[kingu]

Assault is verbal, battery is physical. In other words, one is the implied attack, the other is the actual attack.

Al committed battery, but I'm not sure about what the laws are in New Hampshire. The Larouche supporter's words might meet a statutory requirement of being 'fighting words' and may have been an assault on Dean.

The Larouche supporter likely was told to go away before he got charged with disturbing the peace or attempting to incite a riot or some other odd crime. I am rather surprised that the Post reporter didn't get a quote from him, or another Larouche supporter.

As for a civil suit; yeah, he likely could tie up Al in court for a few days and cost him $50,000 in lawyer fees, but probably wouldn't be able to win the case.

[Doctor Raoul]

I want to see Al Franken frog-marched out of Elaine's in handcuffs.