U.S. Senate Candidate Al Franken Visits Red Lake

Third and Final Senate Candidate in Two Weeks Seeks Red Lake Support

By Michael Meuers

Red Lake Public Relations

DFL US Senate candidate Al Franken came to visit with the Red Lake Tribal Council, the Red Lake Political Education Committee and others on Thursday morning January 31, in the Council Chambers at Red Lake.

Red Lake Chairman Floyd Jourdain, Jr., Tribal Secretary Kathryn Beaulieu, and Tribal Treasurer Darrell G. Seki, Sr. took turns at educating the DFL Senate candidate on the tribal sovereignty, government to government relationships, and trust responsibility.

Treasurer Seki asked Franken to answer two questions, “What will you do for the eleven tribes in Minnesota and what does sovereignty mean to you?

Franken answered in regard to what he would do for Minnesota tribes: “I hope to bring an understanding, and then fight the fight you’ve fought and continue to fight to understand your experience”, said Franken, “and to understand the gifts you bring...a love of the land and spirit...you have a lot to teach us” he said.  “I want to know that but also to get things done, honor the treaties, work in creative ways, work on economic development in concert with your values.”

Regarding the question on sovereignty, Franken said; "Sitting with you is no different than meeting with the prime minister of Canada.  I understand that."  “I will always wear a tie in respect, you make the best decisions for your people, we caused this cultural trauma,” said Franken, “I think I get it, and every time I get it more, and then I get it even more.”  

Secretary Beaulieu presented Franken with a  t-shirt with the Red Lake passport imprinted on it and explained it’s significance especially in regard to sovereignty.  In response Franken conceded that the Federal government has been remiss in it’s treatment of America’s First Nations.  "There's an original sin, and a debt from the original sin, and we owe it”, said Franken.  “Let's just get that straight. Then we can live up to the obligations that are there and find practical ways to address it.  And have patience, but not too much patience."

Chairman Jourdain pointed how there is a lack of respect for Indian Nations when at the Capitol and how difficult it was to have rushed, cramped conversations in hallways with legislators in Washington who didn’t have time for a real meeting.  "I've been subject to rushed conversations too, but I'm not the leader of a sovereign nation", said Franken.  "If I've had a busy day in Washington, or there were votes that kept me from meeting with you, then we will meet that night.  You'll come over to my house for dinner."

 


From Franken’s website www.alfranken.com

You might know Al Franken as an award-winning satirist and author. You might know him as the host of Air America Radio's "The Al Franken Show," the network's flagship program that helped put progressive talk radio on the map.

Born in New York on May 21, 1951, Al moved with his family to Albert Lea, Minnesota at the age of four. When Al’s Dad, Joe Franken's quilting factory went under, the family moved to the Twin Cities.  Al, his parents, and his brother Owen lived in a two-bedroom, one-bath house in St. Louis Park.

Al’s dad ended up getting a job as a printing salesman while his mom worked as a real estate agent.  Al’s good grades got him into Harvard, but his friendship with fellow Minnesotan Tom Davis (Tom grew up in Richfield) and their performances in school and at Dudley Riggs's Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis led him to try his hand at comedy after graduating.

Al and Tom Davis soon caught on with a show called "Saturday Night”.  Over the next two decades, Al would be awarded five Emmy awards and seven nominations for his work on the show, which you might know as "Saturday Night Live."  Al also wrote for the big screen, where his screenplays included "When A Man Loves A Woman," a serious take on the family disease of addiction.

At a mixer his freshman year, Al met Franni Bryson, a freshman at Simmons.  They've been married for over 31 years and have two kids. Thomasin, 26, graduated from Harvard and became a teacher, working in a public elementary school in the Bronx. Joe (named after Al's dad), 22, just graduated from Princeton with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

When Al left "Saturday Night Live" in 1995, Newt Gingrich's Republican Congress had just taken power. Although Al had refrained from injecting his own politics into his work as a comedian, watching Rush Limbaugh, take aim at Al's core values was too much for him to let stand.  So, he used his wit as a weapon, penning "Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot (and other observations)." The book rocketed to #1 on the New York Times best-seller list.  In 2003 he wrote his next best-seller, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right." In 2005, he followed with another best-seller, "The Truth (with jokes)."

In 2004, a brand new part of the progressive movement celebrated its first day on the air. Air America Radio was the first progressive talk radio network, and Al was its first star. Broadcasting live, three hours a day, five days a week, the show featured experts in domestic and foreign policy, national and world leaders, and issues ranging from the cost of prescription drugs to the war in Iraq.

Al has visited our troops overseas with the USO seven times. He's been to Iraq four times.  In 2005, Al wrote about his trip in a photo essay on the Midwest Values PAC website.

When Al and Franni found themselves empty-nesters, they decided to move back to Minnesota.  Al founded a political action committee, Midwest Values PAC, which raised over $1.1 million for Democrats across Minnesota and around the country.