Dateline: January 27, 2004 -- EXETER, N.H.
Franken Tries Wrestling Tactics To Get A Leg Up For Free Speech, Winds Up With Foot In Mouth
Author, comedian and former Saturday Night Live castmember Al Franken tried laying the smack down on a man right after the man began to yell at Gov. Howard Dean, who was giving a speech at the time. The incident caused Franken's geeky glasses' frames to break, but he said he was O.K. The man is said to be one of a group of supporters of fringe presidential candidate Lyndon Larouche.
"I was a wrestler so I used a wrestling move. I got down low and took his legs out," said Franken afterwards.
Franken was a bit breathless after the incident and appeared in shock. Several witnesses in the crowd nearby had come to Franken's aid, helping him stand back up. Police arrived soon after.
Franken reported that although he is not a supporter of Gov. Dean, he felt compelled to go after the man who was shouting. "I would have done it if he was a Dean supporter at a Kerry rally," he added. "I'm neutral in this race but I'm for freedom of speech, which means people should be able to assemble and speak without being shouted down."
Okay...but what about being able to speak without being KNOCKED down? Mr. Franken believes in free speech, right? Then how is it that he is allowed to physically assult a man for practicing HIS freedom of speech? I cannot wrap my brain around that! If I try--really hard--to make sense of this, it means that from Mr. Franken's viewpoint, the free speech card can only be played when YOUR views are being aired!
Franken Tries Wrestling Tactics To Get A Leg Up For Free Speech, Winds Up With Foot In Mouth
Author, comedian and former Saturday Night Live castmember Al Franken tried laying the smack down on a man right after the man began to yell at Gov. Howard Dean, who was giving a speech at the time. The incident caused Franken's geeky glasses' frames to break, but he said he was O.K. The man is said to be one of a group of supporters of fringe presidential candidate Lyndon Larouche.
"I was a wrestler so I used a wrestling move. I got down low and took his legs out," said Franken afterwards.
Franken was a bit breathless after the incident and appeared in shock. Several witnesses in the crowd nearby had come to Franken's aid, helping him stand back up. Police arrived soon after.
Franken reported that although he is not a supporter of Gov. Dean, he felt compelled to go after the man who was shouting. "I would have done it if he was a Dean supporter at a Kerry rally," he added. "I'm neutral in this race but I'm for freedom of speech, which means people should be able to assemble and speak without being shouted down."
Okay...but what about being able to speak without being KNOCKED down? Mr. Franken believes in free speech, right? Then how is it that he is allowed to physically assult a man for practicing HIS freedom of speech? I cannot wrap my brain around that! If I try--really hard--to make sense of this, it means that from Mr. Franken's viewpoint, the free speech card can only be played when YOUR views are being aired!
