With senator seated, Minn. reporter loses beard

[July 08, 2009]  ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Minnesota's Senate standoff was a hairy deal. Just ask St. Paul Pioneer Press political reporter Bill Salisbury.

Soon after Sen. Al Franken was sworn in Tuesday, Salisbury had a barber shave off the beard he grew over the eight months the race lingered.

Salisbury vowed on Nov. 5 -- the day after the election ended in recount territory -- that he wouldn't shave until the contest concluded and a senator took the oath. He thought he'd have a clean face by Christmas.

But the race stretched from the recount to a courtroom battle that wasn't settled until June 30.

Salisbury has been on the paper's political staff for three decades, but he didn't cover the day-to-day developments in the race.

[Associated Press]

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