Interesting Twitter reactions to Al Franken story.

[Trumpocalypse]

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[oldtime dfl_er]

1. Her story is going to fall apart

faster than tissue paper in a rainstorm.

oh, and Mitch McConnell is a disgusting hypocrite, btw.

[yuiyoshida]

55. Actually, I am kind of scared...

Republicans smell blood in the water, and they are just the SHARKS to eat him up.l

[rockfordfile]

63. No they're not. Republicans are cowards.

[yuiyoshida]

65. They went after President Clinton...

Look what they did to Hillary, are you willing to bet your life savings that He is safe from Impeachment?

[nycbos]

2. Just because she is a "Trump supporter" doesn't mean she isn't telling the truth.

[rzemanfl]

3. Da. n/t

[Trumpocalypse]

4. Read the other tweets

and examine Franken's hands in the photo more closely.

[cwydro]

7. Timing is odd.

I find this to be suspicious.

[nycbos]

8. That is what Trump supporters said about Access Hollywood

Lets not sound like them.

[cwydro]

9. My opinion. nt

[Kingofalldems]

10. Nope. Not buying it.

No one here sounds like a Trump supporter.

[Trumpocalypse]

15. Ms. Tweeden is a Trump supporter

who has appeared on Hannity's show several time.

[rockfordfile]

64. She's a Trumpf supporter? Are you kidding?

[treestar]

70. If she excuses the pussy grabber

does she get to complain? I know it may be un-feminist, but if a woman defends that stuff, it is inconsistent for her to have a problem with it against herself. It was just boys fooling around in the locker room.

[Kirk Lover]

12. This is true. However, more is coming out about her and it appears she is part of the

far right realm....you know those people, the ones who take a molecule of truth and cultivate it into a really big lie.

[BannonsLiver]

16. No, but it looks like her story is falling apart.

[treestar]

28. Any supporter of the Orange Liar

does not have a problem with lying to get ahead.

[Kimchijeon]

29. Repukes count on liberals gullibly trusting 100%

Of any and all claims of harassment, no matter how blatantly fake. This one is pretty obvious... C'mon peeps use common sense lol

[mythology]

38. And people at Free Republic say the same thing in reverse

You should go tell Franken that fell for a Republican trap.

[Hortensis]

33. No, but it raises questions about her character and honesty.

[Eliot Rosewater]

5. Tweeden is lying, but we knew that.

Truth doesnt matter anymore.

While she lies about Al the Senate is preparing to end Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps etc

Like I predicted a long time ago.

[Vinca]

6. That's exactly what I suspected.

[Roland99]

11. Ok, the responses from the escort officer and photog discredit her claims it seems

[SaschaHM]

13. How is this any different from a Moore supporter point to a tweet of some guy claiming that

women were offered $1000 to make the allegation.

What these tweets say may be verified, but until it is, it's just partisans pushing unsourced stuff.

Where is the "on the record" comment from the photographer him/herself?

TT's identity can easily be verified, but it hasn't been yet.

Only one person has gone on the record with their accusations.

[Trumpocalypse]

17. Nor has Ms. Tweeden's account been verified

And if you look closely at the photo, Franken's hands are barely touching her. The photo itself is proof that Tweeden is lying.

[SaschaHM]

18. She has gone on the record w/ her accusations which leaves them to open to scrutiny.

"Barely touching" is still touching and considered groping if consent is not given beforehand.

Who is this photographer that supposedly debunking this story? Where is an actual quote and not some copy and posted twitter message thats making the rounds?

[Trumpocalypse]

19. Please spare me your outrage.

You're convicting Franken based on the word of a right winger with a sketchy story that is already being disputed by several people.

People are innocent until proven guilty. If you don't believe in that principle, maybe you should move to Russia if you not living there already.

[SaschaHM]

20. Outrage? Wow, didn't picture you as an assault apologist.

I think it's reasonable for these "sources" that you claim discredit her, should come forward and be verified.

I haven't convicted Franken of anything, but you've clearly deemed that the accuser is lying based off some unsourced tweets.

[Trumpocalypse]

23. Not apologizing but looking at facts

Such as that she is a right winger who appears on Hannity's show and that the photo clearly shows that he didn't grope her as she claims.

Sorry that you don't like facts.

[SaschaHM]

24. Clearly you didn't read her entire account if you think the photo is the sum of her claims.

She alleges behavior that doesn't occur on the film.

I'm not shocked that you didn't. The folks discrediting Moore's accusers didn't read their accounts fully either.

I'm done wasting my time on an assault apologist.

