Franken Says Republican Leaders Privately Tell Him Trump ‘Not Right Mentally’

Al Franken isn’t afraid to speak his mind. And he’s apparently more than happy to speak up on behalf of Republicans who aren’t quite ready to publicly challenge President Trump.

During an appearance on “Real Time With Bill Maher,” the U.S. Senator from Minnesota told Maher that a number of Republicans across the aisle have privately approached him to express their worries about whether Trump is fit to run the country.

“There's a range in what they’ll say, and some will say that he's not right mentally. And some are harsher,” Franken joked. “No, no. That’s not fair. That was cheap,” he added. “There are some who I guess don't talk to me.”

But after the audience laughter died down a bit, Franken made it clear he wasn’t entirely exaggerating the reaction from conservative lawmakers.

“I haven't heard a lot of good things, and I've heard great concern about the president's temperament,” he said.

Franken has seen his stock rise in progressive circles over the past few years. The former “Saturday Night Live” writer has a particular knack for taking down right-wing ideologues, something Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine clearly struggled with during the 2016 election.

A recent article in the highly-respected, Washington, DC insider publication National Journal said that some Democrats are looking to Franken to lead their party as a presidential candidate in 2020. After all, he’s good at going on the offensive without sounding mean, and as President Obama so perfectly illustrated back in 2012, the best way to diminish Trump is by pointing out just how ridiculous he actually is.