Sarah Light has the scoop in the Austin Daily Herald and the Albert Lea Tribune. Albert Lea…that’s where Al’s dad opened a factory when they came to Minnesota. (And if you don’t know that story – check out Al’s video announcing his candidacy!)[from the article]

The Al Franken for Senate campaign announced earlier this week that Minnesota’s state auditor and 19 other state legislators – including District 27A Rep. Brown Brown – have endorsed Franken’s candidacy.”I think he’s a very strong candidate who’s been involved politically for many years,” Brown said of her reason for the endorsement. “He’s very well read, he thinks quick on his feet, and I just think he has a place in his heart for Minnesota. He will do a real nice job for us.
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Mike Christopherson writes for the Crookston Times (Paid registration required):

When humorist and author Al Franken traveled to Crookston last year to speak at a DFL event in support of Bernie Lieder’s re-election to a twelfth term in the Minnesota House, he wowed a packed banquet room at the Northland Inn.Franken, who has since become a candidate in 2008 for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Norm Coleman, must have wowed Lieder, too, because Lieder is one of 19 state legislators to put his support behind Franken for the DFL endorsement over fellow DFLers Mike Ciresi and Bob Olson.

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Al sat down with the Princeton Union-Eagle to talk a little about life on the trail.

[from the article]:

Al Franken sits on the floor in the hallway outside Princeton Party House answering questions and he is perfectly comfortable doing it.He has come to speak to an awaiting audience at a democratic fund-raiser March 18. Events like these, Franken says, also make him feel perfectly comfortable.
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Al discusses his trip to DC, fundraising success, and why taking money from Big Comedy beats taking money from Big Oil or Big Tobacco [hint: Tom Hanks isn't getting any earmarks].

Al Franken, who hopes to challenge Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., next year, says he delivered a stern message to friend Tom Hanks at a fundraiser in Los Angeles last month.
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(but Franni steals the show)

Eric Ebert of the West Central Tribune has the story:

Franken said getting into the small “grass-roots” communities is what his campaign is all about. He said the events help him draw more attention to his campaign and help him understand the people he hopes to represent.
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Dana Yost, Marshall Independent Editor:

MORTON — He is best known for sketches on “Saturday Night Live,” and best-selling humor books that poke fun at figures like Rush Limbaugh.
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With your help, we made the strong end-of-quarter showing we were hoping for – and we can keep our volunteers in pizza for some time to come. Heck, we can order extra cheese.

Star Tribune reporter Brady Averill has the whole story:

Franken, seeking the DFL nomination, reported raising $1.3 million and has $1 million on hand.
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In the New York Times last week, Ben Stein wrote about the ‘Split-Screen’ nature of America and backdating stock options:

Let me give you a tiny example of how confused we can be at the corporate level, and I owe my old pal and colleague Al Franken for making it crystal clear to me.
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Mark Anderson, St. James Plaindealer:

Al Franken is known as a comedian, author, and radio host, but on his visit to St. James on Saturday, he just wanted to talk politics. As a candidate for the U.S. Senate, Franken stopped at the Encore Cafe for 45 minutes on his way to an event in Fulda.
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Matthew Stolle reports in the Rochester Post-Bulletin:

Dressed casually in jeans and a buttoned-down maroon shirt, Franken spoke from a stairs overlooking an appreciative crowd that filled the hallways of the Labor Union Center in downtown Rochester.
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