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The Franken Meltdown Begins

By Matthew Vadum on 7.31.09 @ 3:03PM

As predicted by many, it appears the meltdown of the most emotionally unstable member of the United States Senate is finally underway.

After being a good boy during the Sonia Sotomayor confirmation hearings, the newly fraudulently installed Sen. Al Franken (D-ACORN), couldn't resist letting T. Boone Pickens have it for funding those delightful Swift Boat ads that helped bury John Kerry's presidential prospects.

The Politico reports

According to a source, the wealthy oil and gas magnate and author of "The First Billion is the Hardest" stepped up to introduce himself to Franken in a room just off the Senate Floor after the lunch ended

Franken, who was seated talking to someone else, did not stand when Pickens said hello. Instead, Franken began to berate him about the billionaire's financing of the Swift Boat ads in 2004.

According to a source, the confrontation grew heated.

Said Franken spokeswoman Jess McIntosh: "It was a lively conversation."

This sounds like congressional flakspeak for a vicious verbal brawl.

It's just the beginning. Sen. Smalley just can't help himself.

Post Script: T. Boone Pickens responded to this blog post.

Comments

LA| 7.31.09 @ 3:25PM

I usually peruse HuffPost for these topics where they have thousands of posts. Here you get 2, 5, none. What gives? Is there a conservative blog that has lost of posters? I find the posters provide more of a pulse on what's really going on than the editorialists.

notmypresident09| 7.31.09 @ 3:27PM

The esteemed Senator Douche has arrived from the state of idiots - Minnesota. The fact that the election was close enough to steal shows what mental midgets live in that state. If the GOP wasnt such a group of wimps, I would bet on someone clocking him within six months.

Smitty| 7.31.09 @ 3:31PM

Senator Al Franken-stein: Just one clown in a body of elected fools.

Vladimir| 7.31.09 @ 3:32PM

LA: Try RedState.com for a lively exchange of conservative ideas.

Smitty| 7.31.09 @ 3:34PM

LA, Conservatives have jobs--that's why you'll see fewer posts here than Liberal blogs. Check out Hot Air, Michelle Malkin's site.

Tim| 7.31.09 @ 3:34PM

Franken can't top this democrat:

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090730/NEWS03/307300002/Flanagan-denies-accusation

Tim| 7.31.09 @ 3:36PM

Flanagan, a Democrat representing Chittenden County, is a candidate for lieutenant governor. In a phone interview, Flanagan denied he engaged in the alleged behavior. He said he apologizes if he did anything that was construed as offensive. He said he would never return to the YMCA and would patronize another gym instead.

Willey| 7.31.09 @ 3:37PM

I can hardly wait until Franken's first fist fight.

Jeremiah| 7.31.09 @ 3:40PM

Liberals exhibiting poor impulse control. May be Obama's red/blue pills will help them.

Grzmlyk| 7.31.09 @ 3:51PM

Tim: Great. I live right next to Burlington. I've been to that Y.

Of course, to hear any good Burlingtonian tell it, Flannagan was simply expressing himself, and if others aren't comfortable with an overt sexual display, that's because they're repressed, oppressive homophobes and/or misogynists who want to take away Mr. Flannagan's freedom of speech.

As for Franken, why not? He fits in with Pelosi and Reid and Frank and Dodd and Kennedy and Waters and Lee and - ugh. It's too depressing to name them all. The inmates are running the asylum.

Powerski| 7.31.09 @ 3:52PM

This election of this moron is the equivalent of Caligula appointing his horse to the Roman Senate. Frankly, I'd rather have the horse!

Grzmlyk| 7.31.09 @ 3:53PM

Well, Powerski, look at it this way: We got half of what the Romans got.

We got a horse's ass.

Tim| 7.31.09 @ 4:01PM

Flannagan as an early declared gay candidate for the 90's help lead Vermont towards civil unions and then gay marriage.
If you or I had said, fifteen years ago, that we wouldn't vote for him because he might end up publicly masturbating in the YMCA, we'd have been called homophobes and nuts.
Yet he won, and there he is whacking off and no intention of giving up his seat.

Grzmlyk| 7.31.09 @ 4:15PM

I'm not a native Vermonter, but every place I've lived has been a bastion of liberal whackiness.

