McCollum criticizes Franken over Playboy article
EDS: APNewsNow. Will be led.
By FREDERIC J. FROMMER
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Congresswoman Betty McCollum says that a Playboy article written by Senate candidate Al Franken eight years ago presents a serious political problem for Democratic candidates this year.
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McCollum, who had supported Franken rival Mike Ciresi until he dropped out of the race, tells the Associated Press she finds the Playboy article offensive. She worries that the Minnesota Democratic congressional candidates will be running with a candidate "who has pornographic writings that are indefensible."
Franken, a former "Saturday Night Live" star, penned a sexually explicit satirical piece for Playboy in 2000 entitled "Porn-O-Rama!"
McCollum says she hasn’t talked to Ciresi about getting back into the race.
Franken campaign spokesman Andy Barr says that Minnesotans understand the difference between what a satirist does and what a senator does.
