Democrat brings Senate campaign to Mankato

By Tim Krohn

MANKATO — Some knew him from Saturday Night Live reruns, some knew him from his books, some hardly knew him at all.

Whether huge fans or curious onlookers, an overflow crowd of 300 turned out for Al Franken’s first visit to Mankato as a U.S. Senate candidate.

Franken, a Democrat hoping to unseat Republican Norm Coleman, mixed his experience as a comedian and entertainer with a barrage of attacks on the Republican administration to whip up the crowd at Minnesota State University Wednesday night.

Afterward, long lines of supporters waited to get photos and autographs.

“I know him from Saturday Night Live and from reading his books,” said student Dan Clark.

Students Katie Gilder and Mike Nelson were all smiles after getting a photo and autograph. Gilder said a lot of her friends don’t know Franken from watching old SNL skits.

“I think most kids know him from his books and seeing him on The Daily Show or Leno.”

But, she said, it was Franken’s political messages that energized her.

“I liked his support for universal health care and for affordable energy.”

Franken told the group — a mixture of college students and older adults — that universal health coverage is inevitable but that leadership is needed to get it passed, something he said has been lacking with Republican leadership.

“Republicans will tell you that government doesn’t work. Then they get elected and prove it.”

Franken said Social Security needs to be bolstered, not changed to private savings accounts, and said the college student loan and grant programs have been cut too far.

“A full Pell grant paid 90 percent of an education. Now it pays less than 40. We have to do something about that.”

He touted more support for renewable energy, not only for its environmental and foreign policy benefits, but as a major source for new job creation.

Franken was born in New York. His family moved to Albert Lea when he was four and later to the Twin Cities. He made his name as a writer and actor on SNL in the 1970s and ’80s. In recent years he’s hosted the Al Franken Show on Air America, a radio network that declared bankruptcy last year. He aired his last show this month.

Julie Thompson, an MSU student born in 1981, grew up an admirer of Franken for both his early SNL work and his later career.

“My parents watched him and I just loved him on SNL. I’ve read all his books and listen to him on Air America. I’m his biggest fan.”

Franken, with no elected experience, knows he must prove himself as a serious candidate and not just a famous candidate. He said he expected the comparisons that have been made between him and former actor and governor Jesse Ventura.

“I expected it, but I’d like people to get past it.”