Well, I must say that for the first time in my life I would like to applaud Franken. I’ve wanted to do the same to the La Rouchies a million times.

Posted by: mike van winkle at January 27, 2004 09:50 AM

Here’s a link:

http://nypost.com/news/nationalnews/16692.htm

Posted by: Matt at January 27, 2004 10:18 AM

but how on earth does body slamming the larouchie maintain his right to free… ohhhhhhh! he was only protecting dean’s right to free speech. this has got to be a publicity stunt. maybe franken or another democrat could explain to me the problem with bush’s free speech zone around the areas he speaks at again?

Posted by: wafflestomper at January 27, 2004 10:25 AM

As usual Franken and the ultra-left liberals only believe in free speech for ultra-left liberals. Suppose a Bush supporter had done what Franken did - it would be the lead story on every nightly newscast. No liberal bias in the media? Heh.

Posted by: nikita demosthenes at January 27, 2004 10:33 AM

This would be funny if it weren’t so pathetic. Is this report accurate? Nikita is right. Imagine if Dennis Miller did this to someone heckling Bush.

Sad. One set of rules for liberals. Another set for everyone else.

Posted by: johnnymozart at January 27, 2004 10:42 AM

Imagine if Sean Hannity tackled a Buchanon supporter at a Bush rally. And then claimed to be defending free speech. Think the coverage would be a bit different?

Still, another example of leftists cracking up. This is going to be an ugly year. Bush needs to stay positive at all costs.

Posted by: mark buehner at January 27, 2004 10:49 AM

Great! Can’t wait for Al’s new show. Glad to hear that we are actually hitting back for a change. Sorry it couldn’t have been a Republican he floored.

Posted by: Keith at January 27, 2004 11:45 AM

Keith, lovely comments. It’s good to see you advocate violence against people you disagree with, with a veracity commensurate with that level of disagreement.

Hitting back? When was Al Franken physically hit, or you for that matter, by a political rival? Or, do you simply advocate physical violence as an appropriate response to verbal attacks?

Posted by: Alex Dale at January 27, 2004 12:02 PM

I hope the CP will report when charges are brought against Al Franken. I’d love to see it all over Drudge: “Assault Charges Against Pacifist Talk-Show Host”.

Posted by: gus3 at January 27, 2004 12:49 PM

OH Alex,

Get a life, I was kidding. But, from my experience Republicans are the ones who are prone to violence

And, do you really think that Al Franken actually threw someone to the ground?

I love it when right-wing nuts get self righteous.

Posted by: Hkeith at January 27, 2004 01:16 PM

Assault and Battery as “defending free speech”…

I see Bill Clinton isn’t the only one who likes to play with definitions!

Posted by: GDubya at January 27, 2004 01:27 PM

Keith,

////I was kidding///

Suuuure you were.

Posted by: johnnymozart at January 27, 2004 01:33 PM

[Hk|K]eith: When we are attacked, we do hit back, in a way that assures we don’t get hit again by the same person. That’s one thing that generally distinguishes Republicans (and conservatives) from Democrats. As proof, look at our current CiC and his five immediate predecessors.

General note: New York Post reports it!

Posted by: gus3 at January 27, 2004 01:33 PM

HKeith, Republicans are prone to violence?

What about the leftists who turn protests into window-smashing, defacing public property time? Throwing rocks at police? Any of that ring a bell?

And yes, Al Franken DID throw someone to the ground. He admitted it. He’s proud of it. Of course, he went at him from behind.

Posted by: Clarissa at January 27, 2004 01:35 PM

///And, do you really think that Al Franken actually threw someone to the ground?///

Only because it was reported that way in the NY Post. But there I go being self righteous again…..

Silly me.

Posted by: johnnymozart at January 27, 2004 01:36 PM

Protecting Freedom of Speech. Lets think about this one now. Are you that involved in politics that you can’t see past what happened here. Americans are being told we cannot disagree. Left and right. Hollywood tells us we must think like a liberal. And now, they are enforcing through violence. I will never vote for a democrat. The only freedoms taken away from me our by the liberals.

Posted by: Freedom of Speech huh? at January 27, 2004 02:15 PM

By prone to violence I meant starting wars under false pretenses (lies actually) and killing American soldiers and Iraqi civilians.

OK, I admit it, Al Franken did do it. But I only believe it because I read it in the New York Times.

I repeat. You guys need to get a life. Did you all get this worked up about Rush being a drug addict?

Keith

Posted by: hkeith at January 27, 2004 02:18 PM

FoSh: May I remind you of an excerpt from the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America:

"the right of the people peaceably to assemble…"

(Emphasis mine.)