[Trumpocalypse]

26. And her entire account is suspect

It is already being disputed by people who were there. Plus, she is a right winger who appears on Hannity's show.

[TacoD]

36. It is being disputed by anonymous Twitter accounts who claim they were there (nt)

[Trumpocalypse]

37. The escort officer's account was not anonymous

And the photo proves she was lying.

[TacoD]

40. Really? What is the escort officer's name? (nt)

[Trumpocalypse]

42. Did you look at the photo?

He's not groping her.

[Generic Other]

71. Have you ever attended a USO show?

They are burlesque-lite, a little T and A without the stripping. The women who go on these shows are already "sex objects" in Hollywood. Google a list of names of women on USO tours. From Bob Hope's day in particular. They were chosen because they were "bombshells." They dangled their sexuality in front of the troops as entertainment. This woman was a Playboy model. Other sexy celebs included Jayne Mansfield, Ann Margaret, Rachel Welch, Connie Stevens, Marilyn Monroe, Joey Heatherton, etc. These were not Bible study sessions. Men were hooting and hollering.

I was a little kid watching with enlisted men's wives and kids. The photo of Franken almost looks like a publicity still.

[Trumpocalypse]

74. According to the photographer

Tweeden was pretending to be asleep and was in on the joke.

[VMA131Marine]

57. Don't use the "innocent until proven guilty" standard

because you know it's an impossible hurdle to clear absent a trial, which there won't be in this case. A better test would be "preponderance of credible evidence." On that basis Roy Moore should be toast while the evidentiary record for Franken is clearly incomplete. The involvement of Roger Stone is a huge red flag in this story that suggests caution be exercised in making conclusions.

[Trumpocalypse]

69. Thanks!

That's my point. Too bad too many here are ready to throw Franken under the bus when all the facts are not known yet.

[moriah]

25. She's certainly exaggerating "groping", but Franken hasn't said...

... she was conscious and fully consenting to the photograph being taken.

In fact, he's said he can understand why she would feel violated by such a photo, in retrospect.

Bottom line is that social media is a TERRIBLE source for news on a breaking event, as the troll farms love to create/spread "reflex rumors" in these situations. Things we want to believe are true so much we share without verifying the sourcing. If it's just from Twitter, I'm going to wait for real media to verify.

And even then, "real media" is questionable. Remember how Newsweek couldn't dox right, and alleged that the Vegas shooter's girlfriend was a bigamist and involved in identity theft? They'd not even verified her maiden name!

Seriously, when we want to spread something like this really really really bad because we want it to be true, we need to step back for a minute and see if there's something verified on it.

I have found nothing other than repeated tweets, and the first linked tweet has been deleted because he admitted he wasn't the photographer but had just spread it himself and couldn't find the source either.

[Trumpocalypse]

27. Yes let's hear all the facts

instead of rushing to judgement and condemning Franken on the word of a known Right winger and Trump supporter.

[moriah]

30. ... remember that broad brush sucks when applied the other way.

I'd certainly hate to be a Democrat who'd been grabbed by Trump.

Well, heck tbh the very thought of it happening it at all just squicked me so much I most lost track....

Oh, yeah. I'd hate it even worse if it happened to me (must not think on that much, eugh), to not be believed solely because of the fact I'd been a Democrat.

[Trumpocalypse]

31. It is also that her account has been disputed

by people there and the photo doesn't confirm her story.

[moriah]

32. And I've examined the Twitter stuff. I haven't seen it outside of Twitter.

The first tweet in the "interesting tweets" thread was deleted. If you go to his page...

https://mobile.twitter.com/fsoforhire

He deleted the tweet he shared and admitted he didn't have actual sourcing. I don't know what to make of his Twitter, but he certainly wasn't the photographer.

https://mobile.twitter.com/TheTabbasco hasn't said in any Tweet that he was present for the photograph being taken, nor does he specifically say he was in the rehearsal. I would prefer a news agency to contact the person he's claiming to be, and verify if he's stating anything that can disprove the allegations vs "Nothing happened beyond bawdy humor in front of me".

And the final tweet in this thread is a retweet of the original one here:

https://mobile.twitter.com/Feisal_Hagi/status/931195872431370240

Which has her photo next to one of her modelling shots (a REALLY cheap shot at her career and making the thing look worse for supposed "liberals" to share, slut shaming as it seems to do), no sourcing despite requests, an account with a history of spreading disinformation. Whether he's well-intentioned or not is questionable.

[Trumpocalypse]

35. You seem to be rationalizing

Sounds like your trying to convict Franken with out a fair hearing on the basis of a right wing propagandist.

