Hi Moose,
Al Franken is definitely a brilliant writer and multitalented commedian. What he most definitely is not is a statesman. I can see him in the House of Reps maybe, but the Senate is supposed to perform government functions of the highest order. Authoring "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot" is great, but not really a convincing qualification for why Al should be elected to work on nuclear treaties. There are probably more qualified people out there.
Not to get off-topic again, but "values" voters have brought a field of republican idealogues and downright nutjobs. The way to counter this isn't by electing left-leaning loud mouths. Democrats need real candiates with charisma and the balls to take a stand other than a tepid endorsement of 'Republican lite'.