It's taken more than nine months from the date of the election to finally swear the rightful candidate into office in the Minnesota Class 2 Senate seat.  And now that the time has come, the funny man has put aside the funny business, and Senator Al Franken is ready to take his position alongside 59 of his Democratic colleagues.

Franken will be sworn in today in a ceremony on the floor of the Senate presided over by Vice President Joe Biden, himself a former 35-year veteran of the 100-member body.  He'll be escorted to the floor by fellow Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, as well as another political titan and Minnesota favorite son: Walter Mondale, the former Vice President and 1984 Democratic presidential nominee.  Franken will be assuming the same seat Mondale held from 1964 to 1976.  That seat was also held for 24 years by Vice President Hubert Humphrey, and just under 12 years by the late Democratic icon Paul Wellstone.

The Minnesota recount- which had been mired in litigation for the better part of a year- came to an end last week when the state's Supreme Court handed down a unanimous ruling affirming the finding of a lower court that validated the recount process that had found Franken to be the winner.  Former Republican Senator Norm Coleman- who had been the target of heavy criticism and accusations of using unnecessary delay tactics- conceded the race to Franken the same day, despite his ability to have contested the finding in federal court.  Coleman is now said to be considering a run for the Governor's mansion in 2010, when the second term of current Governor Tim Pawlenty will expire.

Franken arrived in Washington quietly yesterday and made a brief appearance with the press before disappearing into the office of the new boss, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.  Franken reiterated that he was "ready to get to work," and downplayed the significance of his becoming the 60th Democratic Senator in the 111th Congress.  With their new supermajority, Democrats are theoretically capable of pushing virtually all legislation through the Senate without threat of filibuster by Senate Republicans.

Franken's reception in the nation's capitol has not been completely warm.  Republican Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma last week told a group of reporters and GOP lawmakers that "now we are going to get the clown."  Inhofe claimed he was not taking a personal shot at Franken's character, but instead was referring to Franken's time as a successful writer and sketch comedian on Saturday Night Live.

Great moment seeing him seated at the confirmation hearings today.

And a great debut.  He was humble and eloquent.  He seemed in awe of the whole thing.

I bet it drove the Republican hater-mongers crazy.  Limbaugh, Hannity, and especially O'Reilly.

that should read hate-mongers

(is there a way to edit a post?)