else.

He asked her about their shared passion-PERRY MASON!!!
Recapped the "two minutes to the half hour, the real killer confessed", was surprised that watching the show made her desire to be a presecutor-since the presecutor was always wrong, until reminded that once, he was right-
it was bizarre. it was ridiculous. It was embarrasing.

Franken may not be much of a comedien, but he sure is a joke.

no joe, no bo, nj (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:51 AM)

Okay, I like an occasional lighthearted story, but the bathroom break angle? Really?

lol

From previous post:

"The public option will put private insurance out of business and cost many jobs. In the proposal, companies will be required to pay an 8% fee is they don't offer health insurance to employees. That 8%, in most cases, will be less that what they pay for private insurance, so it will only make financial sense to drop the coverage and force them into the public option. -Va Ind
===================================================
So to be clear, you are complaining because businesses may SAVE money by using the public option?

If the biggest problem with the public option is that it will save businesses money, then it seems like we are in pretty good shape, eh?

+++++++++++++++++++++++

The other side of it is if they can outsource that work, they save even more. This bill will promote more outsourcing and reduction in employer provided benefits. --Va Ind
=========================================
Um, American jobs are ALREADY being outsourced . . . thus the whole "unemployment" crisis since our economy is now based on consuming instead of producing . . . seems like businesses with lower healthcare costs might be able to keep some of those jobs here . . . logical possibility, no? (Of course, fear is not based in logic, right?)

Nashville_fan (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:53 AM)

I think he is genuinely engaged in the process and thrilled to be there. I took his Perry Mason analogy as heartfelt. Minnesotans are very lucky to have such a public servant.

Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:55 AM)

Too bad that Senator Al Franken will be remembered more for his ability to hold it in rather than for his excellent questions. He did ask some good questions, getting into the 15th Amendment and other relevant topics. He's showing a good work ethic, something his fellow senators ought to mimic, especially the repugnant ones. The funniest thing about Al is that he's proven far smarter than the dopes of nope who are doing nothing but whining about her wise Latina woman comment.

In Senator Al Franken We Trust!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:59 AM)

That's the secret of Cruybaby Ricci's success !!

(What a role model for white youth)
MSierra, SF (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:48 AM)

He learned that from Obama - he sued everyone he ran against in Chicago - and won!

BoBo is corrupt (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:07 AM)

F.Y.I. of those that are afraid of jobs being out sourced...George H.W. Bush was elected in 1988 and continued Reagans policies, Bush ended his Presidency on a moderate note, signing regulatory bills like the Americans With Disabilities Act and a law mandating that toilets use low amounts of water, and negotiating NAFTA. In 1992.

Bill Clinton fulfilled a brotherhood promise. Clinton is a 33rd Degree Mason, just as George H.W.Bush is. He could have refused to go through with NAFTA, but didn't. It was a "brotherhood deal".

Thank Reagan for the down sizing of the steel industry and for the Japanese auto imports. The deal he struck with them pretty much sold out the US Automakers to date and damn near shut the steel industry down. It was okay to sell them milk, but not the whole damn cow. In the 1980’s Japan was our main international creditor….under Reagan…Now it’s China.

President Obama has his work cut out for him but; YES WE CAN!

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:08 AM)

"We need to pass this stimulus plan quickly, because if we don't, unemployment may rise above 8%."

BHO Washington DC - February/2009

The President’s economic advisors predicted that unemployment would rise to 9 percent by 2010 if Congress did not pass the stimulus bill, but that with the stimulus unemployment would stay below 8 percentage points.

Congress passed the stimulus bill in February 2009 and the President has repeated his claims. Asked when the public should begin to judge the effects of the stimulus, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said “I think we should begin to judge it now.”

In that case, the stimulus must be judged a failure. The figure above shows the projections the administration made in January with and without the stimulus bill, and the actual unemployment rate since then. Unemployment has risen not only above what the President’s advisors predicted would happen if the stimulus passed, but above what they estimated would occur without the stimulus. By the President’s own measure, the stimulus has failed.

WORDS - JUST WORDS
LIES - JUST LIES

BoBo the LAIR (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:09 AM)

Pissy pants Repukes.....that's why they continually left the hearing!

Franken is there, Coleman is not!

Will Ricci replace Joe the Non-Plumber?

Sounds about right....Ricci, the Non-Firefighter! LOL

Ed, San Antonio (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:09 AM)

Great, now MSNBC is reporting on Stuart Smalley's pee breaks.

Cicero (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:10 AM)

The comic is truly a joke.

Dems will elect anything ... with ACORN's help.
Moon Dawg (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:44 AM)

--------------------------------------------

Wow, I thought it was George Soros' turn to be blamed for the election of Senator Franken!

ACORN

Soros

At some point, maybe it will occur to you that the people of Minnesota just thought that Norm Coleman was an inferior candidate and you'll stop playing "Pin The Tail On The Scapegoat".

Pete - Albany, nY (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:11 AM)

Thank you, FR. You have just elucidated why Franken is truly full of it.

Put a cork in it, Bottles, NH (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:12 AM)

The comic is truly a joke.

Dems will elect anything ... with ACORN's help.
Moon Dawg (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:44 AM)

---------------------------------------------

I knew I voted for the right candidate!

Mickey Mouse (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:13 AM)

Maybe Freakin' Franken's swollen prostate, being larger than his brain, shuts off normal excretion. One can only hope that his prostatic hypertrophy is due to the same malignancy that he spews.

Needle Biopsy, Intercourse, PA (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:15 AM)

no joe, no bo, nj
I have to ask-did anyone on First Read actually watch his question eriod?

