The wages of Franken

By The Economist | WASHINGTON

TWO signs of how much Washington wanted its new quasi-celebrity senator, Al Franken, to take his seat. The New York Times parks outside of his office with 30 other reporters and publishes breathless updates: "The momentarily-famous maintenance guy—later identified as James Pogue, of the superintendent's office—pulled up on a motorised wheelchair and slapped the pristine plaque on the designated space while cameras clicked." Alec Baldwin, another actor who has noisily attacked Republicans (albeit with less substance), gives an interview about his political ambitions: "The desire is there."

Every time a celebrity runs for office, there's excitement tempered by scepticism. But any time they win, they get bonus attention in a city that's more easily starstruck than, say, New York, and they sometimes get more influence. Mr Franken, for example, will get a plum seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.