FRANKEN. So Al Franken is running for Senate in Minnesota. His announcement video -- and has anyone else noticed the announcement video's sudden ubiquity? Who's giving the country's campaign managers webcams? -- is here, and it's quite good. Word on the street is he's listening to policy-wonk-to-the-stars (and occasional TAP contributor) Jacob Hacker, and you can see the Hackerian (is that a word? Can I make it one?) concern for the insecurity and economic woes of the middle class in Franken's message. On the other hand, I'm sort of surprised to see Franken going the substantive route, rather than using his comedic chops to puncture the pretensions of Washington and promise a new down-to-earthniess in the capitol. I don't know if he'll be able to make that transition, and would hope he turns his comedic identity into a sort of strength on the trail. Otherwise, he'll be trying to run from himself, and that never works. But then, I really don't know what works on polar bear voters. Luckily, we have a Minnesotan native on staff, and I hope she'll chime in shortly... --Ezra Klein
