First he talks down a health care mob, and now? He draws a US map. From memory. I had my doubts about Franken, but those are evaporating now.
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Oliver, I think this might interest you.
A couple of good Supermen, I think they may have been ringers.
http://pavlovianobeisance.com/DragonCon.htm
Oliver – you may like this. I may like this. But unfortunately, the majority of the wingnut electorate would not. Because in showing that he can draw and label a map of the USA from memory, Franken is showing that he’s “know it all”. (And worse, a Jewish know-it-all) And for many Americans, there is little they hate more. For them, watching this will merely confirm *why* they already hate Franken.
Is there a real-time version of this? I wouldn’t mind watching it with his narration.
Man, you could win a lot of bar bets with that trick!
Having seen Franken on TV since the seventies on SNL, the fact that he can do this doesn’t surprise me at all.
Impressive enough, but moreso when you consider he builds this map working from Minnesota outwards. Talk about knowing how to work a crowd…
“Stuart Smalley”-billo as he draws pictures of boobies
He’s been doing this for a long time, I’ve seen it before, and it’s always impressive.
This IS a parlor trick; it was the talk to irate “you gonna vote they way the PEOPLE want or the way OBAMA wants you to” mob that he gently tamed and educated on last week’s vid–that was masterly. Impressive and awesome. Unfortunately, last week the comment here turned into the Jay Tea show–as it often (sigh) does–instead of an appreciation of Franken, as diplomatic as he is well-informed.
trakjoe: Is there a real-time version of this? I wouldn’t mind watching it with his narration.
My thoughts exactly while watching it. Clearly he’s pointing things out as he goes and I’d LOVE to hear what he was saying.
anotherbozo: Unfortunately, last week the comment here turned into the Jay Tea show–as it often (sigh) does–instead of an appreciation of Franken, as diplomatic as he is well-informed.
I’d disagree. Jay Tea did his usual nonsensical, non-thinking, knee-jerk, self-contradicting, hypocritical routine, but there was much complimenting Franken on his skill handling, no, talking with that crowd.
And the Jay Tea parts were similarly educational as a marked contrast to Franken’s rational and respectful conversation.
Franken is a VERY smart guy who could hold his own in a one-on-one policy-wonking match even with Bill Clinton. I don’t know why there are people who are still surprised by this.
As I’ve said before, I always thought he was a wonk who went into comedy instead of vice versa. I could probably identify all the states on a blank map, but I couldn’t draw one free-hand.
Unfortunately, last week the comment here turned into the Jay Tea show–as it often (sigh) does
we could try ignoring him for a while… rather like my 5 year-old, if he stops getting attention from his tantrums he might just cut it out. At the very least, he couldn’t hijack threads anymore if no one responded to his idiocy.
Franken was always better as a writer than as a performer, IMHO – I thought his radio show was boring – but I was damned impressed with his acumen when he started his Senate run, and I’ve seen nothing since to change my mind.
Well if you gave Jim Inhofe and Sarah Palin a jigsaw puzzle of the United States, between the two of them they might be able to assemble it. So how impressive is Franken’s feat, really?
“Well if you gave Jim Inhofe and Sarah Palin a jigsaw puzzle of the United States, between the two of them they might be able to assemble it.”
How many pieces?
kth – Just the continental 48 or would that puzzle include Alaska and Hawaii?
Wilfredo, the one we had in the first grade was dug out of a larger frame, with individual holes for AK and HI. So you didn’t have to assemble any evil places like Canada.
The individual pieces weren’t random cuts, but were shaped like the states. Each piece had the capitol and other major cities, plus little symbols to designate the local crops, minerals, industries. Nevada had a little mushroom cloud (for real).
Oh, yeah! I do remember those! I saw that waaaayyy back in elementary school. Thanks for that!
“He draws a US map. From memory.”
No! Franken remembered something from elementary school! Maybe he should be president!
Pathetic.
Al Franken freehand drawing a map of the U.S.A. from memory! I am impressed.
Liberals are easily impressed, william.
