Franken & Supporters in a tizzie

[Big Don]

Anti-Franken mailing looks funny, but no one's laughing

Even Coleman blasts the GOP pamphlet skewering his opponent
By Rachel E. Stassen-Berger
[email protected]
Article Last Updated: 10/28/2008 06:47:09 AM CDT

Twin Cities.com Excerpt:





Sometimes political races are fought in your mailbox. On Monday, a Republican mailing against Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken roiled the U.S. Senate race in Minnesota.
The piece, which looks like a cartoon or comic book, addresses Franken's past in unsavory ways.
Democrats and even Franken's opponent, Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, condemned the piece, saying it could attract children.
"I was shocked when I saw this piece attacking Al Franken .... This piece of mail would offend anybody," said Edina mother and teacher Marcela Roos. "It targets our children and taunts them to open it and to find only very obscene and inappropriate language, which deals with rape and pornography."

(((END EXCERPT)))
Here is a link to 3 versions of it, none of which have ANY obscene or inappropriate language.

What is inappropriate or obscene about telling the truth about Franken?
The Democrats are sure thin skinned these days.

 

[shesulsa]

That is a completely inappropriate pamphlet to put out - of course it would attract children. It looks like a kid's comic.

I don't agree with everything Franken says, but ... okay ... just let me ask:

Have you read the Franken article in Playboy? I did.

Have you seen the "rape jokes" Franken wrote and/or told? I did.

Did you see the coverage where he tackled the protestor and do you know who he tackled and why? I did.

But I'd like your take on it and would like to know if you have seen/read them for yourself, Don? Thanks.

And for me, any smear campaign is just crap unless it carries weight. And the caveat is: I don't really know that Franken is a viable political candidate because of his career as a satirist though he is arguably one of the most educated, civic-minded people in the business.

Thanks.

 

[Big Don]

That is a completely inappropriate pamphlet to put out

What part, specifically, was inappropriate?

 

[shesulsa]

In my opinion:

1. Addressing the pamphlet to children. The cover says, "Come on in kids, Senator Franken is going to tell us a few jokes."

2. Exacerbating point one is the fact that the pamphlet is printed in comic-book style. This type of art plus the "Come on in kids" attracts children.

3. Bearing 1 and 2 in mind, makes two points (of three) completely inappropriate for children to read: that of comedy routines about raping women and pornography and Playboy.

One has to wonder if this was intentionally pointed at children and minors. You know, since everyone knows about the successful campaign and lawsuit on Camel and other product ads pointed to minors.

What part of the mailer do you feel WAS appropriate?

 

[Big Don]

In my opinion:

1. Addressing the pamphlet to children. The cover says, "Come on in kids, Senator Franken is going to tell us a few jokes."

It is a figure of speech, like calling a group comprised of both sexes, "guys".

2. Exacerbating point one is the fact that the pamphlet is printed in comic-book style. This type of art plus the "Come on in kids" attracts children.

3. Bearing 1 and 2 in mind, makes two points (of three) completely inappropriate for children to read: that of comedy routines about raping women and pornography and Playboy.

So, the fact that he did write in Playboy, and tell/write jokes about rape (The one's you admitted were true.) are facts that children shouldn't know about the man who is running for the US Senate?
Why, if his behavior is acceptable, should mentioning things he has done/said (the very things you admit he did) be knowledge deemed inappropriate for anyone?

One has to wonder if this was intentionally pointed at children and minors. You know, since everyone knows about the successful campaign and lawsuit on Camel and other product ads pointed to minors.

What part of the mailer do you feel WAS appropriate?

The part where everything in the mailer is true. Honesty is always appropriate.
Honesty, at least when regarding the campaigns of democrats is offensive to you, I get it.

 

[Big Don]

BTW, tackling a heckler of Howard Dean, and claiming to be preserving free speech, is novel, it is not, heroic.

 

[shesulsa]

It is a figure of speech, like calling a group comprised of both sexes, "guys". So, the fact that he did write in Playboy, and tell/write jokes about rape (The one's you admitted were true.) are facts that children shouldn't know about the man who is running for the US Senate?
Why, if his behavior is acceptable, should mentioning things he has done/said (the very things you admit he did) be knowledge deemed inappropriate for anyone? The part where everything in the mailer is true. Honesty is always appropriate.
Honesty, at least when regarding the campaigns of democrats is offensive to you, I get it.

Context, context, context.

Did he write and tell jokes about rape? Yes. Is he proud of it? No. And then we could fall into the age-old argument over what makes a man - a few jokes or a lifetime of deeds ... but I'm sure we'll disagree on that, so I'll let that lie.

He wrote an article in Playboy as have countless others. So? What if it was on fidelity? Does that matter?

Seriously - you'd put this pamphlet in the hands of a six-year-old?

 

[grydth]

I wouldn't put this trash in the hands of a six year old - or a sixty year old.

I've always viewed Al Franken as a disgusting little turd.... but the Republicans can claim some credit when he becomes Senator Turd.

If you have an opponent that's dirty, and feel compelled to go negative, you can at least point out and compare the differences soberly and factually. You lose when you feel free to jump in the gutter yourself. This atrocious thing looks like, well, something I'd expect from an Al Franken.