And still Burlington takes the cake. I know one of our "reps" personally - he's about as unserious a person as one can imagine.

But you are absolutely right. I'm actually more serious than joking when I say people in Burlington will view it as a free speech issue and blame those who were offended by the behavior.

I mean, did you say the mayor of some Oregon town on the news the other day? he's a transvestite or transexual (it's hard for me to keep track) and he showed up at a kids' event in a miniskirt and high heels, with fake cleavage pushing out of his tight blouse.

My only question is when, will Burlington make it a requirement that its next mayor be a transgendered hooker? Can't yield our title of most ridiculous city in the country THAT easily.

Warpublican| 7.31.09 @ 4:21PM

That's a meltdown? Questioning a partisan hack on his financing of lies against an American war hero? Gee, maybe if he'd just asked to see T-Boones birth certificate, the American Spectator would've bought him dinner!

Warpublican| 7.31.09 @ 4:23PM

Vadum is an ass - did he refer to Reagan as Professor Boyd? Republicans who call Frankin unstable - after the stalwart of the party, Sister Palin, had a REAL meltdown and scampered off like a petulent child, only look like fools...

Tim| 7.31.09 @ 4:25PM

Grzmlyk:
Politically speaking, if you were to give the US an enema, you'd stick the nozzle in Burlington.

Jeremiah| 7.31.09 @ 4:30PM

Only a democrat--the party of freaks, fools, perverts and morons would defend Franken. Your spelling stinks, too, dumbo.

Missy| 7.31.09 @ 4:32PM

I don't know, Tim--many places in California would compete for that 'honor'. Much to my eternal sorrow.

Nobama| 7.31.09 @ 4:37PM

John Francois Kerry--an American hero. Yeah, sure, he received three purple hearts in three months--one of them was for a self-inflicted wound in his butt. He's as big a clown as Franken.

Grzmlyk| 7.31.09 @ 4:39PM

Tim, I agree. It's unbelieveable how distorted the average Vermonter is - and I hang with the acting community, which is even further left than the average lefty there.

There's a scene in the movie "White Christmas" (Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye) where they're taking the train up to Vermont from NYC and Danny Kaye makes a joke about how it's impossible to find a Democrat in Vermont.

How times change. And not for the better.

Actually, you still can't find a Democrat in Vermont; they've all morphed into out-and-out Marxists!

Ortho| 7.31.09 @ 4:44PM

LA, it's the paid mobies/trolls like "Warpublican" which discourage Republicans and conservatives from trying to have intelligent, rational discussions with you liberals on Republican/conservative sites.

And having such conversations on any liberal site is right out too, because contrary and uncomfortable opinions are routinely deleted and banned.

So, Republicans keep on working, paying taxes, raising their kids, etc. while waiting for the rest of the voters to notice how our country started diving into the toilet after the Democrats took over Congress in 2006, and how the nightmare has accelerated since Obama took over in the White House.

We're looking forward to the 2010 and 2012 elections.

Grzmlyk| 7.31.09 @ 4:47PM

Actually, Nobama, if memory serves, I believe it was four purple hearts in 16 weeks. Without spilling so much as one drop of blood or spending one minute in a hospital.

Pretty neat trick. One was for an injury incurred when a few grains of rice got embedded in his ass as he was screwing around after some ground action and, I think, tossed a grenade into a VC food storage area.

The guy is a pansy - and I never use that word. Elitist fop might be more apt.

It galls me that he singlehandedly made a mockery of the real sacrifice of truly brave men who came by their Purple Hearts honestly - and still have the scars to show for it.

In any case, Kerry may be the biggest phony of all the phonies that populate the phony Democrat party.

Now that IS an accomplishment!

Missy| 7.31.09 @ 4:47PM

Grzmlyk, you're right about that nasty mayor in Oregon. After showing up, (as a speaker) at a grade school assembly in a mini-skirt, a tight low cut tank top and stilettos, 'he' threatened to sue if city officials sanctioned his failure to follow the city's dress code.

By the way, the mayor surgically augmented his ample 'upstairs' region but left his 'downstairs' region untouched. I think I'm going to vomit now.

