Al Franken is running for Senate in the state of Minnesota. And as everyone knows, the path to U.S. Senator from Minnesota goes through TPM World Headquarters. In today’s episode of TPMtv, Al makes the requisite stop by the office, and we talk with him about his potential future opponent (Sen. Norm Coleman), his highly evolved fundraising methods, and the single most adorable thing he’s ever heard said in congress …

Rudy Giuliani, when asked why there was no mention of Iraq in his speech yesterday on what he would do as President:

“That’s in the hands of other people.”

State Dept.’s Nick Burns: “Irrefutable evidence” Iran is arming the Taliban.

Sec. Def. Bob Gates: Iran kinda maybe arming the Taliban.

Today’s subpoenas to the White House are just the start of a long, winding road.

McCain campaign circulating a new “gotcha” video of Romney on abortion.

This one goes down in the annals of all-time greatest witness dodges in a congressional hearing.

Here’s GSA Chief Lurita Doan saying that it all comes down to the verb tense.

House reform committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) ended the hearing by calling on Doan to resign.

Rudy slams Bill Clinton as soft on terrorism — even though the same Rudy said Clinton shouldn’t be blamed for this a mere nine months ago.

Bush at 29%, Congress at 23% in new WSJ/NBC poll. That and other political news of the day in today’s Election Central Happy Hour Roundup.

Specter to White House: Let’s Make a Deal!

Today’s Must Read: hold on to your mouse — a new FBI audit found widespread abuse in agents’ secret demands for communications data.