10 Questions For Al Franken

By Jeffrey Ressner

From his roots as a comedy writer to political pundit, radio host, best-selling author and, of course, Bill O'Reilly's longstanding bete noire, Al Franken has had many different roles. His latest: the subject of a low-budget indie documentary, God Spoke, rolling out in theaters this week. TIME's Jeffrey Ressner talked to the loquacious liberal just hours before Franken dashed off to a Democratic National Committee event.

You have several books, a radio show and now a movie. What more does America need to know about Al Franken, for God's sake?

I had nothing to do with it. I didn't even have final cut. These documentarians followed me around, videotaping all the time. I was afraid of what people might learn about me until I saw the movie. But then I found out I'm smart, I'm warm and just a very compelling person.

Hillary Clinton seems to be going back and forth about the 2008 presidential election. Do you think she'll run?

Only if she can raise enough money. [Laughs.] She'll probably run if she thinks she can win. Will there be an anybody-but-Hillary movement? Will there be someone to replace her? In politics they say that a month is a lifetime, and this is still many months away.

You've locked horns with most of the top conservative pundits: Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly. Which one is your favorite feud?

O'Reilly. I take great pride in having him as an enemy. He made me feel grudging respect for Rush because when I wrote Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot, my editor sent him a copy with a note saying it would really help sales if he mentioned the book on his show. Rush had the self-restraint not to do that. But O'Reilly--he just couldn't help himself. He's pathological.

Who would you rather be stranded with on a desert island: Ann Coulter or Katherine Harris?

Hmmmm. I'd say Katherine Harris, because there's more meat on the bone.

If the Democrats win back the House and/or Senate this fall, what will happen over the next two years of the Bush Administration--impeachment?

No. I don't think they want impeachment; they want accountability. There will probably be hearings to get to the bottom of things, like why we never got the promised report of how WMD intelligence was used by the Administration. I suppose there was a reason for that. It would be nice if things started feeling a little more hopeful and we start addressing the future, looking at the long term instead of the short term.

What's more enjoyable for you: C-SPAN or Fox News?

C-SPAN. There's some hilariously awful right-wing stuff there if you wait long enough: speeches by Tom Coburn, Phyllis Schlafly, Brent Bozell or some other entertaining wingnut. Fox News is something I have to watch; it's like homework.

Do you consider yourself a conservative on any issues?

I agree with Rick Santorum on the "man on dog" thing. I'm probably a conservative when it comes to foreign policy. I believe in not attacking a country pre-emptively unless you're sure of what you're doing and you're working with allies.

You were a writer and a featured player during the early years of Saturday Night Live. How do you feel about the two new programs this fall based on SNL?

I've read their pilots, and they couldn't be more different from each other. One is a high-gloss, beautifully produced show written by [The West Wing's] Aaron Sorkin. The other, from [SNL cast member] Tina Fey, is more about the funny. I'm rooting for both. But I'm developing a third show. [Laughs.]

You might run for the Senate in Minnesota in 2008. Why have celebrities--Reagan, Schwarzenegger, even Fred Grandy, the guy who played Gopher on The Love Boat--been so successful as politicians?

Yeah, but how successful was Gopher, really?

And your campaign slogan?

"I'm Serious."