Candidate/Comedian Al Franken Hurt by His Old 'Porn-O-Rama' Essay
A satirical "Playboy" magazine column from eight years ago becomes a campaign issue
Minnesota Democrat Al Franken's campaign for the U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Norm Coleman has been badly wounded by the controversy surrounding an essay he wrote for Playboy in January 2000 titled "Porn-O-Rama," and some are predicting that only a huge win in the state by presumed Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama can save him.
Tom Horner, a public relations strategist and GOP political expert, says that comedian Franken needs to both overcome the bad publicity he's gotten over the column—including criticism from prominent state members of his own party—and convince voters that he's not simply in search of a stage like former one-term Gov. Jesse Ventura, once a professional wrestler. Horner, who characterized the state's electorate as still having a "Jesse Ventura hangover," says Minnesotans are asking whether this is "just another platform to express his views without the heavy lifting Minnesotans want."
With Coleman in a comfortable lead, Franken will have to not only cross his fingers for an Obama landslide but also attempt to make the race a referendum on Coleman's association with President Bush, Horner says. Meanwhile, Coleman can make it a "referendum on Franken's character."
—Liz Halloran
Reader Comments
Another Boob trying to represent MN
why does MN attrack these type of people (Jesse , Wellstone etc)?????
Because the voters are willing to let them represent them - It took wellstone 3 years before people would not tune him out on the hill with his rantings - Extremley hard for me to take Franken serious at any retoric. Lets embarress ourselves again
and vote him in....
Norm Coleman has done NOTHING for Minnesota
We continue to talk about writings from almost a decade ago and someone's personal mutual funds which have nothing to do with anything.
Ask yourself this, What has Coleman done for Minnesota? He sure has done alot for the Bushies, Oil Companies, the War Contractors, and Big Pharma. They all continue to line their pockets at our expense.
Meanwhile Coleman wants to distract us by looking at Al Franken's mutual funds which have nothing to do with Minnesotans, have no affect on us as Minnesotans, do not affect our taxes in any way, and make no difference to us in anyway. It is a complete bait and switch tatic by the Republicans.
All while our hard earned tax dollars continue to go into the pockets of Oil companies, Big Pharma, and all of Bush's buddies.
Publish and perish
Turns out Al is also a big fat stupid idiot. Looks like the only place he can win is in a court room, and not against anyone but bush league opponents.
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