Senator Al Franken hit four stops in northwest Ohio on behalf of the Hillary Clinton campaign on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28. Speaking to supporters in Fremont, Bowling Green, Toledo and Sylvania he stressed the importance of motivating others to get out and vote.
Franken is an example of the powerful surrogates the Clinton campaign are using in the final days of the Presidential race. His example is more than just the draw of his Hollywood star power: “I’m sort of the poster child for ‘every vote matters’,” stated Franken, as he pointed out that his first campaign was decided by a margin of only 312 votes, out of 2.9 million. Noting that many of his volunteers knocked on more than 312 doors or phoned more than 312 people, he makes sure to thank them every time he sees them.
Franken started out his days as a comedy writer before joining Saturday Night Live and embodying the breakout character Stuart Smalley, an unlicensed motivational therapist with low self esteem. He eventually starred in a movie about the character and authored several popular political books before running for his senate seat in Minnesota.
During the stump stops, Franken also made reference to Clinton campaign themes regarding Donald Trump’s temperament as related to the nuclear arsenal. “When certain decisions come before the President, then only the President can make those decisions.” As an example, he brought up the unique decision making power of the Presidency, as exercised by President Kennedy during the Cuban missile crisis. He went on to say, “Every decision has to be made on depth and breadth of knowledge and Hillary Clinton is someone whom I trust to work every day and has worked every day, throughout her life, to understand public policy. To understand it as it affects children, and families and women.”
In additional remarks to the City Paper, Franken was asked about President Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court. He said, “It’s unprecedented that the Senate didn’t give Judge Garland a hearing. It’s been the practice for over 100 years. Now Republicans have said, McCain & Cruz, if Hillary wins they will refuse to take anyone up (for a vote). That’s horrible. Completely hypocritical. Extend that out to a potential eight years, or two terms. Should Democrats do the same for a Republican nomination? Why would Democrats, in turn, vote for those future nominations? Do we wait until Elana Kagan is the only Justice left? It’s antithetical to what we should be doing.”
All photos by Roger LaPointe.
