But Mr Franken worked hard to earn the right to represent Minnesotans in Washington. Raised in Minnesota, he spent most of his adult life elsewhere and moved back in 2005. He spent the next years raising money for local Democrats and traversing the state with open ears. The state fair featured one of his wife’s enormous, domed apple pies. Mr Franken attended event after event for the Democratic-Farmer-Labour Party (as Democrats are known in Minnesota). By the time he had a campaign office —which displayed a portrait of the candidate made entirely of seeds — he had become a more thoughtful advocate for education, health care and agriculture.

At his victorious press conference Mr Franken tried to cast himself not as the 60th Democratic senator, but as the second senator from Minnesota. He will try to make a humble entrance in the Senate, following the lead of that other polarising celebrity, Hillary Clinton. But the 60th senator he is, and lest Mr Franken be in any doubt about his duty in coming debates, Barack Obama issued a brief, congratulatory statement that he looked forward to working with the new senator on “lowering health-care costs and investing in the kind of clean energy jobs and industries that will help America lead in the 21st century.”

© The Economist Newspaper Limited 2009