Grzmlyk| 7.31.09 @ 4:51PM

Scratch scratch scratch . . .

I can almost hear the scurring little fingers of liberal trolls like cockroaches on their keyboards typing indignant responses about what a true American HEro Kerry really was and how we on the right can't let go of the "swiftboating" tactics.

Hey. YOU are welcome to have kerry lead you into battle. I wouldn't let him lead my dog across the street.

Grzmlyk| 7.31.09 @ 4:57PM

Missy: It's getting so you can't tell the transvestites from the transexuals anymore, and that's a shame. Because i like to know which flavor of "perfectly normal" I'm dealing with.

Have we gone absolutely insane as a society? Do we no longer have any sense of shame? Of propriety? Is it really "Progress" that every sexual perversion under the sun is considered normal and its public expression considered a "right?" Is that the sign of a healthy society? how'd that work out in Amsterdam?

And are there more of these whack jobs out there today, or have these people always been around - they were just too constrained by society's mores to "express" it 40 years ago?

I mean, where does progressivism end? In five years will we be seeing fresh-faced actors engaging hard core group sex to sell laundry detergent on TV?

The line just keeps moving. Are we really better off for all of this "freedom?"

I would argue "no!"

Nobama| 7.31.09 @ 5:00PM

4 Purple Hearts? Oh, c'mon on! 3 was disgusting enough! I thought Kerry's self inflicted butt wound was a result of one of his errant shots that ricocheted off of a pile of rice bags. Who knows? It reminds me of his BS Christmas in Cambodia story.

He's a disgrace and a living insult to the many thousands of REAL American men who fought and died in that hellish war.

hmm_contrib| 7.31.09 @ 5:40PM

Grzmlyk, the funniest/saddest part about your post is that you automatically assume that transexuals and transvestites are somehow perverted. That right there is nothing more than a cultural value judgment: one you're free to make, of course, but hardly a proven fact. Years ago, an interracial couple or a gay couple would be considered perverted, and we know that's not true anymore. (Well, this is a red blog, so exactly how accepting you might be of couples like Dick Cheney's daughter and her partner is up in the air, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt). But once you remove the "Of course it's perverted!" assumption, what's the problem with the transgendered being present in our society? You don't like the clothes he wears to meetings, so society is ending? And Stu won election as a transgender; he didn't transition in office. The town (hardly a liberal bastion) elected him by a 13 point margin, so the people there apparently care more about his policies than his breasts. Shame the same can't be said for you.
And I am guessing you caught the hilarious "Amsterdam is burning!" lie-fest on O'Reilly recently. Yes, Amsterdam, with its lower crime rate, lower drug use, lower drug abuse rates, and more open and accepting society is really hell on earth (eye roll). Ever been there? Pretty darn peaceful.

hmm_contrib| 7.31.09 @ 5:45PM

"... while waiting for the rest of the voters to notice how our country started diving into the toilet after the Democrats took over Congress in 2006"
Are you serious? The housing bubble, the credit crisis, the catastrophically-managed wars: you expect anyone to believe they started in '06? Why do you think the Democrats swept in '06 and increased their lead in '08? Because the country know it's 12 and 8 years of GOP misrule across DC from the Hill to the WH that got us into this, and "let's lower taxes again and ban gays from doing stuff I don't like" won't get us out of it.

Norm Conquest| 7.31.09 @ 5:49PM

The writers on the TV series M*A*S*H were delighted to lift a much-circulated true-life story about a Vietnam officer who recommended himself for the Purple Heart. A flying bit of eggshell in the mess hall became "shell fragment in eye" in a combat zone, and Frank Burns was awarded his decoration.
.
Before the episode aired, some political foe splashed word all over Washington that a Kerry true story had inspired that week's plot on the popular sitcom. .

Kerry was furious, but smart enough not to call attention to the story by complaining oir denying. .

Grzmlyk| 7.31.09 @ 5:56PM

Thank you, Hmmm contrib, for proving my point. You are exhibit A.

But of course Y OU don't engage in stereotyping (the O'reilly comment)!!! No! You are superior!

It's us right-wingers who engage in stereotyping!

Thank your for granting me permission to make the same value judgments you are making. Of course perversion is a judgment! Duh! I got news: Most of societies mores are based on value judgments, not empiracal fact.

