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PoliMinute: Too many forget about the “public” in public official.

I’ve always marveled at how few politicians and candidates actually connect with the people they serve, and especially their supporters. Whether it’s explaining a key vote that might not be so popular or a simple moment of joy, being genuine is often less important than being “on message.”

Many are more comfortable speaking to the media than speaking to the people who put them in office.

Senator Al Franken is one of those rare exceptions. Whether you voted for him or otherwise, he’s never shied away from connecting on a human level.

Nor has he been afraid to make part of his personal life public. Case in point is the brief email below (which was nicely optimized for my mobile phone):

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Congratulations on becoming a grandpa, Senator Franken.