[moriah]

39. I'll take that from people who have over 1000 posts, but no, not from...

... someone who doesn't know me and certainly hasn't been on DU enough to see the kind of poster I am.

I *refuse* to engage in hypocrisy. If Beverly Young Nelson had voted for Hillary, should that have made a difference in whether she should have been believed about Moore?

You have to either look for other shit first before discrediting someone solely because of their voting record, or be fine with the other side doing it to us. It's one or the other.

And I CERTAINLY hate seeing anyone use social media for news, especially when the root post for the rumor, if spread, would feed every stereotype about liberals only caring about sexual assault allegations when Republicans do them.

[Trumpocalypse]

41. So because I don't have over 1,000

I'm not worthy. But somehow a known right winger repeated guest on Sean Hannity's show has complete credibility despite the photo that she produced as proof shows that she is lying.

You are engaging in hypocrisy.

[moriah]

43. You were accusing me of being a RWer. You haven't been here...

... long enough to know me to make that accusation. That's why I said back up, because you *don't* know me.

You are aware that the post "quoting the photographer" is from the same account that created a post saying Obama was in Houston feeding hurricane victims, asking "Why isn't Trump doing this?", and everyone who shared it was later embarrassed to learn it was not accurate?

This is how 4chan trolls work during breaking news. They make things they think liberals will share, which are usually already somewhat embarrassing, and then it turns out it's not true, making us look worse.

If we learn who the photographer was, and hear from them (which we will, since Mr. Franken is welcoming any investigation) that it was staged.... that's one thing. But the Twitter account that started this rumor about the photo is extremely suspicious, and Franken hasn't suggested she was faking being asleep.

And the escort doesn't say he had his eyes on Franken every single moment, at least not clearly, in the Twitter account there. That's the one I'd actually want to hear more from. And have it either be a reporter who is good at ferreting out details, or in any investigative hearing.

[Trumpocalypse]

44. No I'm accusing you of believing a known Right Winger

without question and not giving Franken a fair hearing. Yet you a still rationalizing and playing semantics games to demonize him.

[moriah]

45. I'm reserving judgment and not immediately dismissing her. Franken is human, not a God.

Putting ANYONE on a pedestal enough to refuse to even consider an allegation, to immediately discredit any accusation as an attack from the other side, is a mistake.

It's why Evangelical support for Moore has gone up, not down. Because they have him on a pedestal.

We don't need to put our people on pedestals.

And we certainly need to be responsible when spreading crap that has no sourcing and slut-shames an alleged victim. Even if she's lying her ass off, the fact she's showed her ass off doesn't need to be linked to something attempting to discredit her. It is exactly the type of rumor you look for verification on -- photographer not named who could, if named, clear Franken, and adding a gratuitous picture of her along with it.

[Trumpocalypse]

46. I'm not refusing to consider her allegation

I'm just questioning it. The photo clearly shows that she's lying about him groping her. That alone hurts her credibility. That other who were there so quickly disputed her does as well.

You seem to be putting her on a pedestal just because she is a woman. More hypocrisy.

[moriah]

49. Search my posts about the immediate response to Takei accusations...

... where I tore into someone for essentially saying that simple alcohol-facilitated sexual assault vs drugging between two men was easily dismissed because it wasn't a child and *was* two guys, if you want to see me defend a male alleged victim's right to be given a fair hearing about what they are alleging until things come out that are more discrediting than political affiliation.

So no, it's not just because she's a woman, either, that I don't want to see us act like them.

I just don't like seeing us acting like them, at all, period.

[Trumpocalypse]

50. Please

The lady douth protest too much.

[ChubbyStar]

52. Thank you!

[moriah]

58. Someone fucking has to or we're going to be the liberal equivalent of FR.

I'd at least like to aim a bit higher than that.

Come at me all you want for wanting us to have a higher standard than believing the same person responsible for this:

http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2017/aug/28/blog-posting/outdated-photo-wrongly-suggests-barack-obama-food-/

Over Franken himself, who hasn't said a blessed thing about her not being asleep.

[Trumpocalypse]

59. I always know that I'm winning the argument

when people start cursing at me.

Thanks!

[ChubbyStar]

60. So now DU is the equivalent of FR?

I think you might want to put down your shovel.

[moriah]

61. I love this massive attack from people who love DU so much...

.... despite being here such a short period of time.. two of you now!

Fine, I'll stop beating the dead horse. You feel free to spread every 4chan inspired rumor that just is going to make us look bad when proven inaccurate.

I will sit in the same corner I did in 2008 when people were saying Trig was Bristol Palin's kid from an incestuous relationship.

