The transformation from comedian to senator is complete. Harry Reid and Al Franken held a presser this morning, and Franken, who will be sworn in tomorrow, came off as the more serious and sober of the two (Watch).

It’s going to take some time being measured and monotone to put to rest his image as a rowdy bombthrower (which is both embraced and reviled by the right — take, for example, this fake photo of Franken still making the rounds and being passed off as legit). Somewhere between the obnoxious Franken and the straight-arrow Minnesotan is a truly witty guy. I look forward to it being safe for that Franken to emerge.

David Kurtz

David Kurtz is Managing Editor and Washington Bureau Chief of Talking Points Memo where he oversees the news operations of TPM and its sister sites.