Al Franken News

Al Franken won a resounding endorsement for the U.S. Senate on Saturday from Minnesota Democrats, quickly dispatching with concerns about jokes that offended some and promising a tough challenge to Republican Sen.

Al Franken was sworn in Tuesday as Minnesota's second U.S. Senator. No joke. In a ceremony that started a few minutes late - and 246 days after the election - the former "Saturday Night Live" comedian joined the Senate with a simple "I do." Flanked by Sen.

Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., said he would work hard to prove he's no longer a comedian.

Al Franken's been anointed as Minnesota's junior senator, but how did the former "Saturday Night Live" writer win over voters on his way to elected office? With Heavy Changes Ego Spray.

Until the last few years most people only knew of Al Franken from the SNL skit, playing the host of a self-help advice show "Daily Affirmations With Stuart Smalley", but A l Franken's long and interesting career is colored with an array of achievements.

July 7, 2009: Sen. Al Franken takes the oath of office in the Senate during a ceremonial swearing-in by Vice President Biden .

Business Entertainment Sports Minnesota's Democratic Senator-elect Al Franken, right, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Monday, July 6, 2009, in Washington.

So, did you hear the one about the comedian who spent a whole day on Capitol Hill and told no jokes? Democrat Al Franken arrived in Washington on Monday content to be as mundane in the Senate as he was brazen in his previous job as a Saturday Night Live performer.

"Good to see you. It's about time," they shouted at the parade in Aurora. "Took you a long time to get here," they screamed in Gilbert.

Democrat Al Franken has been sworn in as US senator for Minnesota, potentially giving his party a crucial 60 votes in the chamber.

When Al Franken assumes his new Senate perch Tuesday, the numbers will tell his tale: Minnesota's second senator, the symbolic 60th vote for Democrats - and No.

This week's ruling that comedian and former SNL personality Al Franken was the winner of Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, eight months after the actual election, should have me thinking about things like filibuster-proof majorities and how it affects the prospects for health care reform.

Yesterday, Al Franken joined the most exclusive club in America. No, not the Senate, nor even the 60-member-strong and theoretically filibuster-proof Democratic majority caucus within the Senate, but the even smaller club celebrities who have won major public office.

Residents of northern Minnesota's Iron Range say they know Democrat Al Franken , waiting to be sworn in as Minnesota's new U.S. senator, will do well in the job.

All joking aside, Al Franken is about to face his toughest crowd yet. As the Minnesota Democrat and former comedian takes his seat in the Senate this week after an eight-month election battle, he follows a long line of celebrities who have had to put their fame in check to serve as humble, freshman members of Congress.

Now that he's finally won his U.S. Senate race, Al Franken can turn his attention to who he'd like to see turn the parody tables on him.

Senator Al Franken was greeted by Eveleth residents during their Fourth of July parade.

THUMBS UP TO: Al Franken becomes new Minnesota Senator After eight months of recounts and court battles, Republican Norm Coleman conceded to Democrat Al Franken in Minnesota's contested Senate race on Tuesday.

Well the " Land of 10,000 Lakes " took what seemed like 10,000 years, but the Minnesota Supreme Court finally ruled yesterday in a unanimous decision to certify Al Franken's election victory last November.

In this economic climate, there are not a lot of cities and towns in Massachusetts boasting good financial health.