Politics and Musings Live with former Senator Al Franken

Summary

What A Day Podcast Summary Episode: Politics and Musings Live with Former Senator Al Franken
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Host: Jane Coaston
Guest: Al Franken, Former Minnesota Senator and SNL Writer

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1. Introduction to Al Franken

The episode kicks off with host Jane Coaston introducing Al Franken, highlighting his unique journey from a celebrated comedian and writer on Saturday Night Live (SNL) to a closely elected U.S. Senator from Minnesota. She underscores his influential work in liberal politics, including his time at Air America and his bestselling books.

Notable Quote:
Jane Coston (00:45): “Franken left the Senate in 2018, but as you'll hear, he still has a lot of thoughts about politics and comedy…”

2. Al Franken’s Journey from SNL to the Senate

Al Franken delves into his transition from comedy to politics, detailing his early years in Minnesota and the influence of his father’s political shift from Republican to Democrat following Barry Goldwater's nomination in 1964. He discusses his stint as an SNL writer from 1975 to 1980 and again from 1985 to 1995, highlighting the skills he honed in comedy that later benefited his political career.

Notable Quote:
Al Franken (02:15): “My dad was a big Buddy Hackett fan and so was I, and a big comedy fan and a big fan of politics as a spectator sport.”

3. The Role of Comedy in Politics

Franken emphasizes how his experience in comedy, particularly performing and writing, prepared him for the political arena. He explains that engaging with an audience and receiving instant feedback is invaluable in both fields. He shares an anecdote about a memorable SNL sketch he co-wrote, illustrating the blend of humor and cultural commentary that characterizes his work.

Notable Quote:
Al Franken (06:26): “When you're performing for an audience, you get feedback, and there's nothing really can substitute for that.”

4. Interaction with Ted Cruz

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around Franken’s interactions with Senator Ted Cruz, whom he describes as a “wannabe comedian senator.” Franken recounts a humorous exchange where Cruz tried out a joke, showcasing the lighter side of political interactions but also hinting at underlying tensions.

Notable Quote:
Al Franken (09:07): “He’s giving pardons out for people who give a million dollars. I mean, it's unbelievable.”

5. Critique of Donald Trump’s Second Term

Franken offers a scathing critique of Donald Trump’s actions during his second term, highlighting perceived corruption and mishandling of executive powers. He expresses particular concern over Trump Jr.'s ventures and the controversial executive orders, including the pardoning of January 6 rioters.

Notable Quotes:
Al Franken (14:28): “This meme coin, what's that? I mean, that is corruption just writ large and there is absolutely no shame.”
Al Franken (15:48): “It's a club that you can join for just $500,000. So the corruption is surprising me.”

6. Democratic Party Strategies: Messaging and Leadership

The conversation shifts to how Democrats should respond to the current political climate. Franken advocates for genuine and transparent communication, stressing the importance of authenticity in messaging. He praises leaders like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) for their effective communication strategies and influence within the party.

Notable Quotes:
Al Franken (17:49): “There’s nothing magic. Some people are really good at it... but I just think that the way to talk about it is be genuine.”
Jane Coston (18:51): “There is a lot of value in that conversation because a lot of the party elders are elders. But ironically, it seems like one of the best people getting his message out is Your former colleague, 83-year-old Senator Bernie Sanders.”

7. Restoring Trust with Voters

Addressing the erosion of trust between the Democratic Party and voters, Franken discusses the challenges posed by recent political events, including perceived missteps by former President Biden. He suggests that maintaining an active and persistent fight against political adversities is crucial for restoring faith and winning back swing voters.

Notable Quotes:
Al Franken (19:37): “It's a crying shame.”
Al Franken (20:23): “We have to continue to fight and not give up and fight every day.”

8. Looking Ahead to Future Elections

Franken shares his thoughts on the importance of staying engaged in politics, urging Democrats and progressive voters to remain active despite setbacks. He underscores the relentless nature of political battles, particularly against formidable opponents like Trump, and emphasizes the need for continuous effort and resilience.

Notable Quote:
Al Franken (22:19): “It's easy to throw up your hands and say, I've had it. And also it's sickening to watch this... we have to continue to fight and not give up and fight every day.”

9. Conclusion

The episode concludes with Jane Coaston thanking Al Franken for his insights and summarizing the key takeaways from their conversation. She encourages listeners to engage with the podcast for more in-depth discussions on crucial topics shaping the political landscape.

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Behind the Scenes:
This episode was recorded live at the Cascade PBS Festival in Seattle, Washington. Production credits include Desmond Taylor (recording and mixing), Emily Foer (Associate Producer), Joseph Dutra (Video Editor), Johanna Case (Video Producer), and support from Greg Walters, Matt Berg, Sean Ali, Tyler Hill, and Laura Newcombe. The senior team comprises Erica Morrison (Senior Producer) and Adrienne Hill (Senior Vice President of News and Politics). The theme music was created by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka.