What the LaRouchies did was not peaceable. To Franken’s credit, he said he would have done the same thing to a Dean supporter at a Kerry rally. (/me glances sideways at Cap’n DOC)

If I’m getting my info correct, the rally took place on private property, not public. If they wanted to kick out all the LaRouchies, or all the Caucasians, or all the people with crossed eyes, there wasn’t a damn thing anyone could do to stop that. Their right to choose their audience on private property is the same as your right to do the same. Accept it, or give it up.

Posted by: gus3 at January 27, 2004 02:37 PM

Keith, I really appreciate you coming to this board, writing inflammatory comments, and then telling us we need to “get a life” when we react to it, claiming you were kidding. I think that’s a fantastic approach to discourse in this society…

I really need to keep a lid on my sarcasm, but at least it keeps me civil.

Oh, and Al Franken is not given a license to assault people because a Republican administration reinstated a 12-year-old war due to ceasefire violations…I don’t understand why you are making that connection.

Rush’s drug addiction? Why are you bringing that up? I don’t like Rush any more than I like Al Franken, and abusing your own body is not the same as abusing somebody else’s without their permission.

Posted by: Alex Dale at January 27, 2004 02:59 PM

Just a friendly reminder that this comment thread is being moderated.

Posted by: admin at January 27, 2004 03:04 PM

Alex,

“….reinstate a 12 year war due to cease fire violations,” that’s the best one I have heard yet. Alex, are you sure that you don’t work at the White House?

I was making the connection between Rush and Al Franken’s behavior. One man tackling another at a a public meeting and the other dealing in illegal drugs and money laundering. I just wondered if all you self-righteous Republicans got as worked up about Rush?

It seems pointless now, but I do wonder why this would cause such a stir? Is it that Al gets under your skin? I am sure this wll boost his book sales.

Posted by: hkeith at January 27, 2004 03:19 PM

Just so you know, it caused a stir because it is very unusual for a high-profile political commentator to physically assault another person in public. It astounds me that you think this isn’t newsworthy. If a Republican did the same thing, I would condemn them as well. I condemn Rush for his hypocritical behavior (I never was a fan anyways), so I don’t understand why you keep trying to use him as a counter-argument, because I am fair in my judgment.

I am not a Republican, by the way. You need to stop making ridiculous assumptions and really look at what you are saying. You are very impolite.

Posted by: Alex Dale at January 27, 2004 03:41 PM

Alex,

You’re too easy

Posted by: hkeith at January 27, 2004 04:27 PM

You’re an idiot, but you knew that.

Posted by: Alex Dale at January 27, 2004 05:57 PM

nikita demosthenes
“As usual Franken and the ultra-left liberals only believe in free speech for ultra-left liberals…”

You’ve got a point. A couple of weeks ago a young Republican group held a meeting, decided on a course of action and immediately adjourned en masse to a Dean rally to heckle. The damn commie had the temerity to infringe on their 1st amendment rights by singing the national anthem to drown them out.

Republicans, on the other hand, believe in free dissemination of views and opinions. So much so that they’ll pilfer secret internal Democratic Senate memos for over a year. Why shouldn’t they? Liberals operate by different rules…

Al Franken should be appointed Serjeant-At-Arms.

Posted by: dirk strom at January 27, 2004 06:25 PM

I think that all of the people who are defending Al Franken’s actions are missing a very important point: Franken admitted to assaulting a heckler.
Did he break the law? Yes. Here are the facts:

1) The Dean rally took place in the Palace Theater in Manchester. It’s private property. The owner of the Palace, Peter Ramsey, has final say over who comes in or stays.

2) LaRouche supporters begin heckling Dean.

3) Dean’s security team approach the men and ask them to leave.

4) They choose to either leave or stay.

5) If they choose to stay, they can be charged with criminal trespassing.

6) Theater owner can then call the police to have the trespassers arrested.

7) Neither Dean’s security team, Al Franken, nor anyone else has the authority to touch anyone else without their permission, no matter what they are saying at the time until the police arrive.

8) Franken broke the law by assaulting the heckler at the Dean rally.

Posted by: markymark at January 29, 2004 11:03 AM

If you read two other sources, you find that Franken only reacted after the man shoved past him, elbowed him in the face and broke his glasses. That’s why he wasn’t charged with assault.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/01/27/elec04.prez.democrats.larouche/index.html

http://alfrankenweb.com/pramsey.html

Posted by: Nichy at February 4, 2004 11:29 AM

Also check out the New Hampshire Union Leader (a conservative newspaper that endorsed Bush in 2000) for all the details that the Fox-owned NY Post missed (deleted):

http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=32449

The NY Post article is the third time that Vincent Morris has written an article about Al Franken. The previous two articles resulted in the NY Post having to issue retractions. Do you suppose ol’ Vinny is going three for three?

Posted by: pdavid at February 6, 2004 01:30 AM