BDS Summary
This story is written from Franken's own personal campaign diaries, memos and transcripts, commenting on the action as it unfolded in the story of the days of the Franken Administration.Excerpt from Book
An Excerpt from President Al Franken's Resignation Speech, June 10, 2001: "Hopefully this will bring an end to the turmoil, as well as the numerous legal actions pending against me and my staff, occasioned by the politically motivated disclosure of the contents of my private diaries. Let me say here and now that I regret very deeply the harm that I've done both to people I care about and people I don't really care about all that much. I am sorry. I apologize. It was wrong. What I did was wrong. I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. Boy, am I sorry. While I take full responsibility for the misfortunes that have befallen my presidency, others are not entirely without blame. It had been my intention to pardon members of my staff and my administration. But I forgot. Sorry. I did, however, manage, with the reluctant assistance of Chief Justice Rehnquist, to pardon myself. This will enable me to retain the prerogatives of an ex-president, including my pension, an office, and staff at taxpayer expense, lifelong Secret Service protection, and, eventually, burial in Arlington National Cemetery beneath an eternal flame. It is my fondest wish that in the fullness of time, the American people will look back on the Franken presidency as something of a mixed bag and not as a complete disaster." From the Hardcover edition.Main Description
First came Theodore White's The Making of the President, 1960. Then All the President's Men. Now the searing chronicle that will forever change the way we view the man and the office . . . The dramatic rise and dizzying fall of Al Franken, who would become the first Jewish president of the United States. Franken began his unique American journey in the small town of Christhaven, Minnesota, the self-described "son of the son of immigrants and the son of a daughter of a son and daughter of immigrants." Follow the Franken campaign from its infancy as the candidate pledges "to walk the state of New Hampshire, diagonally and then from side to side." As he candidly admits "causing pain in his marriage," then boldly refuses to dignify any questions from the media regarding past, present, or future sexual behavior. Go behind the scenes and meet Team Franken, the candidate's brain trust. Including brother and deputy campaign manager Otto, a recovering sex addict and alcoholic. Campaign manager Norm Ornstein, the think-tank policy wonk who masterminds the single-issue (ATM fees) campaign. Media consultant Dick Morris, who exploits the shocking millennium bug-induced "ATM meltdown" by building an ad campaign around a diabetic woman who loses her right foot after computers erase all her ATM deposits. And former Grizzly Adams star Dan Haggerty. Cheer as Franken stuns the pundits by defeating Al Gore for the Democratic nomination, then is swept into office with a landslide victory over Newt Gingrich. As he chooses an all-Jewish Cabinet because "America doesn't want a Cabinet that looks like America, it wants a Cabinet the President is comfortable with." Then, through excerpts from Bob Woodward's detailed account of the first hundred days, The Void, go inside the Franken White House. Gripped by crisis from day one, the president develops a severe case of chronic fatigue syndrome. After the highly medicated chief executive exhibits a roller coaster of bipolar behavior, including the "slugging Nelson Mandela" incident and an attempt to clone himself, Franken is forced to cooperate with the Joint Congressional Committee on the President's Mood Swings. And when the committee releases Franken's personal diaries to the public, his presidency faces its ultimate crisis.Review Quote
"An imaginatively funny and fresh satire...part autobiography, part manifesto, part diary and part eulogy." --The Washington Post "[A] witty send-up of presidential politics...Franken proves again that he's one of our savviest satirists." --People "A gleefully absurd, rambling jaunt through the ritual of American campaigning...a hilariously farcical account." --Entertainment Weekly "Hilarious throughout...Franken has perfect pitch." --The New York Times Book Review Don't miss Al Franken's #1 bestseller Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations: "Wickedly funny." --Newsweek "This book establishes Al Franken as a master of political humor." --The Washington Times "Funny, angry and intelligent." --The New York Times Book Review "It's a scream!" --The Seattle Times "A very funny book." --USA Today "Very funny--.--.--.--Franken has perfect pitch." --P.J. O'Rourke, The New York Times Book Review "Screamingly hilarious." --Newsday "An imaginatively funny and fresh satire--.--.--.--part autobiography, part manifesto, part diary and part eulogy." --The Washington Post "[A] witty send-up of Presidential politics--.--.--.--Franken proves again that he's one of our savviest satirists." --People -- From the Trade Paperback edition.
