NEW YORK -- Fox News dropped its lawsuit against Al Franken on Monday, three days after a federal judge refused to block the writer and humorist from using the Fox slogan "Fair and Balanced" on the cover of his book.

The lawsuit had sought unspecified damages from Franken and Penguin Group, publisher of "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right."

"It's time to return Al Franken to the obscurity that he's normally accustomed to," Fox News spokeswoman Irena Steffen said.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Denny Chin denied Fox's request for an injunction against the book cover. The judge said Fox's case was "wholly without merit" and that the trademark "Fair and Balanced," registered by Fox in 1998, was weak.

Floyd Abrams, who represented Franken and Penguin in the case, said the withdrawal of the suit was "welcome, if overdue."

"Fox's lack of grace in ending its suit is of the same nature as its name-calling and silly efforts to deal with criticism of it in the first place," Abrams said.

Even CNN is trying to get mileage out of the Al Franken hoopla. Franken was the guest liberal host on the political debate show "Crossfire" Monday. Regular conservative co-host Tucker Carlson jokingly accused Franken of being in cahoots with Fox Chief Executive Roger Ailes -- because the lawsuit generated buzz both for Franken's book and for Fox.

Franken also was a guest on Paula Zahn's show Monday and is scheduled to be back on "Crossfire" today.