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Key Themes Explored:

• Intersection of Comedy and Politics: How skills from the entertainment industry can be leveraged in political spheres.
• Political Integrity and Corruption: Criticisms of current political figures and their ethical implications.
• Democratic Strategy: Effective communication and genuine messaging as tools for political success.
• Voter Trust and Engagement: Strategies to rebuild and maintain trust among swing voters and the general electorate.
• Leadership in the Democratic Party: Highlighting emerging leaders and their roles in shaping the party’s future.

This comprehensive discussion provides listeners with valuable insights into the complexities of modern politics, the role of humor and authenticity, and the ongoing efforts to navigate and influence the political landscape.

Transcript

[Al Franken]

Foreign.

[Jane Coston]

It's Friday, June 20th. I'm Jane Costen, and this is what a day. On today's show, we're doing something different. A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with former Minnesota senator and Saturday Night Live stalwart Al Franken. Al Franken has had perhaps one of the wilder journeys to politics. From 1975 to 1980, and from 1985 to 1995, he was a writer and performer on Saturday Night Live. But after getting into liberal politics, including a brief stint at Air America and a few books like Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations, great title. He then ran for the Senate in 2008 against Republican Norm Coleman, and he won by 312 votes, one of the closest winning margins in Senate history.

[Audience Member]

How close?

[Jane Coston]

Coleman didn't concede the election until June 2009. Franken left the Senate in 2018, but as you'll hear, he still has a lot of thoughts about politics and comedy, including his efforts to help one Republican senator tell better jokes and how he's.

[Audience Member]

Trying to help the Democratic Party reach.

[Jane Coston]

Out to male voters. We spoke at the Cascade PBS Festival in Seattle, Washington. Here's our conversation.

Hello. Thank you so much for being here.

I'm sorry.

So excited to be back in Big Ten country. Welcome to the Cascade PBS Ideas Festival. I'm Jane Coston, host of Crooked Media's daily news podcast, what a Day. And I could not be more excited to introduce my guest. You know him from Saturday Night Live and the United States Senate, Al Franken. So, Senator, or should I call you Al, fellow podcaster?

[Al Franken]

Call me what my grandchildren call me Senator. Call me Al.

[Jane Coston]

So, Al, how did you get from writing for SNL to sitting in the United States Senate, an even more deplorable place?

[Al Franken]

Well, it's kind of a long story. I grew up in Minnesota, so that helps. My dad was a fan of comedy and he loved Buddy Hackett. Some older people here. So my dad was a big Buddy Hackett fan and so was I, and a big comedy fan and a big fan of politics as a spectator sport. And he was a Republican until 1964. And what happened there was Barry Goldwater was their nominee and he had voted against the 64 Civil Rights Bill. And we used to watch the news while we ate dinner. And remember in 1963, there was a demonstration down south and the cops were putting batons on people's heads and sticking dogs on them and fire hoses. And my dad pointed. The TV said, no Jew can be for that. No Jew can be for that. And so when they nominated Barry Goldwater, who was against the Civil Rights bill, my dad changed and became a Democrat. And that's when I was old enough to figure out that I was a Democrat, too.

[Jane Coston]

So how did your path get from. You were writing for. Yeah, you were writing for Smith.

[Al Franken]

Answer your question. Is that what you want me to do?

[Jane Coston]

It's a thing that would be cool.

[Al Franken]

Okay. Okay. Let me try to do that. So I like comedy, too. Okay. And I started performing in high school with a partner, Tom Davis. I don't know if people here remember Franken and Davis. Yeah. And we were two of the original SNL writers in 1975, and we did the first five seasons, then we left when Lauren left. Then we were Lauren again writers. We came back five years later and did 10 years with the show. After that, I started writing some books. I wrote one called Rush Limbaugh as a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations.

[Jane Coston]

Nonfiction.

[Al Franken]

Yeah. I see the age expanding as I get closer to the present. And then I did another book after that called Lies and Lying Liars who Tell A Fair and Balanced look at the Right. No applause for that. I also did a radio show on Air America, which I. We had a station here in Seattle, and I had one in New York, but then we moved the show to Minneapolis. And in. Paul Wellstone was kind of my hero. And in 2002, he died in a plane crash just about two weeks before the 2002 election. And Norm Coleman was running against him, and Norm ended up winning that election. And a few weeks after he arrived in Washington, he said to a Capitol Hill newspaper, to be Frank, I'm a 99% improvement over Paul Wellstone. And when I heard that, I said, I wonder who's going to beat this guy? And I thought it could maybe be me. So during the 2006 cycle, when I was doing my radio show around the state, I campaigned for Democrats there, and people were saying, you know, maybe you should run against Coleman. And I did that, and I clobbered him by 312 votes. So that's the answer to your question.

[Jane Coston]

What do you think your experience. Comedy added to your understanding of politics?

[Al Franken]

Well, obviously, speaking in front of an audience, which is what you do very often in comedy and writing, what you're saying is very good preparation for politics. When you're performing for an audience, you get feedback, and there's nothing really can substitute for that. It's different than running for office. But I love doing the show. I love doing Saturday Night Live. I'll tell you about one sketch that Tom and I wrote. People here remember Julia Child bleeding to death. Remember that?

[Jane Coston]

I do not. Perhaps you could. I was born in 1987, so let's just, you know.

[Al Franken]

Oh, okay. Okay. So Tom and I wrote this. We were watching the Today show in the morning, and Julia Child was on, and she cut her finger. And that gave us an idea. And so the sketch was basically Dan Aykroyd as Julia Child deboning a chicken and cutting her finger very badly and bleeding to death. It was comedy, right?

[Jane Coston]

Yeah. Doing the voice and everything, huh? The voice of Julia Child.

[Al Franken]

Oh, he was brilliant. Danny was just brilliant doing it. And Tom was under the counter pumping the blood. He had an insect sprayer. And we actually held it a week. We did it in dress rehearsal one week, and we didn't have the blood exactly right, but we knew we had something. And on air, it just was just magical. And. No, it was absolutely fabulous. And Julia Child insisted, when they put her exhibit in the Smithsonian, she insisted that that sketch be on a TV in the set, running on a loop you took. So I didn't answer your question.

[Jane Coston]

I'm sure, you know, you got around sort of basically to it. But I actually, you told me in an earlier conversation about a certain other wannabe comedian senator from Texas who may have run some jokes past you.

[Al Franken]

Okay. Ted Cruz was not my favorite senator, but he was attested to be a fan of comedy. So every once in a while, on a Monday, we come in in the late afternoon or early evening for votes, and he could sometimes come up to me and say, I saw an old repeat of an SNL where you were interviewing Stuart Smalley, was interviewing Michael Jordan, and it was hilarious. And I'm going like, you know what? He's not so bad. And so every once in a while, he would, like, he fancied himself as funny, and he would try jokes out on me. So this is 2016, where he's running for president, and he says, I've written a joke and I want to try it out for you. And I went, okay. And so he starts telling this joke, and it goes on and on. The setup goes on and on. And at a certain point, I'm guessing that the punch line is Hillary's phone. And then he says, hillary's phone. So I said, okay, your audience will laugh at that joke. But I have to tell you that I knew what the punchline was going to be before you said it. Now he gets really mad. Okay, you tell me a joke. This is Ted. So I say, okay. And I know it's got to be a quick setup and a punchline that he can't possibly anticipate. So I say, okay, what don't you want to hear after you've blown Willie Nelson? And Ted tries to and gives up very quickly. And I say, okay, what don't you want to hear after you've blown Willie Nelson? I'm not Willie Nelson. Now, Ted wanted to hate the joke, but God damn, that's a good joke. It's not my joke, and I'm sure somebody here has heard it and didn't yell out the punchline. So I appreciate that.

[Jane Coston]

We'll be back with more of my conversation with former Minnesota senator Al Franken in just a minute.

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[Jerry]

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[Jerry's Heart]

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[Jane Coston]

And we're back with more of my conversation with former Minnesota Senator Al Franken.

Let's talk about Donald Trump. What has surprised you the most about Trump 2.0, Empire Strikes Back?

[Al Franken]

Boy, oh boy, there's so much, you know, there's no Jim Mattis' in this iteration. He was the secretary of defense. And this time we have Pete Hegseth. So that is kind of shocking to me. Let's see what else. How corrupt it is. This meme coin, what's that? I mean, that is corruption just writ large and there is absolutely no shame. And the sons are, I guess Donald Jr. Is starting this executive branch. Is that the thing it's called?

[Jane Coston]

It's like a, yeah, it's like a executive branch.

[Al Franken]

It's a club that you can join for just $500,000. So the corruption is surprising me.

[Jane Coston]

I also just can't imagine giving $500,000 to Donald Trump Jr. It would be safer giving it to a cat.

[Al Franken]

Well, I assume that you get credit for it from all of the Trumps. And it's a bribe, isn't it?

[Jane Coston]

I hope that Eric Trump isn't like, what about me?

[Al Franken]

Well, he hadn't thought of it, so, you know, shame on you, Eric. And no, I mean, they're giving pardons out for people who give a million dollars. I mean, it's unbelievable. Let's see what else has shocked me. The executive orders. The first, not the first executive order, but on the first day we had the executive order which pardoned everyone who engaged in the January 6 riots. And, you know, Capitol Police died because of that. And it just, I find it nauseating that that was the case. Is this enough?

[Jane Coston]

I mean, we could keep going all night. We could, we could, we'd just be here all night. But I'm curious how you think Democrats should and shouldn't really Respond to this.

[Al Franken]

Well, we should express our outrage. We should go out and campaign. I like the fact that Bernie is doing what he's doing and AOC does what she's doing with him. I like that this is not directly at him, but I like that Democratic members of Congress are going to Republican districts and having town hall meetings. I think that's very productive. And I think we should be fighting them every inch of the way, certainly on this latest legislation that the big beautiful bill that is this enormous tax break for those at the very top. And so we should be campaigning against that. And that's.

[Jane Coston]

So something. Democrats are kind of obsessed with the idea of messaging how to message to people.

[Al Franken]

Sure.

[Jane Coston]

How should Democrats be talking to voters?

[Al Franken]

Well, I mean, there's nothing magic. Some people are really good at it. We've had two brilliant, genius candidates in the last 30 years, Clinton, Obama, and they were very good at it. But I just think that the way to talk about it is be genuine. And people respect that. They respect that you're giving them the argument it isn't magical. And so we need to be pressing it and doing it and continuing messaging our message.

[Jane Coston]

There is a lot of talk about old guard Democrats versus the new guard and there's a lot of value in that conversation because a lot of the party elders are elders. But ironically, it seems like one of the best people getting his message out is Your former colleague, 83 year old Senator Bernie Sanders.

[Al Franken]

Yeah, he's great at it.

[Jane Coston]

So who do you think is the best person, the best people to be leading the charge for the Democratic Party right now?

[Al Franken]

Well, he's great. AOC is terrific. Of course there are a lot of new people who were elected. Elisa Slotkin from Michigan gave the response on the State of the Union address and I thought she did a terrific job. There's a lot of, you know, Maxwell Frost is that who's I guess the youngest member of Congress. There's just a lot of people who are very good and we should give them a shot at doing that. Ro Khanna.

[Jane Coston]

I think, I mean it's funny. Jon Ossoff Yeah, I think that it's funny to ask this question while we're dealing with a president who lies all the time and then lies more about the lies that he's lying about. But trust between Americans and, and the Democratic Party has been eroding for a while, but it feels like with everything that happened with former President Biden, it seemed like that kind of threw a stick of dynamite into it. How do you think Democrats can Begin to restore faith with voters who. Not, not you guys. Probably not you guys, but there are lots of swing voters. The people who did go from Obama to Trump to Biden to Trump. How do Democrats start thinking about how to win back their faith and their votes?

[Al Franken]

Well, I think what Biden did was a shame and he should have stuck with what he said when he ran in 2020, which is that he'd be a transition. And now we say it, but I mean, he obviously did a disservice to himself and his legacy because he had been a good president in many ways. But I can't believe he didn't drop out right after that debate. But he should have done it, you know, two years before and he should have after the 2002 midterm, said that I'm not running. And we would have had a process, that we would have picked someone who I think would have had a much better chance. I mean, Harris ran a race in what, 100 days? How long was it? It was how long?

[Jane Coston]

107 days.

[Al Franken]

107 days. Thanks. And completely unfair to her in retrospect. I was hoping she'd win. Of course, I thought she did. Her debate was terrific. But, you know, in 107 days, you really can't do what, you know, what we needed to have done. And it's a crying shame.

[Jane Coston]

Is there something that you've been thinking about in looking ahead to 2026 and even to 2028, that you've learned that you want Democrats and, you know, left leaning progressive voters to be thinking about that we can take forward as we deal with all of this.

[Al Franken]

To stay active. I mean, to stay, stay in it. I mean, don't, you know, it's, it's easy to throw up your hands and say, I've, I've had it. And also it's sickening to watch this, what, what Trump, Trump is doing. And it's, it's every day he doesn't stop. And I think that's part of his plan. That's part of what he's doing. And we have to continue to fight and not give up and fight every day.

[Jane Coston]

Agreed.

Well, Al, Senator, sir, this has been fantastic. Thank you so much. And thank you all for joining me in the audience and those of you who are at home. You can listen to this episode and other episodes of [e-mail] whataday or on your favorite podcast app.

It's just in the app. It's fine.

Just look for it.

It's fine.

Thank you so much.

Thank.

You.

That was my conversation with former Senator Al Franken recorded earlier this month at the Cascade PBS Festival in Seattle, Washington. That's all for today. I'm Jane Coston. Thanks for listening. What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producer is Emily Foer. Our video editor is Joseph Dutra. Our video producer is Johanna Case. We had production help today from Greg Walters, Matt Berg, Sean Ali, Tyler Hill, and Laura Newcombe. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and our senior vice president of news and politics is Adrienne Hill. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America.

[Al Franken]

EAS.

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[Jane Coston]

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[Jerry]

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[Jane Coston]

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[Jerry]

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