Either Al Franken’s medications or press secretaries are getting better:

On Tuesday night, at Bobby Van’s on 15th Street near the White House, Franken was walking to the coat check after dinner with his wife, Franni; lawyer Marc Elias; and campaign manager Stephanie Schriock when a heckler in the bar said, “Hey, funnyman, tell me a story,” according to a spy at the bar who actually took notes. 

Franken turned and asked, “Are you talking to me?” 

“Yes,” the heckler said. “Come over here and tell me a story.” 

“There’s a nice way and a wrong way to ask someone a question,” Franken told the man.
“What’s the wrong way?” the heckler asked. 

“The way you just asked me,” Franken said. 

“What’s the nice way?” the man asked, to which Franken replied to come over and ask him politely. 

Franken spokesman Andy Barr concurred that it got a little boisterous in the bar but said that as Franken and Co. were leaving, the host of Bobby Van’s walked them out and apologized.  

Not exactly the way Al Franken used to handle hecklers.

Although to be fair, should Franken finally win the 2008 election – which it certainly looks like he will – he won’t be the first major Minnesota politician with temper issues.  Former Governor Arnie Carlson was infamous for his boiling blood, with the private joke being that his staff must have had him heavily medicated during his 1994 re-election campaign between Allen Quist’s GOP endorsement and John Marty’s “That Darn Arnie” ad (which I can no longer find online).  And of course, another certain gubernatorial candidate sunk his entire campaign by accusing a reporter of being a “Republican whore.”  I’ve still never understood what exactly is a Republican whore?  Do they leave change?

Given his history, it’s doubtful that all of Al Franken’s public comments will contain the decorum of these remarks.  More likely, it’s just a matter of time before Sen. Flying Spaghetti Monster launches into a spiel more worthy of drivetime than the U.S. Senate chambers.

It’s going to be a long six years.