Comedian and left-wing activist Al Franken has apologized in writing to Attorney General John Ashcroft for asking him for his personal story of remaining abstinent before marriage. In June Franken wrote a letter to Ashcroft on Harvard University stationery, telling him the story was to be one of many he had already received from several conservative leaders…including Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson (search) and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice (search)…for a book about abstinence called 'Savin' It. Thing is, Franken never had permission to use Harvard's stationery, he never received any accounts from any conservative leaders, and, what's more, he was never working on such a book to begin with. He does have a new book, though. Its title: Lies and the Lying Liars who tell them: A fair and balanced look at the right.