Franken faces down an angry mob… and lives!

Would sure like to read this, because the video feed (at least when I attempted) is choppy and slow. Senator Franken appears to be making very good points and his anti-reform audience – apparently – are willing to hear him out.

very good Al on how you handled it!

Weird, a politician who can actually carry on an intelligent conversation. Engages opponents with a respectful, factual, and serious demeanor. Maybe we got a keeper here.

Al Franken ought to be the next president of the United States. He would then be the third thoroughly decent, intelligent, rational, caring, civilised person to hold that office in the country’s history; Mr Carter, Mr Obama, then Mr Franken.

Very refreshing. Great job Senator franken!

Thanks for sharing!

I just read Franken’s latest book, The Truth (with Jokes), and he truly seems like a great guy. The conservatives certainly try to label him as a left-wing liberal, but as we all know, “reality has a known liberal bias” (tm Stepen Colbert).

I agree with the above posters – although I’m sure Franken has experience in dealing with hecklers. I am a liberal democrat that wants universal health care (I am not from MN). Great job from everyone in this video, both Franken and the anti-tax crusaders for discussing the issue logically and rationally. More of this, please.

Bravo, Mr. Franken. Thank you for proving that being a politician doesn’t mean parroting whatever party line they feed you. It’s going to be nice to have an intelligent person representing us instead of a political toady.

That old lady in the front looks like she needs health care… immediately.

Wow, that is jsut too cool dude!

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When you call the opposition a mob there is no intelligent conversation to follow. If the liberals/progressives are so open-minded then why do they denigrate the opposition before the discussion begins? A spirited argument is an American tradition, calling the opposition names and categorizing them as a mob does not follow in this tradition. I didn’t call the Vietnam war protesters a mob, why can’t the other side give those of us that oppose the type of health care reform the President/Congress wants the same courtesy. My last point is the hypocrisy of saying those that oppose the president/congressional plan oppose reform. Most of those that I know want reform such as tort reform, opening the market for competition by allowing sales throughout the US of health insurance and increasing portability. We have over 1300 companies in the US that offer health insurance but they are not allowed to sell accross state lines in most cases. A violation of the interstate commerce clause of the constitution if I have ever saw one.How about the states stop adding all these extras to health insurance that add cost to many and benefit to few. If you want the Cadillac policy, pay your own money for it. God Bless all!

Sarge: It was a joke. If you watched the video, you’d see the crowd wasn’t a “mob” and Franken wasn’t at risk. I was trying to tweak the hyperbole of the town hall protesters and the media feeding frenzy that surrounds them.

Your other point is valid: In the future, I’ll clarify that they oppose Obama’s reform measures, not all reform.

Sarge: I welcome your insight into the media frenzy that is going on in the U.S. (and thankfully, Paul has clarified the titling of this video article, so it really does make a point). I think one of the main reasons you won’t see this video on Olbermann or on the Daily Show is because it shows what I think we all hope to be true: that there are not as many “angry mobs” as the mainstream media would have us believe. After a day of reading through political news and commentary, it is unequivocally refreshing to watch this video and read the intelligent comments that follow. I wish more policy discussions were as informed by reason as this has been…

[...] Al Franken Talks with Health Care Reform Opponents, and Guess What? It’s a CIVILIZED Conversat…minnesotaindependent.com [...]

That Tea Party woman who asked the question at the beginning of the clip is an idiot. She asked if he was going to vote the way the voters who put him in office wanted him to vote. First of all, I bet that she did not vote for him and so she is not a voter who put him in office. Second, the voters are no where near a consensus on this issue, so how could he possibly vote the way that everyone who voted him into office wanted him to vote. He answered it well and she pretty much kept quiet after he told her that he was going to vote the way he wanted based on what he has heard people say. That question that she asked is typical mindless political crap that no one can answer. Now I’m sure someone will say in the next election that he doesn’t listen to the people based on his answer to that question. And if he had answered “yes” then they would call him a flip-flopper. Politics in this country has become stupid.

@Satge57,
“If the liberals/progressives are so open-minded then why do they denigrate the opposition before the discussion begins?”

Just a guess, maybe it’s because teabaggers keep screaming in our faces, shout down anyone they disagree with, excuse people who bring guns to forums, punch people whose opinions they don’t like. The people in this particular video politely asked questions and listened to the answers, and notice how respectfully Franken treated them.

“Most of those that I know want reform such as tort reform, opening the market for competition by allowing sales throughout the US of health insurance and increasing portability. We have over 1300 companies in the US that offer health insurance but they are not allowed to sell accross state lines in most cases. A violation of the interstate commerce clause of the constitution if I have ever saw one.How about the states stop adding all these extras to health insurance that add cost to many and benefit to few. If you want the Cadillac policy, pay your own money for it.”

I’ll skip the comment about “tort reform” since “Sarge57″ has probably never been the victim of medical malpractice or some other tort but I would like to know: what law is this that prevents health insurers from selling across state lines? And what state laws require adding extras to health that add cost and benefit a few? Do you mean the state laws that prevent health insurers from rejecting people with pre-existing conditions and cancelling people when they make claims?You must really love health insurance companies, Sarge. How about a law that allows health insurance companies to sell policies only to people who are healthy as long as they remain that way?

Someone needs to come back to earth (jonerik). The state is consistently adding items that must be covered by health insurance. We are very limited on what health insurance we can by because of state laws. There are only companies that offer health insurance in MN.Check the insurance commissioners website under HMO’s. the website is http://www.health.state.mn.us/clearinghouse/licenlist.pdf It is illegal to buy health insurance across state lines. This is not a rumor. It is the truth. Do a little more research before you tell others they don’t know what they are talking about. Lets all learn and reform the best way we can.

Finally somebody speaks to the people and explains the issues. He doesn’t back up or flip-flop or any of the other media soundbites, he just stands there and explains. He makes me wish I lived in Minnesota so I could have a plan that mandated 91% of insurance premiums went to actually paying medical bills.

Instead, I live in a state with Blue Dogs who don’t trust property insurance policies after Katrina (Gene Taylor – D-MS) but are fine with trusting policies for health care. Cognitive Dissonance just got killed by Al Franken, because he bothered to actually read and evaluate the situation. This should be required reading for all Congressmen, Republican and Democrat, House and Senate, alike.

Where is the angry mob? I see people listening to what Al has to say. The video is lousy and hard to follow.