Harry Reid, left, and Al Franken. (Cliff Owen/MCT)

Al Franken’s on the verge of officially becoming a U.S. senator, and so far, the veteran comedy writer and performer is playing things very straight.

Franken, who expects to be sworn in Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. as Minnesota’s junior senator, got an office, a nameplate — unveiling as the press watched — and a staff Monday, and met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada.

Everyone stuck to the script. “He, of course, is going to work hard for the people of Minnesota. They've gone far too long without full representation,” said Reid, referring to the eight-month legal battle Franken waged with incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman after the November election was too close to call.

Reid lavished praise on Franken, saying he “will make a difference.” Once Franken is seated, Democrats will control 60 Senate seats.

Analysts have warned, though, that those 60 are unlikely to move in lockstep, and Reid said Monday, “We need more than just his presence to effectively address the nation's many problems. These problems, these challenges we face, are not Democratic challenges or Republican challenges or nonpartisan challenges.”

Franken reiterated his comment from last week: “Much has been made of this number 60. The number I'm focused on is the number two. I see myself as the second senator from the state of Minnesota.”

He laid out a broad agenda, saying “Minnesotans want a rational health-care system that provides health care for all Americans, that is accessible and affordable — it gets — gets the costs down. Minnesotans want an economy that works for working families, and that means jobs.”

Neither he nor Reid would take any questions.