National media reflect on Franken’s first year: ‘quiet,’ ‘low-key’

The Associated Press and Newsweek posted articles Monday reflecting on Al Franken’s first full year as a U.S. Senator, and both say he’s upended expectations that he’d be loud, brash and comical. Franken told both outlets that he came to Washington to get work done, not to thrust himself in the limelight. Coleman and the Minnesota GOP, unsurprisingly, don’t see it that way.

“The funnyman turned freshman senator has quietly made himself a force to be reckoned with in Washington,” wrote Newsweek. The magazine gave him props for getting key amendments added to major legislation, namely the health care reform and financial reform bills.

“The senator from Minnesota turned out to be more under-the-radar than in-your-face,” the AP reported, echoing the sentiment. “He quickly blended in to the clubby institution, bonding with a conservative Republican over country music and shepherding amendments to bills as they slogged through the process.”

Franken said he’s kept his head down on purpose.

“What I’ve tried to do is be effective,” Franken told the AP. “I think that going in when you have a certain level of celebrity, it’s even more important to demonstrate to your constituents and to your colleagues that you’re there to do the work.”

But former foe Norm Coleman isn’t buying it.

“Avoiding controversy and keeping your head down is a good thing perhaps in a campaign, but ultimately being a senator is more than that,” he told the AP. “I don’t see much of him. I can’t say that he stood out for staking a position on a major issue or anything.”

GOP chair Tony Sutton said that some of Franken’s statements have justified the “angry liberal” label the party has tried to attach to him.

“His true personality is coming out,” Sutton told Newsweek. “He’s a good fundraising tool for us.” He said Franken “turned out to be the knee-jerk liberal everyone thought he would be.”