Al Franken: Trump Has ‘Devalued The Presidency,’ ‘Can’t Say Anything’ Without Lying

Friday on MSNBC’s “MTP Daily,” Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) said President Donald Trump had “devalued the presidency” because he can not say “almost anything without lying.”

Partial transcript as follows:

TODD: A lot of people are putting you on a 2020 presidential list. Obviously, it probably is flattering, But let me ask you this, has it crossed your mind at all, in all seriousness?

FRANKEN: First of all, it is definitely flattering. It crossed my mind just to the extent that it has crossed it and then I say no. I don’t want to do that.

TODD: Does anything about Donald Trump’s election say, you know, that the voters are not going to judge you because you used to be on “Saturday Night Live,” they are going to take you and look at you in a different way?

FRANKEN: One thing annoying is they say,’Well, you know you were both in entertainment.’ He was in a reality show. I mean, a human cannon ball is an entertainment. By the way, I have not used that on another show.

TODD: I appreciate that. I want some original material.

FRANKEN: I will just underscore everything that’s new. Look. I think he’s devalued the presidency. I think that people go like ‘Gee, anyone now can be president.’

TODD: Is that a problem? I mean is that a negative?

FRANKEN: I think it is the sad state of affairs that we have a president who—look, this whole idea of, I am going to testify under oath 100%. Well, you can take it to the bank, can’t you?

TODD: What does it say about our culture that people don’t care anymore?

FRANKEN: Well, I used to write books like “Lies: And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right.” It is almost adorable that you can write a book pointing out that people lie a lot and that people were interested in that. Right now, we have to take his words versus Comey’s words. You know, even his supporters said—well, don’t take him literally, take him seriously. This guy can’t say anything, almost anything without lying. That’s a very sad state of affairs. Whether it is hundreds of my friends died on 9/11 or we saw thousands of Muslims cheering, you know the whole litany. It’s sad It’s just sad.

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