At long last, Al Franken is sworn in as a U.S. senator today. That and the day’s other political news in the TPMDC Morning Roundup.

The rebuke by the governor’s own party stopped short of a call for his resignation.

Atlantic Media publisher David Bradley responds to our report on the corporate-sponsored, off-the-record salons his company has been hosting for years — but which had escaped scrutiny until the Washington Post got busted for preparing to launch a very similar series of events:

Further, and this is a modest brag, I think I’m well suited to convening intelligent, committed people across wide divides. There are leadership gifts that I would prefer, but my lot includes a big measure of listening and deference to others’ views.

In a lengthy defense of the salons posted at Atlantic Media’s Hotline, Bradley concedes that, like Post publisher Katharine Weymouth, he had not previously reviewed the marketing materials for the events: “I don’t believe ours are egregious but I now know they do not all reflect the central fact of our conversations – dialogue and debate, without the advance of a particular interest.” Zack Roth has more.

I mentioned yesterday the GOP’s deep need to portray Al Franken as a raving madman. Another good example today as the NRSC for the second time takes a funny Franken impersonation of the late Paul Wellstone out of context and cuts the video to make it look like Franken is unhinged.

Late Update: The duplicity knows no bounds! The NRSC has responded to criticism of this latest misleading video and in its defense says it could have used a much worse image of Franken, one of him in diapers. But that photo, as we reported yesterday, has already been repeatedly shown to be doctored and not a real image of Franken. So, yes, they could have used another fake to make their bogus point.

Later Update: The NRSC now says, hey, don’t blame us, we simply referred reporters to a link from the LA Times. “You’ll note the link is to the Los Angeles Times, one of the largest newspapers in the country – if there’s a question about the authenticity of the photo, you should direct your question to the LA Times,” a NRSC flack tells us.

The saddest part of this, really, given the dismal shape of the Republican Party, is that these guys think this is truly clever. They’re even smug about it.

Sarah Palin’s rambling and incoherent late Friday (east coast time) announcement went so poorly that she invited the networks out for a series of follow-up interviews that were taped yesterday and run this morning. We’ve pulled the highlights (she’s in waders). Watch.

Late Update: TPM Reader RF feeling snarky today:

It’s so inspiring to watch Sarah sacrificing herself so she can go fishing with her family. I bet this is exactly what JFK meant when he asked us what we could do for our country. I wish I could be so selfless. I mean, this is even more awe inspiring than President Bush giving up golf.

Come to think of it, this is about par for the course for Republicans sacrificing for the greater good. Remember Mitt’s kids foregoing serving in the military to sacrifice themselves by driving around with their dad campaigning? Rush Limbaugh is sacrificing by giving up his addiction to illegal pain pills.

If you want to have some fun with it, you could easily put together a ‘Top Ten Sacrifices’ list!

Vice President Biden in his role as President of the Senate is now swearing in Al Franken.

Nice touch: Franken was escorted into the Senate chamber by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and former Vice President Walter Mondale, also of Minnesota.

An extended round of applause for Franken from the Senate and if the volume level is any guide from the Senate gallery, too.

Watch.

Huffpo hires Froomkin. An excellent pick up, taking good advantage of WaPo’s … well, poor staffing choices.

The practical realities of politics have forced Al Franken to tone down the funny. So we remember the earlier Al Franken — from the Mick Jagger impersonation to the early Letterman appearances to SNL.

Late Update: I’ll add on my own account, painfully, he hasn’t just toned down the funny. The post-recount Al has been painfully bland in his statements and frighteningly monotone in his vocal stylings. This new dude’s pretty boring. So, to the funny Al of yesteryear, we salute you! – jmm

WSJ liveblogging the Michael Jackson memorial live blogs.

Alberto Gonzales lines up teaching gig for the fall.

Late Update: TPM Reader RS:

Please tell me there’s at least one Texas Tech political science student with the guts to answer “I do not recall” to every test question. Maybe even “I do not recall remembering.”

As the report I link above notes, Gonzo will be “teaching a ‘special topics’ course on contemporary issues in the executive branch.”