Free Republic

Sen. Al Franken (D., Minn.) said he’s been just about perfect as a lawmaker in an interview broadcast Sunday on ABC’s This Week. The former Saturday Night Live comedian was asked whether he would have anything to satirize about himself were he still in the humor business, and he replied it would be difficult. “When I would make fun of politicians, it was only because they were screwing up in some way,” he said. “I don’t think I could find anything, frankly.” Reporter Jeff Zeleny asked, “Nothing?” “Whoo,” Franken said. “That would be a really hard subject to satirize. I’ve...

WASHINGTON – The Pentagon Tuesday played down a confrontation between Chinese vessels and one of its Navy surveillance ships, taking a decidedly more low-key tone than during similar incidents two months ago. In what has become almost a routine cat-and-mouse game on the seas, there have been four incidents in the past month in which Chinese-flagged fishing vessels maneuvered too close to two unarmed ships crewed by civilians and used by the Pentagon to do underwater surveillance and submarine hunting missions, two defense officials said. .. The Pentagon did release a brief statement on the latest confrontation in which two...