You must really be an idiot. Watch the whole questioning session and think about the merit of the questions that he asked. Well again, for that you need brains...(which is pooped)

Me in KS (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:18 AM)

The comic is truly a joke.

Dems will elect anything ... with ACORN's help.

Moon Dawg (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:44 AM)

Bringing up ACORN has become for conservatives what bringing up Bush is for liberals. Meanwhile, we independents could care less about either one and just want to hear what the solutions being offered are.

Can we all agree to not talk about either? (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:24 AM)

Boy o boy, is there going to be some serious whining and gnashing next year. The liberals are sunk, I personally did not think that Obama would pud=sh us down to the level we are at. I hate to admit this but we would have been a hellofalot better off with the Clintons in charge.

I love Sarah (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:24 AM)

Fiesty and Bad Chihuahua,

I can't help myself. I read your posts, and I can't help but think you're the same person with opposing views. You have every right to an opinion, but you're walking sound bites. At least Anita, Nashville, Pat, No Jo, MSierra, and others. Have issue based opinions for me to disagree or agree with. You're swinging a political hammer without a head.

So I'll be the Jerk for today. You seem to be on here a lot so why not contribute something to the discussions outside of what you hear on the news network talk shows?

Nashville,

You seem to want to take the health care debate down the logical path. What would be your thoughts on a Non-profit health care co-op (or a national network of co-ops)similar to the Credit Union model. It would be owned by the people, and there would be little beurocratic overhead?

There are laws right now that would prevent that kind of thing or we would most likely already have it. A lot of states don't allow Health Insurance to be purchased or sold outisde their own state which really contributes to massive the overhead insurance companies have.

In essence this is what is being proposed, but the people in charge of funding it are going to be torn between several different endevors. At least with a co-op the people in charge are soley dedicated to health care. The biggest difference is people would have to take the initiative to get in the co-op instead of just having health care. Plus because it's non-profit it would piss off big insurance, which I know is something you would enjoy!

Jonathan Flint, MI (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:34 AM)

all you guys goofing on al franken(no jo no bo you have no clu) might need to take your own moment and reflect. you praise to the alter of ronald reagan (a b movie actor) and the republican party is run by a failed morning dj now the voice of the conservative radio and former michael jackson impersonator (unless he is still doing it-how many doctors does he go to now?). at least franken has one thing i know you all don't have. that's a real harvard degree (not the cheesey one bush got because of his daddy-a real earned one)

ken from holland, pa (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:37 AM)

Al Franken is to the Senate what Jon Stewart is to Journalism: a comedian who is better at the serious stuff than those who be purport to be pprofessionals.
(I learned more about the Health Care bill watching Stewart interview Sebielus last night than I have watching broadcast news.)

Amy B Portland, ME (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:37 AM)

Dear Bobo the Liar:

The President never said that the Stimulus package would hold unemployment under 8% and neither did his advisors.

Unemployment was 7.6% in January and the Stimulus wasn't signed until February, so how does that add up?

The PREINAUGURAL report that made predictions using a FICTIONAL STIMULUS, NOT the one that was passed, is the source of this persistent lie.

The report states CLEARLY that it is an estimate and that some unemployment estimates go as high as 11%.

No one in the media feels the need to officially correct the record, and yet each time this is printed, I note that no "quote" from the President (or his advisors) is present.

Read the report in question for yourself:

http://otrans.3cdn.net/45593e8ecbd339d074_l3m6bt1te.pdf

Please stop spreading misinformation.

Thanks.

Nashville_fan (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:37 AM)

This guy is a joke. What was MN thinking?

cindy, las vegas, nv (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:38 AM)

Seriously - do we have to mention that Senator Franken was a comedian every time we mention his name?

For god sake, he’s a senator now and both occupations are honorable - so can we stick to his present occupation.

Also, to me it seems the median is trying to belittle the occupation of being a comedian by reminding U.S. in such a way.

As well I enjoy the fact they can make me laugh and smile.

That's a great thing.

Thank you and GOD BLESS AMERICA

The - Democrat Soldier (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:41 AM)

Too funny...norm coleman lost to a third rate comic and the democrats have a problem? Guess again clowns, your parties brand is so lame that you lost several sitting senators to nobodies, inclusing liz dole here in NC. Goofballs.

Rick, NC (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:42 AM)

Now the media is monitoring bathroom breaks? C'mon! That's so middle school.

Gail, TN (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:52 AM)

How many Mickey Mouses are there in ACORN's comedic arsenal besides Franken?

Moon DAwg (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:53 AM)

Non one even knows who ACORN is except idiot dittohead Rush babies - no one cares. But feel free to keep whining ... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Sarah Palin Gets an F- (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:53 AM)

"The former Saturday Night Live star, who once parodied the role of a senator during Clarence Thomas' confirmation hearing for the popular sketch show"

Which white racist liberal plantation manager did he play?

Dave, Tn (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:55 AM)

It's no accident that with Franken officially seated in the Senate, Obama is now committing himself to pursue health care aggressively. In other words, he waited until he had the votes in hand before really applying the pressure to Democratic senators. And believe it that when any POTUS wants something, he/she can get it. There are so many carrots and sticks that can be brought to bear on the legislative fight.

Finally, let's not forget that Rahm Immanuel is the lead pressurizer. He can cut to the chase (in colorful language to be sure) when it comes to pushing the Obama health reforms. Even Republicans give him a wide berth. Democrats are openly afraid of him. This is why Obama chose him first, and held out until Rahm agreed to be his Chief of Staff, before he committed to any other appointments.

Translation: House passes health care reform. Senate passes health care reform before the August recess. Conference to harmonize the two bills takes place after August recess. Obama signs reform bill in the fall.

Reborn to Post, Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, July 16, 2009 12:10 PM)

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