Franken’s stern words for Obama administration revealed

Back in February, media reported about — and Republicans pounced on — harsh words that Sen. Al Franken had for White House advisor David Axelrod over the Obama administration’s lackluster handling of health care reform. The Washington Post on Tuesday gave a detailed recollection of that conversation — albeit without the expletives.

Franken said at the time that he was frustrated that the White House didn’t do more to push health care reform through, and Axelrod later said the exchange was simply “a good airing of views.”

The media characterized it as an all-out war: “Franken Eviscerates Axelrod,” screamed TalkLeft, “Franken Rips Into Axelrod,” said WCCO, and “Franken browbeat Axelrod,” wrote AmericaBlog. But the actual exchange is a bit less violent, and quite enlightening:

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) launched into a tirade against David Axelrod, a senior White House adviser and one of Obama’s closest confidants.

“I have been in a slow burn here, a slow burn!” the lawmaker hollered from the last row of the meeting room. “I’m just livid.”

Lacing his commentary with profanity, Franken complained that the health-care campaign had been lackluster and leaderless, particularly in the tentative period since Brown’s victory.

“Goddamn it, what’s the deal here?” he said, as colleagues, their spouses and aides looked on. “You’re talking platitudes, and we have to go home and defend ourselves. We’re getting the crap kicked out of us!”

Axelrod, a laconic Chicagoan not prone to excitability, catalogued Obama’s work over the past year.

“Add up the number of trips, speeches, radio addresses,” he said. “I spend a good part of every day with him, and I know that he’s still working hard on this issue.”

Franken wouldn’t relent.

“The president of the United States comes up here, you come here, and none of you are telling us what we’re going to do about health care,” he continued. “He should apologize to everyone here for his stupid idea during the campaign to put this all on C-SPAN.”

To some in the room, Franken’s outburst felt like theater from a longtime performer. But others were pleased that the former comedian was giving voice to the months of friction.

“There’s a great deal of frustration that the president isn’t getting the feelings that a lot of us are feeling,” said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.). “The president needs to be more hands-on with the health-care bill.”

“I assure you the president is getting that message,” Axelrod replied. “We have a plan.”

That prompted Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.).

“What is it? What exactly is the plan?” the former lawyer asked in a prosecutorial tone. “What is the strategy?”

Axelrod took the verbal punches — until Franken questioned Obama’s commitment to the bill they had spent 12 months selling.

“Al, you can say whatever you want, but don’t tell me the president hasn’t led on health care,” Axelrod said. “This thing would have been dead 15 times before now if he hadn’t been persistent and committed. I don’t know anybody in my memory who has expended more of his own political capital on an issue than he has on this one.”

“Then why doesn’t he go over to the House and tell them to pass the Senate bill?” Franken said.

“Al, if you’ve got 218 votes in your pocket, hand me the list,” Axelrod replied. “I will personally walk it over to the speaker and we can take care of this tomorrow. But I don’t think she has that list in her pocket.”