Fraters Libertas

Don't Hate Him Because He's Beautiful

Al Franken is back from Iraq, after another round of "entertaining" the troops. In concept, a wholly admirable endeavor for Franken. And if it all went down as he stated for the record, then we would salute him. This from the Army News Service:

Franken, a former Saturday Night Live star, is performing in his fifth USO tour in theater. "I didn't serve in the military so this is my way of serving - telling a few jokes and quickly leaving," he said.

"I get an incredible feeling of satisfaction and humility from the reaction of the Soldier especially when I talk one-on-one" he said.

And this from a Franken interview with Chris Matthews:

MATTHEWS: Was it just like that? Were they just - it was nonpolitical and the guys just loved it, the show?

FRANKEN: Yes. Yes. Yes. There's nothing - my job is just to have fun, entertain the troops. The show is tremendous fun. There's tremendous joy. There's laughter. There's cheering. Best audience in the world. They so appreciate your just being there.

Non-political material, humility, a sense of service to others, nothing wrong with that.

But leave it to Al to not leave well enough alone. For, upon his return from his USO Tour for the troops, he went on a media tour for himself about his USO tour for the troops. And he reveals that his behavior may not have been as noble as advertised.

From his appearance on Hardball last Friday, here's some insight into what gives Franken satisfaction when he talks "one-on-one" with the soldiers:

I think most of [the troops] do support the mission. But I think there are a lot who are agnostic on it or who feel pride being in the military. I think their loyalty is to their fellow troops, the guys in their unit. And the higher I went, when I spoke to officers, the more frank they would tend to be about a lot of the mistakes that were made.

I actually had an officer who - I obviously won't say who he was - who said to me, listen, George W. Bush is my commander in chief. I have to respect him. But if I got Rumsfeld in my sights, I would not hesitate to squeeze off a couple rounds.

(LAUGHTER)

Hilarity. An officer in the United States military allegedly (and I presume jokingly) threatening to kill the Secretary of Defense. Difficult to gauge the veracity of that comment, anonymous sources are funny that way. Maybe that's what all the laughter was about.

As I mentioned, Franken's presence over there could have been entirely appropriate, but hearing that he's serving as a sympathetic sounding board for humorous fragging incidents tells me his effect on the morale of the troops may not have been a net gain.

Which shouldn't be surprising given Franken's comments about his conflicted self-interest in going over there:

This trip, this is my fifth USO, the second, you're right, in Iraq. And it is always a lot of joy, a lot of fun, a lot of things that are moving and sad and disturbing. I admire our troops tremendously. And it always just makes me angry at our administration at how badly we bungled the war. But my job isn't - when I go there isn't to tell the troops, your president lied to you and you're dying for no reason.

God bless the USO for alleviating the stress and suffering of the troops, but why in the world would they send a guy over there who harbors such critically damaging and flawed beliefs? Sounds to me like he's prone to increasing the soldiers' stress and suffering, at least in his unguarded moments. Besides, comedians coasting on their successes of thirty years ago are a dime a dozen. Dig up Garrett Morris or Father Guido Sarducci, send them instead.

Speaking of the appearance of religious impropriety, check out this Franken comment from an interview on CNN, regarding more of his antics during his recent trip through Iraq

PAULA ZAHN: Let's tell our audience a little bit about what you had the pleasure of doing. You've lighted Hanukkah candles in one of Saddam's palaces. Is that something you thought you'd be doing someday when you were growing up?

FRANKEN: No. Oddly enough, no. The second night of Hanukkah, we were in Baghdad -- oh, there's a picture of it, great.

ZAHN: That's you.

FRANKEN: That's my brother with me. And we were in one of Saddam's palaces in Baghdad. And lit the Hanukkah candles. ... He has in one of his palaces, he has a big -- I think it's in a palace or it might be a central command center -- has a big mural of Scud [missiles] going and destroying Israel. So I thought this would be fun.

I never took Franken to be such a pious man. Maybe he is, but how does this tolerant, cultural relativist type justify performing (then promoting his performance) of a Jewish religious ceremony while in a devout Muslim country. In the palace of that country's former leader no less. (Imagine Franken's reaction upon hearing Donald Rumsfeld attended a Christian mass in a prominent Iraqi landmark). And Franken did it for "fun."

This has to rank as the most triumphalist FU by any American since this conflict started. Enflaming religious hatred for fun. This is far worse and more humiliating for Iraqis than than some G.I. Jane putting her G.I. panties over some guy's head. Famous American comedian defiles Iraqi palace. How would the Arab street respond to that? Using some well worn logic of the other side, may I suggest, that's why they hate us.