Franken Gets Funny Again

As a latecomer to the Senate this year, Al Franken’s been playing it straight—but he loosened up enough to venture a few jokes at an Iowa fundraiser yesterday, CNN reports. Discussing Sen. Tom Harkin’s new post as head of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee,” Franken said: “Its not really that big a deal. I mean, it's only health. Education. Labor. And pensions.”

“I mean, who really would care about those things? Except for maybe people who are concerned about their health, or their kids' health, or maybe want their kids to go to, oh, a good school, or, I don't know, people who work.” Franken was a bit of an anomaly at the event, CNN notes, which is usually dominated by presidential wannabes. On stage in 2007: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, John Edwards, Bill Richardson, and Chris Dodd.