In office two months and they declare this clown the most awesome senator ever.
For his mapping abilities.
Yeesh.
@william – Yeah, and the man who couldn’t even pronounce “nuclear” becomes president! Where were your priorities before, dude?
So have there been any reports of Zombie Hitler Youth groups hitting the malls yet?
William and Dennis,
Fuck off. Drawing an accurate U.S. map from memory is not an easy feat. In fact, it’s pretty goddamn impressive.
Does it MEAN anything with respect to his ability to be an effective Senator? Not really. But we’ve already seen evidence of that (see OW’s prior posted video on Franken). But just because it’s not important with respect to his ability to govern, it doesn’t mean it’s not impressive.
What is wrong with you?
If millions of shitheads can vote for a President because “he’s the one I’d more like to have a beer with”, I can be impressed by a Senator who can do this.
Nothing’s wrong with me, mambo. The title of this blog post just happens to be “Al Franken Makes Play To Be Most Awesome Senator Ever”.
Because he drew a map of the United States.
Do you agree with that statement? If you do, you are easily impressed with politicians who haven’t proven themselves regarding their abilities at being politicians. But as to liberals in general, we knew that already.
Do you agree with that statement?
Shorter Dennis: I Take Everything Literally! I Don’t Have A Single Funny Bone In My Body!
Why would you go and liken yourself to people you thought were shitheads, michael?
Have more pride in yourself than that.
Dennis, can you do that? Can you draw a map of the U.S. by memory? I can’t. Can you? Most importantly, do you think that most senators and representatives can? I would bet not.
Hey, I called Franken a clown, didn’t I? I see the humor. I really do.
Besides, mambo’s the one who said ‘FU’ and asked what was wrong with me. He’s the one who went serious all of a sudden.
I guess that’s the ‘fight back’ declaration you guys are making the stand on today.
@Dennis – I guess you didn’t get a chance to read my comment.
Please don’t take offense at that, Wilfredo.
Okay, I’m gonna take your lack of reply as a “no, I can’t draw a map of the U.S. by memory, and yet I felt compelled to criticize somebody who can.”
Boy, I sure hope you don’t answer before this reply is posted. Would that ever be embarrassing!
Well, that was embarrassing! Ha, ha!
But you still didn’t answer the question.
Franken proves yet again, as Obama has already, that smart guys in government is cool.
Dennis disagrees. The bar is too high now.
Dennis: “Liberals are easily impressed, william.”
Yeah, you’re right, Dennis – it’s not like that was a dickish thing to say or anything. And me getting annoyed at this incredibly-not-dickish statement of yours is completely unwarranted.
If we were to get all excited about Franken spelling “cat” correctly on that sheet of paper, your comment would be perfectly acceptable. But as it is, you shrug it off as nothing special because it was Al Franken who did it.
I recognize when people are acting like dicks, and you’re acting like a dick.
Heh. I remember him doing that for an bit on Weekend Update on SNL. He was discussing the Electoral College and how (Dukakis) could still win.
That Franken can draw an accurate map of the states freehand is impressive. It’s not something most people can do (probably very, very few could do) and it therefore is impressive.
That Franken could no doubt name all 50 states as he drew them is also something that most people in America couldn’t (alas) do. And that would also be impressive, were it no to sad that the bar there is so low.
Al Franken is too smart for the U.S. Senate, but I’m glad he’s there.
I’d like to see any one of the master,duh, bating trolls in this thread do that parlor trick.
And then I’d like to see any one is Washington, including Obana, talk as straight as Franken did at the state fair.
And then, um, I’d like a millyun dollars, and uh, single-payer health care.
He’s shaping up to be something the GOP has none of — a smart, engaging US Senator.
He might be president some day.
Yeah, think of what he might be drawing inn private industry!
An impressive parlor trick…
I used to bet everyone in a bar that I could spell anyone word they could think of — I paid them a dime if I got it wrong, they paid me a nickel if I got it right… I never lost money.
I can say the alphabet faster backwards than you can say it forward.