You pretend to be an open-minded, non-judmental, holier-than-thou secular saint - but you are in fact a bigot indicted by your own words. Or, to put it another way, just another generic, off-the-shelf, hypocritcial liberal.

Grzmlyk| 7.31.09 @ 6:04PM

Nobama- I think you are right -it was a gunshot.

I had the "pleasure" of living in Boston when Kerry first ran for the Senate - he immediately proved himself to be a liar and a lightweight. I And that was before I devled into the whole "summer soldier" treason. I was shocked that he won - and flabbergasted when the Dems chose him in 2004.

I will never forget the unintended hilarity of his "John Kerry reporting for duty" line when he took the stage. How that guy can daub himself in the blood of heroes and pose as a patriot galls the crap out of me.

Like most Dems, if there were any justice, Kerry would be flipping burgers at an Arby's, because that's what his intelligence/skill level qualifies him for.

Maybe he and Hmmmmm could share a "green" bicycle built for two on the way to work.

Liberal Reader| 7.31.09 @ 6:04PM

Tune in next week when Vadum will prove that ACORN is behind the conspiracy to hide Obama's true birth local in Kenya!

It's all a part of the fascist plan to destroy America!

Matthew Vadum| 7.31.09 @ 6:33PM

Cute logical fallacy, Liberal Reader/Axelrod Troll.

For the record, ACORN is active in Kenya through ACORN International, which was recently rechristened Community Organizations International (according to COI's website).

Perhaps you could start a loony conspiracy theory on your own.

You clearly have a good enough imagination.

Liberal Reader| 7.31.09 @ 7:21PM

Vadum --

Usually when American Spectator writers respond to my posts they do a lot better than "Axelrod troll" and the rest of this nonsense you've written.

You're obsession with ACORN -- apparently cooked up in the dreary, burbling laboratories of paranoia with Glenn Beck -- is not exactly resonating with people outside of these extreme fringes.

Is it possible -- just possible -- you've got it wrong. Being able to express doubt or acknowledge the complexity of important issues is a sign of intellectual integrity. Maybe give it a shot. -- Or, just call me a fascist and make it easy on yourself.

Missy| 7.31.09 @ 7:26PM

I would call a grown man with huge fake breasts and a penis a pervert. Of course, I am a healthy, traditional Conservative female, so what do I know about real men?

Of course, Fascist Liberal trolls like LibReader/Jeremiah and hmm stridently disagree with me, I'm sure. The Liberal mayor is their kind of man's man.

Welcome to today's proud Democrat party. Your party, Jeremiah.

Missy| 7.31.09 @ 7:32PM

Hey, Matt--I told you that you scored when you went after ACORN. LibReader/Jeremiah is wetting himself over your investigation!

I'm sure LR/Jeremiah's boss, David Axelrod, is not happy about the exposure of ACORN's nefarious misdeeds and corruption.

Missy| 7.31.09 @ 7:39PM

LibSpeak: "Being able to express doubt or acknowledge the complexity of important issues is a sign of intellectual integrity." Huh? What's complex about the venal, meat headed and dull witted thuggery of ACORN?

Besides, what do you know about integrity, troll? You are a joke and a moron.

Espo| 7.31.09 @ 8:24PM

Hey LA, try Ace of Spades HQ. Plenty of comments along with irreverent, hilarious and informative articles. http://ace.mu.nu/

My favorites are their articles on why Elaine Cho is not funny.

Johnno| 7.31.09 @ 9:05PM

I used to like Elaine Cho. What happened to her anyway?

Pingback| 7.31.09 @ 10:56PM

Another week in the can, WFFOT « Nuke Gingrich links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…Sgt. Crowley shows class. HR 3200: Good for the people? Good enough for Congress. Mike Steele: Think about all the crap we’ve taken from the press (video) Booyah! Stuart Smalley: The meltdown begins. The Wrath of the Killdozer! Da Floooooo…. checklist. Churches and taxes. Nice job, Shane. Why won’t Keith Ellison release the details of his free trip to Mecca? Is it time for a third…

chrisw21| 7.31.09 @ 11:50PM

Pickens funded a group that falsely attacked Kerry's war record:

http://www.factcheck.org/republican-funded_group_attacks_kerrys_war_record.html

The fact is Kerry certainly had a better record of military service than the AWOL bonehead who lied us into Iraq and nearly decimated our economy.

