'Wild Man' Franken Assaults Dean Critic

NewsMax.com ^ | 1/27/04 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

The Democratic Party's official talk radio host got violent yesterday, in an altercation he described as an effort to protect free speech.

Attending a Howard Dean rally in New Hampshire, unfunny funnyman Al Franken physically assaulted a heckler in the crowd, wrestling him to the ground in a bid to silence him.

"I got down low and took his legs out," Franken boasted to the New York Post afterwards.

The altercation was witnessed by NBC Washington Bureau chief Tim Russert, who called Franken's antics "unbelievable."

"One of the Lyndon LaRouche guys got up and started screaming and yelling," Russert told radioman Don Imus Tuesday morning.

"The press guy for Dean tried to grab onto him and remove him and he couldn't do it. All of a sudden, Al Franken jumped out of the media gallery ran down and grabbed this guy on the leg and started wrestling him to the ground.

"It was unbelievable, He was really into it," the NBC News star said.

Missing the irony of his use of violence to silence a heckler, Franken explained, "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."

The volatile comic is well known as a troublemaker in media circles. At last year's Washington Correspondents Dinner, he stormed up to a table where Fox News star Alan Colmes was seated and verbally berated him for not being liberal enough.

Colmes' Fox News colleague Brian Kilmeade interceded in a bid to get Franken to cease and desist, but the confrontation only grew more tense.

"I thought we were going to come to blows," Kilmeade later said.

After one guest shot on "Hannity & Colmes," Franken chased Sean Hannity down the hall to his office. Hannity later told his radio audience that he had to call security to have Franken removed from the building.

Last month the combative comedian confirmed that he'll anchor a liberal talk radio network bankrolled by wealthy Democratic Party donors. His debut was set for next month, but it's not clear how party fatcats will react to the latest Franken imbroglio.

Franken's unidentified victim has not yet said whether he'll press charges against the former Saturday Night Live star.

[NittanyLion]

Heavy drug use will make people do strange things...

[sirshackleton]

Don't mess with Stuart Smalley.

[thucydides]

Franken had to take drastic action. The heckler was a LaRouche man, and given the wacko electorate, they could turn from Dean or Clark to LaRouche in a flash.

[Travis McGee]

The liberals are so angry that violence is all they have left.

[mom-7]

Another demonrat off the deep end.

[Enterprise]

"Franken's unidentified victim has not yet said whether he'll press charges against the former Saturday Night Live star."

Absolutely not! It is important for Franken to attend as many RAT rallies as possible!

[UNGN]

Is there ONE Democrat who ISN'T Imploding?

[God luvs America]

Missing the irony of his use of violence to silence a heckler, Franken explained, "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."

Liberal hypocrisy at its' best....freedom of speech for only those who think like us is more like it....think numb-nuts fraken would sit by passively were he in an audience where our President was giving a speech?

[OXENinFLA]

Please tell me there's Pics of this, or better yet Video.

[LisaMalia]

Franken's unidentified victim has not yet said whether he'll press charges against the former Saturday Night Live star

I'm against frivolous lawsuits, but I'd like to see this guy sue Franken for a few million.

[jla]

After one guest shot on "Hannity & Colmes," Franken chased Sean Hannity down the hall to his office. Hannity later told his radio audience that he had to call security to have Franken removed from the building.

For Sean's sake, I hope this isn't true. Can you imagine running from Al Franken?

[bmwcyle]

Put the dope in jail.

[Taliesan]

Of course, Franken will also intervene the next time some college kids heckle Ann Coulter during a speech.

Or maybe not.

[Frank_Discussion]

Yeah, I would expect he can wait until after the General election to sue meester Franken.

[OXENinFLA]

I'm sure that was for legal reasons.

[marlon]

You know that cocaine induced parinoia can sure make you do some strange things.

[unixfox]

Franken's unidentified victim has not yet said whether he'll press charges against the former Saturday Night Live star.

I say press the charges and make this piece of filth pay a hefty price.

[Dan from Michigan]

That's what I was thinking.

[AppauledAtAppeasementConservat]

Maybe I should go heckle Mr. Franken so he can come and jump me. WOuld be a great excuse for me to put his nose into his frontal lobe and laugh at his corpse before it drops to the floor.