With details so shocking Al is afraid to share them with his own family, we can tell you that "Why Not Me?" The Inside Story Behind The Making and Unmaking of the Franken Presidency is written from Franken's own personal campaign diaries, newspaper clippings, confidential memos from key staff members, as well as the media response -- transcripts from Sam, Cokie, and the other talking heads who commented on the action as it unfolded.PMore than just a VIP pass to the Franken White House, this a rare, intimate portrait of a man, the people, and events that shaped his character, the campaign that brought him to the presidency, and the tumultuous 144 days of the Franken Administration. Told with incredible detail and inspiring drama, among books on the Franken presidency, "Why Not Me?" stands alone.Excerpt from Book
An Excerpt from President Al Franken's Resignation Speech, June 10, 2001: "Hopefully this will bring an end to the turmoil, as well as the numerous legal actions pending against me and my staff, occasioned by the politically motivated disclosure of the contents of my private diaries.'160;'160; Let me say here and now that I regret very deeply the harm that I've done both to people I care about and people I don't really care about all that much.'160;'160;I am sorry.'160;'160;I apologize.'160;'160;It was wrong.'160;'160;What I did was wrong.'160;'160;I'm sorry.'160;'160;I am so, so sorry.'160;'160;Boy, am I sorry. While I take full responsibility for the misfortunes that have befallen my presidency, others are not entirely without blame.'160;'160;It had been my intention to pardon members of my staff and my administration.'160;'160;But I forgot.'160;'160;Sorry.'160;'160; I did, however, manage, with the reluctant assistance of Chief Justice Rehnquist, to pardon myself.'160;'160;This will enable me to retain the prerogatives of an ex-president, including my pension, an office, and staff at taxpayer expense, lifelong Secret Service protection, and, eventually, burial in Arlington National Cemetery beneath an eternal flame.'160;'160; It is my fondest wish that in the fullness of time, the American people will look back on the Franken presidency as something of a mixed bag and not as a complete disaster." From the Hardcover edition.Main Description
First came Theodore White'sThe Making of the President, 1960.'160;'160;ThenAll the President's Men.'160;'160;Now the searing chronicle that will forever change the way we view the man and the office .'160;'160;.'160;'160;.'160;'160; The dramatic rise and dizzying fall of Al Franken, who would become the first Jewish president of the United States. Franken began his unique American journey in the small town of Christhaven, Minnesota, the self-described "son of the son of immigrants and the son of a daughter of a son and daughter of immigrants." Follow the Franken campaign from its infancy as the candidate pledges "to walk the state of New Hampshire, diagonally and then from side to side." As he candidly admits "causing pain in his marriage," then boldly refuses to dignify any questions from the media regarding past, present, or future sexual behavior.'160;'160; Go behind the scenes and meet Team Franken, the candidate's brain trust.'160;'160;Including brother and deputy campaign manager Otto, a recovering sex addict and alcoholic.'160;'160;Campaign manager Norm Ornstein, the think-tank policy wonk who masterminds the single-issue (ATM fees) campaign.'160;'160;Media consultant Dick Morris, who exploits the shocking millennium bug-induced "ATM meltdown" by building an ad campaign around a diabetic woman who loses her right foot after computers erase all her ATM deposits.'160;'160;And formerGrizzly Adamsstar Dan Haggerty.'160;'160; Cheer as Franken stuns the pundits by defeating Al Gore for the Democratic nomination, then is swept into office with a landslide victory over Newt Gingrich.'160;'160;As he chooses an all-Jewish Cabinet because "America doesn't want a Cabinet that looks like America, it wants a Cabinet the President is comfortable with." Then, through excerpts from Bob Woodward's detailed account of the first hundred days,The Void, go inside the Franken White House.'160;'160;Gripped by crisis from day one, the president develops a severe case of chronic fatigue syndrome.'160;'160;After the highly medicated chief executive exhibits a roller coaster of bipolar behavior, including the "slugging Nelson Mandela" incident and an attempt to clone himself, Franken is forced to cooperate with the Joint Congressional Committee on the President's Mood Swings.'160;'160;And when the committee releases Franken's personal diaries to the public, his presidency faces its ultimate crisis.Excerpt from Book