Franken had every right to give T. Boone some crap. I seem to remember Cheney having a nice FU moment with Leahy. Now that was classy.

Jeremiah| 8.1.09 @ 12:14AM

Don't lie, chrisw21. Everything said about John F'n Kerry by the Swift Boaters was backed up by men who served with him during his short time in Vietnam in their book, Unfit for Command.

The Swift Boat Vets for Truth did our country a huge favor by preventing that traitorous, lying scumball from ever becoming POTUS.

Franken is another liberal piece of crap.

chrisw21| 8.1.09 @ 12:45AM

Jeremiah,

I cited a non-partisan source (factcheck.org) that calls BS on both sides, liberal and conservative. You didn't read the link did you?

The link even debunks the falsehood in "Unfit for Command" regarding Kerry's chasing the "teenager" in a "loincloth" who had the rocket launcher. That action and another that day on February 28, 1969 earned Kerry a Silver Star. Remind me again. What medals did Bush get during Vietnam? I recommend you read the link and become more enlightened.

Nobama| 8.1.09 @ 12:46AM

Pickens is a private citizen--it was way out of bounds for Franken to attack him. Franken is low class. Surprise!

Jeremiah| 8.1.09 @ 12:53AM

chris, Kerry was in VietNam for three months and won 3 or 4 purple hearts. He still hasn't released his medical records to show evidence of his injuries, even though he promised he would. Only a moron wouldn't be suspicious.

When Kerry returned to the US he slandered and betrayed thousands of his fellow Americans still fighting and dying over there in that hell hole.

The man's a coward and a traitor and you should be ashamed of yourself for defending him.

Christian Seaborn| 8.1.09 @ 1:04AM

It is utterly amazing how stupid most of you right-wing, arrogant people you are. Fortunately for the rest of us you are a small minority. Still small minorities are unsettling when they tend to share their thoughts based upon half-truths or (worse) total lies just because that is the way in which you would like the world to be. When you folks start dealing in real facts about other people then, and only then, you might be worth paying some attention to.

Jeremiah| 8.1.09 @ 1:14AM

Kerry was in Viet Nam for three months and in that time he won three Purple Hearts (with absolutely no evidence of physical injury and with no time lost from duty, duh!), a Silver Star and a Bronze Star. This was a nearly impossible feat, especially considering the pedestrian actions of Kerry's outfit.

He used his three Purple Hearts to request an early trip home eight months before his tour was up. Kerry has promised that he would release his medical records--but never has. Liar! He doesn't want the public to know that he doesn't have any battle injuries.

At least W didn't lie about his record.

Give it up, chrisw, you just look like a bigger and bigger fool--kind of like Kerry and Franken.

Jeremiah| 8.1.09 @ 1:19AM

Hey Libtard, Conservatives comprise 40% of the American population, Liberals only 20%. You are the minority, imbecile--and with Obama's approvals tanking I hope we can kick you loathsome idiots out of office forever.

HawkWatcher| 8.1.09 @ 2:18AM

There's only so much time to surf, and I visit and post at Pajamas, Heritage, American Thinker, and Jihad Watch now and then. I bounced to AmSpec today because I haven't been here for a while. On to the deal.

If one believed the swiftboat veterans for truth told lies, a defamation lawsuit would most likely be initiated. Can anyone find a conviction record on any charges brought against any "swiftboaters"?
Why, no, they can't.
There is no such action on record. Kerry did not sue because he had no case. Clear thinking and history add up to the fact that he's a dirtball.

Deal with this, Franken. Bush and Cheney will never be prosecuted for anything, either. But don't let that stop you, Al. Maybe you could team up with John Conyers and the Bushitler crowd and waste the rest of your terms chasing rainbows in the park.

PS: The irrelevant trolls are all over the place. When ignored, most will leave. If you feel particularly irritated, present relative facts to the troll one time only, in a short, sharp, concise manner, and then dismiss it.

