 On June 7 , 2008 , Franken was endorsed at the DFL convention . In a July 2008 interview with CNN , Franken was endorsed by Ben Stein , the noted entertainer , speechwriter , lawyer and author who is known for his conservative views and generally supports Republican candidates . Stein said of Franken , " He is my pal , and he is a really , really capable smart guy . I don 't agree with all of his positions , but he is a very impressive guy , and I think he should be in the Senate . " 
