Can Your US Senator Draw Your State?

In September Minnesota Sen. Al Franken wowed a crowd at a state fair with his drawing of a map of the 48 continental United States and Alaska and Hawaii. The video of Franken drawing became a internet hit. In October National Geographic sent an e-mail to all 100 senators asking them to take part in Geography Awareness Week by having them draw their home state and add three important highlights.

The e-mail asked the senators to "draw their state from memory. We'd also like to ask that you then identify at least three places ... that are important to you, with the reason you chose each one. We know the maps won't be perfect. We're hoping for your personal depiction of your state."

Of course this would make any person nervous about their drawing abilities, and the politicians responded in kind. So far only 12 senators submitted their drawings to the project. Those that participated though showed a personal connection to their state and allowed themselves to have a bit of fun. See the drawings and the senators comments at Senator' Statements.

The senators that contributed were:
Mark Begich (D) of Alaska
Sherrod Brown (D) of Ohio
Saxby Chambliss (R) of Georgia
Susan Collins (R) of Maine
Byron Dorgan (D) of North Dakota
Richard Durbin (D) of Illinois
Michael Enzi (R) of Wyoming
Al Franken (D) of Minnesota
Johnny Isakson (R) of Georgia
Claire McCaskill (D) of Missouri
Jack Reed (D) of Rhode Island
James Risch (R) of of Idaho

On the National Geographic blog the magazine sounds hopeful that more senators will submit their drawing. "We haven't heard from all 100 yet, but the first batch of responses are great fun."

Watch the clip of Sen. Al Franken drawing a map of the states from memory during an appearance on Minnesota Public Radio's Midday at the Minnesota State Fair: