WATCH: Al Franken Breaks Down in Tears Describing the Impact of Government Aid on His Own Family

Why is Minnesota Sen. Al Franken a Democrat? During a discussion about his new memoir, Al Franken: Giant of the Senate, with Judge LaDoris Hazzard Cordell (Ret.) at the Commonwealth Club of California, he talked about what Democratic policies have done for his family and his wife’s families in particular. 

They tell you in this country you have to pick yourself up by your bootstraps. First you have to have the boots. And the government gave my wife’s family the boots.

In a few short minutes, he perfectly described why it is important to fight for progressive policies, policies that have ripple effects, lifting up entire generations. His comments begin at the 0:26 second mark of this clip and end with barely a dry eye in the room.