Woo hoo ! A Senator’s life for me. Another Harvard grad in the Senate ! That never happened before …
Wow, that is impressive. I also would love to hear his narration as well.
I can name all 50 states. I can certainly draw the outline of the country with my limited drawing skills. But there is no way I could start with a rectangle for Colorado (we’re one of the big square states out west!) and draw the entire country. I could probably do the country west of the Mississippi fairly well but I doubt I could get all the eastern states right.
Now I gotta try.
Frank, are you healthy enough to get you ass kicked by Sean yet?
*sigh* Why violence? Frank wasn’t commenting to any one person in particular.
Frank threatened another commenter here with physical violence once he “got healthy.” Just wanted to check in and see what his status was.
God forbid yet another wing-nut troll here makes a threat of physical violence and then weasels out like a punk-bitch.
God forbid!
@Jaim – I did link to that, and what Frank did made no sense to me, but you were so blinded by anger that you didn’t see that he used the word “anyone” incorrectly; it’s why I used it correctly in the last comment. It would’ve been cool if it were a spelling error, though.
It’s not anger, it’s amusement. Frank and the other wing-nut trolls here are cowardly jokes.
Watch out for Frank. Once he gets his denture shank finished he’ll be one bad mother (shut your mouth)!
Derf and Jaim: That boat has sailed; that train has left the station; it’s water under the bridge; it’s as cold as yesterday’s mashed potatoes.
Is that clear enough for you imbeciles? If not, go out of the basement and show it to your Mom.
Here’s an English lesson for you, Jaim:
I am done.
You are done.
We are done.
Lighten up Frank, it’s a pretty cool thing Al did.
“Derf and Jaim: That boat has sailed; that train has left the station; it’s water under the bridge; it’s as cold as yesterday’s mashed potatoes.”
Nope. I’ll never let you forget what a chickenshit coward of a punk you are, loser.
Jaim, never let it be said that I interfered with your progress towards becoming the lamest douche bag ever .
C B : I guess I’m jealous. I’m thinking there were very faint lines that he penciled in, not because of the geographical knowledge — I know where all the states are, and what they look like, but I could never draw them. Not even Colorado or Utah .
Frank, as I stated before, there’s very few folks that can do that from memory. There is no shame in me admitting that I’m not one of those few. My talent lies elsewhere…
If I had a line drawing , I could name all the states … I had a professor for history and global economics — we were together for 21 credits (!) — who was freaky about geography.
He gave us a test where all the states and all the countries of the world were in outline.
60 countries and 40 states had numbers in them . On the last page was an answer sheet with 100 blanks where you put the name of the state or country that matched the number.
I got 100 correct every time.
The rest of that story – Frank had to retake that class seven times.
Frank DiSalle: I can say the alphabet faster backwards than you can say it forward.
Given how backward your thinking is on most things, that really doesn’t surprise me.
Wilfredo: *sigh* Why violence? Frank wasn’t commenting to any one person in particular.
In another thread Frank called me a “Keyboard Commando”, someone who is real brave at arm’s length but wouldn’t say things to a persons’s face (He said this to me while careful sitting behind his own keyboard miles away, of course.) and threatened to “kick your ass so bad , your children would apologize”.
So I called this coward on his bluff. I offered to tell him exactly where I am and to meet him anytime he wanted to show up.
And, naturally, he immediately started coming up with excuse after excuse as to why he wouldn’t follow thru on his threat. (Not least of which was my promise to not fight back and to give him a free shot. That really seemed to make him nervous.) His final excuse was that he was sick, and I told him I’d wait patiently until he got better and then give him his free shot.
The cowardly, hypocritical wimp is still cowering behind his keyboard. And we have enjoyed reminding him of it on occasion.
Frank DiSalle: I guess I’m jealous. I’m thinking there were very faint lines that he penciled in, not because of the geographical knowledge — I know where all the states are, and what they look like, but I could never draw them. Not even Colorado or Utah .
Translation: I couldn’t do that, so rather than be impressed by his skill I went with my natural knee-jerk reaction that he must have cheated.