An Excerpt from President Al Franken's Resignation Speech, June 10, 2001: "Hopefully this will bring an end to the turmoil, as well as the numerous legal actions pending against me and my staff, occasioned by the politically motivated disclosure of the contents of my private diaries. Let me say here and now that I regret very deeply the harm that I've done both to people I care about and people I don't really care about all that much.I am sorry.I apologize.It was wrong.What I did was wrong.I'm sorry.I am so, so sorry.Boy, am I sorry. While I take full responsibility for the misfortunes that have befallen my presidency, others are not entirely without blame.It had been my intention to pardon members of my staff and my administration.But I forgot.Sorry. I did, however, manage, with the reluctant assistance of Chief Justice Rehnquist, to pardon myself.This will enable me to retain the prerogatives of an ex-president, including my pension, an office, and staff at taxpayer expense, lifelong Secret Service protection, and, eventually, burial in Arlington National Cemetery beneath an eternal flame. It is my fondest wish that in the fullness of time, the American people will look back on the Franken presidency as something of a mixed bag and not as a complete disaster." From the Hardcover edition.Main Description
First came Theodore White'sThe Making of the President, 1960.ThenAll the President's Men.Now the searing chronicle that will forever change the way we view the man and the office ... The dramatic rise and dizzying fall of Al Franken, who would become the first Jewish president of the United States. Franken began his unique American journey in the small town of Christhaven, Minnesota, the self-described "son of the son of immigrants and the son of a daughter of a son and daughter of immigrants." Follow the Franken campaign from its infancy as the candidate pledges "to walk the state of New Hampshire, diagonally and then from side to side." As he candidly admits "causing pain in his marriage," then boldly refuses to dignify any questions from the media regarding past, present, or future sexual behavior. Go behind the scenes and meet Team Franken, the candidate's brain trust.Including brother and deputy campaign manager Otto, a recovering sex addict and alcoholic.Campaign manager Norm Ornstein, the think-tank policy wonk who masterminds the single-issue (ATM fees) campaign.Media consultant Dick Morris, who exploits the shocking millennium bug-induced "ATM meltdown" by building an ad campaign around a diabetic woman who loses her right foot after computers erase all her ATM deposits.And formerGrizzly Adamsstar Dan Haggerty. Cheer as Franken stuns the pundits by defeating Al Gore for the Democratic nomination, then is swept into office with a landslide victory over Newt Gingrich.As he chooses an all-Jewish Cabinet because "America doesn't want a Cabinet that looks like America, it wants a Cabinet the President is comfortable with." Then, through excerpts from Bob Woodward's detailed account of the first hundred days,The Void, go inside the Franken White House.Gripped by crisis from day one, the president develops a severe case of chronic fatigue syndrome.After the highly medicated chief executive exhibits a roller coaster of bipolar behavior, including the "slugging Nelson Mandela" incident and an attempt to clone himself, Franken is forced to cooperate with the Joint Congressional Committee on the President's Mood Swings.And when the committee releases Franken's personal diaries to the public, his presidency faces its ultimate crisis.Review Quote
"An imaginatively funny and fresh satire...part autobiography, part manifesto, part diaryand part eulogy." --The Washington Post "[A] witty send-up of presidential politics...Franken proves again that he's one of our savviest satirists." --People "A gleefully absurd, rambling jaunt through the ritual ofAmerican campaigning...a hilariously farcical account." --Entertainment Weekly "Hilarious throughout...Franken has perfect pitch." --The New York Times Book Review Don't miss Al Franken's #1 bestseller Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations: "Wickedly funny." --Newsweek "This book establishes Al Frankenas a master of political humor." --The Washington Times "Funny, angry and intelligent." --The New York Times Book Review "It's a scream!" --The Seattle Times "A very funny book." --USA Today "Very funny--.--.--.--Franken has perfect pitch." --P.J. O'Rourke, The New York Times Book Review "Screamingly hilarious." --Newsday "An imaginatively funny and fresh satire--.--.--.--part autobiography, part manifesto, part diary and part eulogy." --The Washington Post "[A] witty send-up of Presidential politics--.--.--.--Franken proves again that he's one of our savviest satirists." --People -- From the Trade Paperback edition.
Al Franken was born in 1951 and grew up in Minnesota. He got his start in show business in high school, when he began performing stand-up comedy. He attended Harvard University, but his comic talent went unrecognized by the school's famous Harvard Lampoon, which rejected him. Undaunted, Franken continued to do stand-up with a friend from high school, Tom Davis. Franken and Davis became celebrities when Lorne Michaels discovered their act and hired them for his new show, Saturday Night Live. In addition to doing the stand-up, Franken wrote many funny skits, including Chevy Chase's famous Gerald Ford bits, and created memorable characters like Stuart Smalley. Franken's ability to write comedy translated into a best-selling success with his political satire, Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot. The book has sold almost one million copies.