Former Sen. Al Franken, who resigned from Congress after facing allegations of sexual misconduct, said on a recent edition of his podcast that Vice President Mike Pence “contributes to the creepiness.”
Franken sat down with former Vice President Walter Mondale at his Minneapolis office where the two discussed, among other things, the role of the vice presidency.
If you like midwest values of honesty, integrity, and common good sense, you will enjoy my conversation with Vice President Walter Mondale. If not, I will see you in hell! https://t.co/kT6OKkJ5wp
— Al Franken (@alfranken) August 29, 2019
Mondale said former President Jimmy Carter “broke the tradition there of just using the vice president as stand-by equipment.”
“Trump is an anomaly in so many ways but the idea that he is conferring with Pence is ridiculous,” Franken responded.
“Well, here’s the thing: Pence is in the White House, what he’s doing there I don’t know. I keep telling them not to just stand behind the president. Go out and do your own thing and help the president, but don’t just think that you got to a chore there to stand at attention when your president talks. Look at this guy, that’s all he does,” Mondale said of Pence.
“He walks up behind the president, stands at attention,” he added, while Franken said “there’s a creepiness to all of it.”
“He contributes to the creepiness, I would say,” Franken continued. “Quayle was creepy in his own way, but Trump is creepy in a way where the anxiety level in the country has been raised because of this president.”
During their conversation on the vice presidency, neither mentioned Joe Biden and the allegations against him of touching women inappropriately.
Franken resigned from the Senate in early 2018 after he was accused of forcibly kissing radio host Leeann Tweeden while the two were participating in a USO tour in 2006. A photo then surfaced of Franken groping Tweeden’s breasts while she was asleep.
Al Franken says he can't remember groping…but he's sorry…do u believe him? pic.twitter.com/u5Tgn4UNs3
— L Todd Wood (@LToddWood) November 27, 2017
Franken has been slowly plotting his political comeback and hasn’t ruled out running for office again. As The Minnesota Sun reported in July, a number of prominent Democrats told The New Yorker that they regret calling for Franken’s resignation.
The Hollywood Reporter recently discovered that Franken is represented by United Talent Agency as a public speaker.
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