And cry for my community.

[ChubbyStar]

62. Massive attack?

Sorry you feel the need to cry, but DU is OUR community not yours. Thanks and have a blessed day!

[moriah]

66. You're awfully presumptuous to say it's not my community as well as yours.

It's our community, which means I'm allowed to be embarrassed when people don't get that using social media for your news leads to embarrassment for all of us.

And yes, it IS very damn embarrassing.

If you see an unsourced absolutely hot Tweet you want to share because it seemingly clears your hero of a breaking accusation that you believe is at the very least exaggerated, that also happens to have an element of slut-shaming or victim-blaming, and also happens to not have a single bit of verifiable information in it...

Verify it first.

Otherwise we feed what the 4chan trolls want.

[ChubbyStar]

67. Oh Yikes you are just looking for a fight

Not interested. Take care.

[moriah]

68. I'm looking to have people on the fourm I love be careful about contributing...

... to the known way these trolls work -- they post things people *want* to believe during breaking news, but usually said badly (like in this example adding the gratuitous modeling shot), and then see how many people reflexively share before fact-checking.

The account that originated this has already had one post make Politifact for debunking. At least that was just about hurricane victims.

This is a far more serious thing. Far too serious to get your news on Twitter about.

[smirkymonkey]

76. +1000

Sometimes this place amazes me. It's amazing how quickly we turn on our own without proof, yet the republicans stand beside their people even with proof of wrong doing. I'm so sick of our spinelessness.

[eissa]

14. Love it! Story is already falling apart.

So you have the statement from Al, his escort officer AND the photographer. No one who has been accused of such charges has had others run to his defense. Al has.

[Botany]

21. Boy that didn't take long

I wonder how many Russia troll bots were working this Franken-gate?

I noticed some on DU today.

[HipChick]

22. Yep...in force today..

[Cattledog]

53. Many bots are on DU. Easy to notice.

[Hortensis]

34. The photographer weighs in, huh?

[Lil Missy]

47. He has admitted doing what Tweeden said and apologized. She's not lying.

[Trumpocalypse]

48. No he didn't

He admitted to the picture but not to her other allegations. And the picture itself proves that he didn't grope her Others who were on the tour have already come forward to say that her account of what happened are not the truth.

[standingtall]

51. No he has not

he has apologized for the inappropriate crude photo. He never admitted kissing her without her consent or taking the photo without her consent. Also I find it hard to believe she was actually asleep wearing a flack jacket and kevlar helmet leaning back on a chair. Kevlar helmets are heavy and hot it would be hard for someone to fall asleep who was use to wearing them let alone a private citizen.

[Trumpocalypse]

56. Here is the photo

[lanlady]

73. Not really

He said that his recollection of what happened was different than hers

[uponit7771]

79. THIS is false

[L. Coyote]

80. Pure bullshit.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Greybnk48]

54. This is a planned right wing hit job.

Bet money on it.

[L. Coyote]

81. Timing says it all.

[lanlady]

72. Professional eye makeup job on Tweeden?

I’m confused, was this a skit or something? She seems to have stage makeup on. I’ve never seen a female soldier wearing perfect eye makeup.

[nolabear]

75. She was a USO entertainer.

I don’t know what’s true but I don’t think the makeup is odd.

[Chemisse]

77. What happened to 'believe the women'?

I point this out because it is a bad idea to automatically believe women who come forward. Each case needs to be evaluated on its own merits. As Dems, we shot ourselves in the foot by making Moore's case all about how we have to believe the women. His case is solid for a number of reasons (weak denials, multiple accusers, lack of political or financial motive).

[Hamlette]

78. this changes everything for me

but they will say "see, women lie about this stuff".

If that last tweet is not true I wanna know why she didn't wake up when he "groped" her. She's sleeping sitting up on a plane, she probably not "dead to the world" as she might otherwise be when sleeping.

[Denzil_DC]

82. The second tweet from "Free bird" has no basis in fact or evidence.

Link to tweet

It's identical to a tweet (from which it was probably copied) by "Aiden Benjamin",

Link to tweet

which I posted about here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029852049

"Aiden Benjamin" has a past record of false news tweets, debunked by Politifact and Snopes. Neither he nor "Free bird" are reliable. In fact, a poster on Kos (see the discussion in my OP at the link above) reckons "he" may be part of a Russian botnet.

"Free bird" scores a startling 10/10 on the make Adverbs Great Again test for Russian bots: https://makeadverbsgreatagain.us/mlp/

That doesn't guarantee it's a troll account, but it's the highest score I've seen.