Al Franken: "I freed up the funny"

So where do you start a conversation with U.S. Senator Al Franken? There’s so much to discuss. Russia investigations? President Trump? Congressional Hearings? Health Care? Which is why we started with the obvious: The Grateful Dead. He’s a big fan. But don’t worry. We quickly moved off the Dead and to the policies and politics that matter today. As Sen. Franken makes clear: That’s why he says this is the best job he’s ever had. You surely know some or all of Sen. Franken’s biography. You know he was an original and long-standing member of Saturday Night Live. You know he made a living for decades by being one of the funniest people in America. You likely know he became – by the smallest of margins and several months after everyone else got sworn in – a U.S. Senator in 2009. And you may know that he’s written a new book titled the way any modest kid from Minnesota would title it: Al Franken, Giant of the Senate. But even if you know all of Sen. Franken’s background or just a small part or, somehow, none at all – read the book. Unless you’re Ted Cruz. Then don’t read the book, because there’s stuff in there about you that you might not enjoy. But if you’re not Ted Cruz, read it. It’s really good. It’s moving. It’s funny. And it tells the traditional American tale of the kid who wanted to be a comedian and did. And then he became a Senator. Cliched, I realize, but give it a chance. Here’s my conversation with Al Franken.