Michael Reynolds/European Pressphoto Agency Senator Al Franken of Minnesota being sworn in on Tuesday by Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. in Washington.Almost 250 days following the November election, Al Franken was sworn in as the junior Democratic senator from Minnesota just after noon on Tuesday, completing his transition from television comic to national legislator before Senate galleries packed with family and admirers.
“Al Franken is ready for this job,” Senator Amy Klobuchar, his state’s new senior senator, said as she regaled senators with Mr. Franken’s history prior to the oath of office being administered by Vice President Joe Biden. Mr. Franken was accompanied by Ms. Klobuchar and Walter Mondale, the former vice president and Minnesota senator.
After taking the oath, Mr. Franken, who appears to be a prolific hugger, embraced many of his new colleagues and raised a fist in celebration to his wife and others seated in the gallery above. He also shook hands with Senator James Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma, who recently described Mr. Franken as a clown.
Though he is now the most junior member of the Senate and the least senior of 60 Democrats, the former “Saturday Night Live” personality remains quite a draw. Congressional interns and others who were
trying to enter the galleries to watch were turned away since most spectator seats were taken. But dozens of his colleagues from both parties evidently had other things to do and were not present on the floor.
Mr. Franken is consciously striking a sober pose as he enters Congress, trying to shake the funny man image – an initial asset in his quick rise in politics – and show that he deserves to be taken seriously. His colleagues say he will be.
“We all know Al spent some time in comedy,” said Ms. Klobuchar, “but during this long campaign he has demonstrated to many people he takes his job seriously and I know he is taking his new job incredibly seriously.”
Mr. Franken (and the surprise party switch of Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania) provides Democrats with the largest Senate majority in 30 years and the party now faces increasing pressure to use its muscle to deliver major health care and energy legislation.
Mr. Franken became the fifth new senator to join the Senate since the class of 2008 was sworn in early in January.
Mr. Franken actually won election last November. The other four – Roland Burris of Illinois, Ted Kaufman of Delaware, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Michael Bennet of Colorado – were appointed to fill vacancies created when their predecessors got new jobs somewhere or other.
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