ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) – One day after the Minnesota Supreme Court handed down it's unanimous decision in favor of Democrat Al Franken, the senator-elect thanked supporters and, for a moment, got emotional in a speech on the steps of the state capitol.
He seemed to strike a sentimental chord a couple of times, once when invoking former Minnesota Democratic Sen. Paul Wellstone, who died in a plane crash in 2002.
"It is of course technically true that this was Paul's U.S. Senate seat. But I don't think Paul saw it that way," Franken said. "This seat belongs to the people of Minnesota, and so did Sen. Wellstone, and so will I."
Franken spent much of his roughly fifteen minute speech thanking his wife Franni, his supporters, volunteers, campaign staff, and the people of the state he will soon represent.
"This was a historically close race. But it wouldn't have been if it weren't for Franni - I would have lost by kind of a lot," Franken said.
"No matter how difficult the challenges we face, I still believe there's no challenge America can't overcome," Franken said. "But I also believe that no politician can solve problems like these alone."
That was followed immediately with some of his trademark humor.
"I wish I could take you all to Washington with me to fight alongside me," Franken began. "But we cost it out - and it's just too much. So I need you to keep working here in Minnesota."
"When you win an election by this close a margin, you know that not any effort goes to waste," Franken said. "Thanks all of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
He concluded his remarks by telling supporters to continue holding their leaders accountable –"myself included," he added.
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Congratulations SENATOR FRANKEN!!!!!
Nice speech. Maybe this Franken guy will work out as a Senator after all. Though he would have a long way to go to even come close to Paul Wellstone...
Blah, blah, blah hard to believe anyone would vote for this clown. The election won by fuzzy math and counting ballots found in the trunk of a car. I'm sure there wasn't any funny business at all......nope, none at all! Electing Franken is funnier than any joke he ever told.
Congratulations Big Al.
Accountable leadership at every level is just what we need. Al, you are the man to do it, too. Get up to Washington and kick some for all of us who supported you – and all the others who should have.
I think he's going to be a breath of fresh air. Congratulations Senator Franken!
I wouldn't want Limbaugh as a Senator and Stuart here makes Rush seem like a moderate.
Go get em' Al
Congratulations!
Glad to have him as our Senator. Good luck to you Al and I hope you make health care a priority.
I can't help but think the reason health care has not been a priority for our elected officals is because none of them have to worry about it, and the insurance co lobbyists have been padding their pockets. Remember who you represent, the people, not the insurance companies who are screwing us every chance they get.
Congratulations Senator Franken!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Doug New Jersey wrote:
I wouldn't want Limbaugh as a Senator and Stuart here makes Rush seem like a moderate.
Doug, you forgot to mention what bad drivers liberals are. Have a nice day!
This win means as much to me as Barack's. I worked hard to support Al Franken, from Air America to the Minnesota senate, and have been watching this with baited breath. Barack & Al, unstoppable! On to a public health care option, and big investment in wind & solar energy. Go Al Go!
HIP HIP HORAY...all 33.9 precent to cheer stuart smalley voters to send him off.... what a great victory ....what a land slide.. what a joke.... acorn at its greatest moment.....
While I'm psyched for Al, I doubt congress will pass anything groundbreaking in healthcare, the environment, etc. Democrat or republican, they will vote the way the lobbyists of their corporate masters tell them to. Let's face it, the nation-state is obsolete. It's a corporatocracy. We're all working for McDisneySoftMart Inc. Have a nice day!
This guy is a whole lot smarter than he's given credit for. Anyway, he can't be any worse than the bunch of clowns that's in Congress already.