Minnesota Sen. Al Franken discussed the situation in Indiana with its Religious Freedom Restoration Act while on The Late Show with David Letterman last night, as Letterman is a native of Indiana. During the segment, Franken suggested that Letterman should follow his career path and run for the U.S. Senate, too.
Letterman, who is retiring from late night this year, asked Franken what was going on with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Even as state lawmakers introduced changes to the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Pence and politicians there are still under fire, as critics say the law allows businesses to discriminate against gays and lesbians.
Franken said that there should be a national law that bans the discrimination of people based on their sexual orientation, which Letterman seemed to agree with.
Letterman later asked Franken what he could do to make Pence feel uncomfortable. That’s when Franken suggested that Letterman should run for the U.S. Senate seat representing Indiana.
“Look, when people come to me, they say, young people say, ‘How do you become a United States senator?” Franken, a former Saturday Night Life writer, said. “And I say, ‘Well, do about 35-40 years of comedy and then run for the Senate.’ It’s worked every time... I think you should run.”
As Mediate points out, Letterman could run as soon as next year, since Sen. Dan Coats doesn’t plan on running for another term.
Letterman’s last day on Late Night is May 20.
image courtesy of Roger Wong/INFphoto.com