Minneapolis – Comedian, author and liberal talk-show host Al Franken declared his candidacy Wednesday for the Minnesota U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Norm Coleman, ensuring that the 2008 race will be more entertaining than usual and more closely followed by the national media.
Franken confronted the central question of whether a lifelong comic should be taken seriously.
“Minnesotans have a right to be skeptical about whether I’m ready for this challenge and to wonder how seriously I would take the responsibility that I’m asking you to give me,” Franken said in a video on a campaign website launched Wednesday.
“I want you to know: Nothing means more to me than making government work better for the working families of this state,” Franken said. “And over the next 20 months I look forward to proving to you that I take these issues seriously.”
Republican officials and conservative bloggers have been issuing pre-emptive attacks on Franken for weeks, focusing on some of his more outrageous skits and statements and his criticisms of President Bush.
Wednesday was the last broadcast of Franken’s radio show on “Air America.”
