what a lot of whiny little witches the Republicans turn into, once they lose.

Just when i think they have reached the edge of insanity, out pops Sanford and the legion of Foxbots.

Early in the Clinton administration, Limbaugh & co. were spewing endless slanders against both Clintons, up to and including murder, and liberally sprinkled with misogynistic loathing for Hillary for daring to be an intelligent and independent woman. And from the liberal establishment, we heard -- crickets. So it was a joyous breath of fresh air when I saw Franken's "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot" in bookstores, and yes, he was cruel with all the jokes about Rush's weight, but then again, Rush had richly deserved it. It's a sad state of affairs when professional comedians are the only people with the guts to call bs when they see it, but for 16 years that's been the situation.

Now, Steven Colbert, when are you going to run for office? Your country needs you.

Just watch the Nixon-Frost interviews. At any point in time, Nixon is either trying to bully Frost, or he's playing the poor victim. That's it. That's all they know how to do. Nothing but textbook borderline personality disorder bs from these guys. They even think Obama "stole" the 2008 election, only in a more "figurative" sense. They never "lose" anything--it's always "stolen" or taken away by some evil entity because they deserve and are entitled to anything they desire. Namely, power.

It's what's for dinner!

That's exactly right. Thanks for bringing that up.

that conservatism in its post-Goldwater incarnation has become a pronounced form of mental illness. I mean the comments Joe Conason cites are so beyond the pale as to defy a response.

The sad irony here is that Joe Conason sounds dangerously like these rightwing cooks when he writes about Ralph Nader. Seriously how are people still frothing at the mouth accusing Nader of being 'egomaniacal' or asserting that he is personally responsible for the Iraq War any different?

ps--It's NEVER cruel to pick on a bully.

It's quite amazing that Limbo brings up lunacy - Al Franken is probably the one legislator we have now who is most like the Fox Jock Party Elders. He's media-trained and savvy, glibly outspoken and can make a facetious, outlandish argument when he wants to.

Except Franken knows he's doing it. And he's funny even when he tells the truth.

Sounds like the right is literally running out of material. There were absolutely no specifics in any of the claims they made other then the same old "bitter" "mean" and other vague generalities. I'm curious, did any of these people specify what it was they thought made Franken incompetent other then just emotional rhetoric? Like policy criticisms for instance? And as someone else pointed out, they never "lose" an election, it's always stolen from them somehow. I think this shows the right has lost the ability to think. If all you have is the same vague and baseless accusations, you've lost.

Over the course of the Minnesota Senate race I gave Al Franken $1,625 in campaign contributions. Since Senators serve for six years, or 2,190 days, I guess you could say that I paid about $1.35 per day to send Al Franken to Washington. I'm not saying I'm a saint; a lot of people gave Franken a lot more money than I did. But as Norm Coleman has managed to lop 239 days off Al's term, by my calculation Coleman owes me $322.65.

Where do I send the invoice, Norm?

Al Franken follows the proud tradition of Paul Wellstone,Walter Mondale and Hubert Humphrey in compassion,intelligence,a sense of fair play and of humor.Minnesota and The United States of America will be well served,and I hope entertained.Rush Limbaugh has proven to be even more idiotic than when Senator Franken wrote his book.

He may not have been the first person to stand up against the right wing noise machine, but I bought Lies and the Lying Liars.... when it was still in hardcover and wanted to run out and read passages to everyone I knew. I don't think I was the only one who was inspired by that book, at that time, when it felt like members of the reality based community were few and far between. He did a great thing with that book, and his subsequent radio show, and I expect him to be a truly worthy successor to Paul Wellstone. I'm just baffled as to why the election was so close in the first place. It shouldn't have been so hard to defeat an empty suit.

at various DFL picnics and events across MN.

I found him personable and filled with self deprecating humor about growing up in Minnesota, then too his take on issues was sharp, to the point and he was able to communicate and even educate us about his positions

His close election again was much to do with the pernicous Jessie Ventura I-party in MN. 3rd parties are such epic fail.

The right underestimates him at their peril and he is a worthy successor to Paul Wellstone and it will be fascinating to see how his election affects the health care debate.

Single payer anyone? I think so...

Yeah, well...

I remember years ago when Al Franken first stated in public what no one else at the time realized- that Arianna Huffington was a bright and witty woman. At the time married to a bland Christian Conservative, I thought his Arianna was perhaps a fabrication. But, no, he was, as they say, spot on. It takes intelligence to recognize intelligence. I am happy.

That piece of self-propelled slime would have left a trail of ooze all over the Senate floor. I remember his shenanigans when Wellstone died. He held a press conference to announce that he was suspending his campaign. Then he went on a TV show to announce that he was suspending his campaign. Then he went on another TV show to announce that he was suspending his campaign. Then he went on radio etc. etc.

And of course, when he came out barely on top in the first count, he pompously invited Franken to step aside for the good of the state. Then, when things started to turn against him, he fought every step of the way. I'm amazed he didn't take his case Federal.