Franken’s book release and book tour thread

[Mr. Morden]

I’m starting this rather early, but only because Franken is already doing interviews about the book.  His new book, “Al Franken, Giant of the Senate” comes out on May 30th.  Franken has already given a Shermanesque denial of 2020 ambitions (which he gives again in this interview), but not everyone believes him.  And indeed, in the USA Today interview I link to below, his answer is more ambiguous.

Anyway, here is the short take on Franken from People, which will have a longer Franken story in this week’s issue:

http://people.com/politics/sen-al-franken-is-flattered-by-buzz-but-definitely-not-running-for-president-in-2020/

And here is a USA Today interview that talks about the content of the book:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/23/al-franken-comedian-turned-senator-takes-donald-trump-tv-star-turned-president/101931684/

One interesting note from that story: Franken’s description of his early troubles with Obama:

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[Mr. Morden]

Here's a trailer for the book:

http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/al-franken-giant-of-the-senate-book-trailer.html

[Mr. Morden]

Ted Cruz is not happy:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/24/ted-cruz-al-franken-book-giant-of-the-senate-238782

[Mr. Morden]

NY Times interview with Franken on his reading habits:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/25/books/review/al-franken-by-the-book.html

Franken was also on CBS this morning, and here’s a clip on his dislike (hatred?) of Ted Cruz:

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/335446-franken-explains-why-he-made-an-exception-to-diss-cruz-in-his

[Mr. Morden]

I got tickets to a Franken DC book talk in June, so maybe I'll get to ask if he's at all interested in running for president.

He's probably not going to say anything new on that question.  But one thing you can try is to ask him if he's looked into whether it's legal in Minnesota to run for president and Senate at the same time. 

[Mr. Morden]

Video of Franken's appearance on Morning Joe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2CN4I8vdUY

[Mr. Morden]

The Cruz-Franken feud continues:

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/335822-franken-dem-colleague-dropped-cruzs-name-during-secret-santa-name-drawing

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[Mr. Morden]

WaPo has yet more about the Cruz-Franken "blood feud":

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/06/01/the-guy-who-microwaves-fish-in-the-office-inside-al-frankens-blood-feud-with-ted-cruz/?utm_term=.22a2b3d3cd38

[Mr. Morden]

Franken now wants Kathy Griffin out of an event he was scheduled to do with her:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/01/al-franken-kathy-griffin-cancels-event-239047

[Mr. Morden]

Franken cancels his scheduled appearance on Real Time over Bill Maher's use of the n-word:

http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/al-franken-cancels-real-time-with-bill-maher-appearance-n-word-1202454539/