Summary: In 2008, Al Franken was elected to the United States Senate. Since then, he’s become a well-respected member of the upper chamber. But he hasn’t lost his keen eye for satire. After the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage, “I wanted to release a thing saying, ‘Mr. Franken is very happy, but he thinks Justice Scalia’s dissent was very gay,’ ” he tells guest host Zoe Chace. “My team told me I couldn’t do that.” Franken is the author of a new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1455540412/?tag=slatmaga-20"><em>Al Franken: Giant of the Senate</em></a>. <br><br>Today’s Spiel, an ode to the underappreciated, soon-to-be-extinct White House press briefing. <br>Join <strong>Slate Plus</strong>! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at <a href="http://www.slate.com/gistplus">Slate.com/gistplus</a>.
