JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

Franken and Coleman agree on one thing

By Eric Fingerhut · January 12, 2009

After a rough campaign and a seemingly endless recount, Al Franken and Norm Coleman don't like each other much. (Come to think of it, they didn't like each other very much before the campaign even started.)

But the two men came together on Sunday at a pro-Israel rally at a Minneapolis Jewish community center and agreed on something -- that they stand behind Israel.

Coleman followed former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton (D) to the podium and remarked that he often didn't agree with the Democrat, but agreed with everything Dayton said Sunday. Franken was next and noted that "as rare as it may be for Senator Coleman to agree with everything Senator Dayton said,you can imagine how rare it is for me to agree with everything Senator Coleman said."

Franken also said that the U.S. relationship with Israel is a "pillar of our foreign policy" and that he would continue to uphold that commitment "as a United States senator" -- then quipping that Coleman might not agree with the "as a United States senator" part of that statement.

"Let us stand together to send a clear message to the Israeli people," Franken said. "In this complex and dangerous world, you do not stand alone."

You can watch a Minneapolis Star-Tribune video of highlights from the rally here.