Al Franken is Minnasota's newest senator (for now, anyway).

After two months of recounts and legal maneuvering, former Saturday Night Live writer, occasional actor, founding Air America radio talent, and hardcore progressive political wonk Al Franken has been officially declared the winner in his battle with incumbent Norm Coleman. So yes, he is good enough, smart enough, and gosh darn it, by a margin of 0077%, people really do like him.

To be fair, there is still expected to be a court fight by Coleman, and Republican senators have threatened a filibuster to prevent Franken from being seated (god forbid Harry Reid actually make them go through with the filibuster, rather than buckle under at the mere threat like usual), but as of this moment, the Minnesota elections board has officially certified Al Franken as the winner.

It's not exactly a mandate, but mazel tov none the less. Of all the various Air America radio hosts in the beginning, he was the optimist, the one usually talking about what was going right, what we could and should be doing better or differently, rather than sounding the alarm of despair (that was Rhandi Rhodes' job). Here's hoping he finds a niche in his pet issues, health care reform and education. And here's hoping that he honors the seat formally held by the late Paul Wellstone.

Here's a link to five of Franken's more interesting moments.

Scott Mendelson