The Republican Party’s latest release from the archives of Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken’s past is a 13-year-old New York Magazine description of a Saturday Night Live writers’ meeting.
During the meeting, writers are brainstorming about how to develop a sketch in which one of the actors plays “60 Minutes” commentator Andy Rooney, who finds an empty pill bottle in his desk.
According to the article, Franken’s suggestion includes Rooney saying: “I give the pills to Leslie Stahl. Then when Leslie is passed out, I take her to the closet and rape her. Or ‘That’s why you never see Lesley until February. Or, ‘When she passes out. I put her in various positions and take pictures of her.’ ”
Republican women held a news conference today to say the skit suggestion reflects badly on Franken’s character. They said he should at least explain it and perhaps drop out of the running for this weekend’s DFL Senate endorsement. The Republican party recently gave the information to the women, including state Rep. Laura Brod and former auditor Pat Anderson, but have had it “for a while,” according to GOP spokesman Mark Drake.
Andy Barr, Franken’s communications director, said Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, who Franken hopes to take on in November’s election, has more substantive blights on his record.
“Norm Coleman voted against funding for the Violence Against Women Act. He should be ashamed,” Barr said. “That is something he did as a U.S. Senator that had a real impact on the women of Minnesota. I’d be curious to know if they think that reflects on Norm Coleman’s character.”
Coleman’s campaign said that’s just not true.
“If Al Franken wants to talk about Norm’s record, he better get his facts straight,” said a statement from Coleman communications director Erin Rath. Coleman voted against one funding amendment for the Act but supported another and was a cosponsor of the Act’s reauthorization, according to his campaign.
Meanwhile, two DFL state lawmakers — Sen. Kathy Saltzman of Woodbury and Rep. Sandy Wollschlager of Cannon Falls — released a statement saying they find Franken’s writings inapproproaite and disturbing.
“I hope that the delegates who go to Rochester will actually read all of these articles rather than just brush over them,” said Saltzman.
Last month, the Republicans released a 2000 Franken Playboy article, which, after a time, several of Minnesota’s Democratic congress members criticized.
“Al Franken, the same man who says that his career as a satirist is good training for the U.S. Senate, found humor in the subjects of rape and pornography,” Rath said. “Norm Coleman doesn’t think there is anything funny about these serious issues.”