Nobama| 8.1.09 @ 2:40AM

Yes, Sir! Responding to these azzholes helps me discipline my mind and form cohesive cogent arguments that in turn help me figure out who I am, what I stand for and why I'm a strong, confident Conservative.

It's verbal boxing or fencing, and it's preparing me for more important skirmishes in the future.

I also think it's important to repeat the truth of past events so they aren't forgotten and rewritten as lies by liberals.

Thank you for your direction, though--a good, strong man is always most appreciated! ;)

Pingback| 8.1.09 @ 8:12AM

The B&R Saturday Edition | Black & Right links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…by my 2003 commentary It’s time for Dems to hear music on Obamacare More like they’ll be feeling the beat GM Admits Error in Dealership Closings Well, that makes all well and good The Franken Meltdown Begins Taking on T. Boone. Boy, you is crazeh 3 American hikers arrested in Iran And was there something wrong with hiking in New Hampshire…? And we owe it all to Governor Deval Patrick In the…

R. Lynn Lane| 8.1.09 @ 8:45AM

Oh, how I wish I was a Sen. I would kick Al's jackass infront of all to see.
R. Lynn Lane
www.Warriorofsuccess.com

Qui Bono?| 8.1.09 @ 9:19AM

I am fed up with the political hypocrisy of both the far left and the far right! Both sides will take money from anyone in order to fund their dirty tricks and push their narrow, self-serving agendas. I propose we sell tickets to a series of boxing matches between the likes of Pickens and Rush Limbaugh on one side, and George Soros and Michael Moore on the other side.Then have the government match the proceeds to fund the next election - with no PACs or private contributions allowed! It's time We The People started electing statesmen again instead of buying prepackaged "personalities."

Jim| 8.1.09 @ 10:57AM

Tim-you got it wrong-Ed might have masturbated in the Y in public, but Franken has already begun his campaign of mental masturbation in front of the whole world...

Ryan| 8.1.09 @ 11:15AM

No one is ever going to take Mr. Franken seriously. He has absolutely no experience, and he sits on the judiciary committee, are you kidding me? We're going to let a "comedian" question a Supreme Court candidate...wow! Franken's most shining moment will have been when he looked into that mirror as Stuart Smalley on SNL. The guy is as unqualified as you can get. The senators we have in office are bad enough...the bar was just lowered even further.

Bob| 8.1.09 @ 12:19PM

You people are funnier than Al Franken ever was. Are you mouth-foaming carpet chewers representative of the American Spectator's readership?

Glenn| 8.1.09 @ 12:34PM

At least W didn't lie about his record.
Yeah, he just deserted.

Jason| 8.1.09 @ 1:08PM

Prove it, Glenn. Wiener.

Nobama| 8.1.09 @ 1:13PM

Dan (What's the frequency, Kenneth?) Blather ruined his career over that silly lie. Just another liberal nimrod. LOL

Johnno| 8.1.09 @ 1:17PM

Considering the fact that Senator Stuart Smalley was never funny, your statement means nothing, moron. What a bunch of losers you libtards are.

Ken Hughes| 8.1.09 @ 1:26PM

I would point out to the new senator Al Franken
The 2004 election has been decided Bush won Kerry lost. Everything has a shelf life and that elections has expired.
Move on there are more pressing thing than the
swift boat controversy to worry about.

ms. helga| 8.1.09 @ 2:36PM

The anagram for SENATOR AL FRANKEN turns out to be RANK ANAL SOFTENER.

PEEEEEEUUUUUU.

This proves there is a God.

Jeremiah| 8.1.09 @ 3:00PM

Franken's existence proves there's a devil. too. Ha ha!

Pingback| 8.1.09 @ 4:19PM

The Clumsy Fly » Blog Archive » Weekend Links links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…no way Honduras is going to let Zelaya back into power and why does Obama continue to support him? OBAMA’S BIRTH CERTIFICATE: It matters, but not because of the ridiculous “birther” movement. AL FRANKEN: Still mad about the Swift Boat ads apparently, but Pickens’ response dismisses him entirely. CASH FOR CLUNKERS: The sad fact is that many perfectly good cars are going to be destroyed because of…

Pingback| 8.3.09 @ 9:03AM

Saturday Links 8/1/09 | The Clumsy Fly links to this page. Here’s an excerpt: