Al Franken is the Democratic candidate for US Senate in Minnesota.
In 1999, Franken wrote a humorous book about running for president titled, "Why Not Me?"
While promoting the book, he explained that he chose to write it instead of making a joke-run for the presidency, because elections are "sacred." If he ran for president as a joke and got even 50 votes, that would be a travesty.
An ad by the "National Republican Senatorial Committee" now on TV in Minnesota takes that quote out-of-context.
The ad implies that Al Franken is so terrible that he admits, "If I put myself on the ballot and even 50 people voted for me it'd be a travesty."
2002 Quote Distorted
Al Franken spoke to the National Press Club in 2002.
He discussed the problem of predatory subprime loans. He was ahead of the curve on this issue.
During the 2002 speech, Franken explained that he wasn't criticizing all subprime lenders, just the predators.
A soft-money group, "Americans for Job Security," is now running a TV ad in Minnesota presenting Franken as a total supporter of subprime loans.
The narrator says, "Subprime lending has decimated our economy...Some like Al Franken even encouraged subprime lending."
Then the ad shows video of Al Franken saying, "Many sub-prime lenders are doing a real service. They’re doing exactly what we want."
Quotes with Context
The Joke Stops Here: What If Al Franken Were
President? The Incorrigible Comedian's Book Is
Getting Votes On The Best-Seller List
BYLINE: PAUL DUCHENE, The Oregonian
SECTION: LIVING; Pg. E01
DATE: February 22, 1999
In his new book, comedian Al Franken wants to be elected U.S. president in the worst way.
And that's the way he gets the job.
Franken, the "Saturday Night Live" veteran and "Lateline" star, also is known for his "Politically Incorrect" appearances, which is appropriate given that his book, "Why Not Me?" [Delacourt, $23.95], is about as incorrect as politics can get.
....(Franken said:) "There are two ways to market. One is to do the
Pat Paulsen thing and announce you're running. I didn't want to do that -- I don't
have time. I'm doing 'Lateline' editing -- I've got a real job. And I'm not consistent
with the Al Franken in the book who's a depraved fool on the campaign trail. I
take campaigns seriously, and I wouldn't want to inject myself into something I
think is kinda sacred. If I put myself on the ballot and even 50 people voted for
me it'd be a travesty. So I wrote a book instead."
Al Franken’s 2002 National Press Club speech
"Here’s what I can tell you about predatory lending. First of all, it has increased tremendously over the last several years. Very often these are refinancing years. What happens is unscrupulous lenders will target a neighborhood, find uneducated, unsophisticated people and mislead them — people like Clarence Page — (laughter).
"For example, a guy in a suit will go to a neighborhood. He’ll look for like an unrepaired roof, knock on the door. ‘Ma’am, I’ve noticed that your roof needs fixing. How about we refinance your mortgage, and I can give you some cash to fix your roof.’ The woman refinances her mortgage. Now, the problem is, this is a predatory loan. There’ll be all kinds of hidden fees, prepayment penalties, which will prevent her from ever refinancing again, balloon payments, and very often — this is very often — built-in rate increases, so the mortgage goes up — the payments go up in a year.
"Now, all of this will be buried in the fine print, and often borrowers end up not being able to make their payments and end up losing their homes or their businesses. It’s theft. Now, don’t get me wrong. Many sub-prime lenders are doing a real service. They’re doing exactly what we want — lending to people who couldn’t borrow money to buy a home or start a business. It’s the predators that we want to get rid of it."
Franken's good deeds of writing-a-book-instead-of-running-as-a-joke-candidate-for-president-in-1999 and speaking-out-against-predatory-subprime-loans-in-2002 are being used against him in TV ads.
If you know someone in Minnesota, then please email the facts about these quotes to that person.