| − | '''Al Franken''' (born May 21, 1951) is a [[radical]], [[liberal]] [[Democrat]], an erstwhile satirist and comedian, nominally from [[Minnesota]] who was declared the winner by the Minnesota Supreme Court of the 2008 election to the U.S. Senate. Although Franken was born in [[New York City]], and spent several years while growing up in St Louis Park, a suburb of [[Minneapolis]], until he decided to run for the Senate, he lived exclusively in [[California]] and [[New York]] all of his adult life. <ref>[http://www.owenfranken.com/bio.html Owen Franken, Biography, statement about where Al Franken resided]</ref> His opponent, incumbent [[Republican]] Senator [[Norm Coleman]], conceded eight months after the election, which was won by 300 votes out of 2.9 million. The governor of Minnesota, [[Tim Pawlenty]], signed the certificate of election for Franken on June 30, 2009. Franken will take office July 6, 2009, for a six year term. Franken's win gives Democrats a 58-40 margin in the Senate, enough to shut off filibusters if the 58, along with two Independents who caucus with the Democrats, hang together. | + | '''Al Franken''' (born May 21, 1951) is a liberal [[Democrat]], an erstwhile satirist and comedian, is the new U.S. Senator from [[Minnesota]]; he was declared the winner after the Minnesota Supreme Court rejected the last legal challenges from his opponent [[Norm Coleman]]. Franken was born in [[New York City]], and spent several years while growing up in St Louis Park, a suburb of [[Minneapolis]], until he decided to run for the Senate, he lived exclusively in [[California]] and [[New York]] all of his adult life. <ref>[http://www.owenfranken.com/bio.html Owen Franken, Biography, statement about where Al Franken resided]</ref> His opponent, incumbent [[Republican]] Senator [[Norm Coleman]], conceded eight months after the election, which was won by 300 votes out of 2.9 million. The governor of Minnesota, [[Tim Pawlenty]], signed the certificate of election for Franken on June 30, 2009. Franken will take office July 6, 2009, for a six year term. Franken's win gives Democrats a 58-40 margin in the Senate, enough to shut off filibusters if the 58, along with two Independents who caucus with the Democrats, hang together. |
| | His career was as a rather vulgar satirist, comedian, and former radio host for the [[Air America]] network. Franken has worked as a comedy writer and performer on the television program ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' and was the star and screenwriter of the motion picture ''Stuart Saves His Family''. | | His career was as a rather vulgar satirist, comedian, and former radio host for the [[Air America]] network. Franken has worked as a comedy writer and performer on the television program ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' and was the star and screenwriter of the motion picture ''Stuart Saves His Family''. |