Just up on Slate "Al Franken Should Resign Immediately"

[NRaleighLiberal]

(Slate has been a consistently good news source. I am posting this because - well, this view is now "out there" - and this story is moving at the speed of light. I think it is important to read and process all the ways that this story is breaking).


http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/11/al_franken_should_resign_immediately.html

Democrats’ credibility on sexual harassment is at stake.

By Mark Joseph Stern

On Thursday morning, Los Angeles radio host Leeann Tweeden wrote a disturbing article alleging that Sen. Al Franken sexually harassed her on a 2006 USO tour. According to Tweeden, Franken coerced her into “rehearsing” a kiss for a skit, then forcefully stuck his tongue in her mouth. She also provided a photograph of Franken appearing to grope her while she slept.


There is no rational reason to doubt the truth of Tweeden’s accusations, no legitimate defense of Franken’s actions, and no ambiguity here at all: Franken should resign from the Senate immediately. Democrats should call for him to step down straightaway. This revelation is a test of the Democratic Party’s consistency, honesty, and decency. If Democrats wish to preserve whatever moral standing they have today, they must exhort Franken to leave the Senate, with no hesitation or reservations.

Franken, it seems, won’t go quietly. His first response to Tweeden’s article is a case study in pseudo-apologetic denial, an effort to gaslight Tweeden while purporting to express regret. “I certainly don’t remember the rehearsal for the skit in the same way,” Franken said, “but I send my sincerest apologies to Leeann. As to the photo, it was clearly intended to be funny but wasn’t. I shouldn’t have done it.” He deserves no credit for this hollow contrition. Franken “doesn’t remember” the harassment “in the same way”? His actions were “intended to be funny”? Touching a woman’s breasts without her consent is not a joke. It is a crime. Franken is not really admitting guilt or apologizing to Tweeden. He is laying the groundwork for his own defense.

The hypocrisy of Franken’s reaction is galling. Following the Harvey Weinstein scandal, the senator wrote an impassioned Facebook post declaring that sexual harassment is “appalling” and “far too common.” He added that it “takes a lot of courage to come forward, and we owe them our thanks.” Franken then praised Gretchen Carlson for writing about “the disappointing responses women often face when they go public both embolden harassers and encourage victims to stay silent.”

[BannonsLiver]

1. Slate can go fuck itself sideways.

They worked their asses sewing division among Dems in 2016. Might as well be RT at this point.

[lame54]

2. there definitely is a reason to look into this further before asking about his resignation...

the media keeps insisting he is groping her in that pic

he is not touching her - clearly not touching her

[rzemanfl]

3. Pretending to cop a feel over a flak jacket is a feeble joke. It sure as hell isn't an assault. n/t

[Dem2]

4. We'll see

Immediate reactions are often overreactions, let's wait a day or two (or 10) to let the story flush out.

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. Totally agree.

[Kirk Lover]

6. HOW DARE THEY. Let's have the hearing. Let's see what witnesses have to say

She's giving a press conference right now.

[trueblue2007]

7. Oh bull shit. He should not resign.

[tonedevil]

8. I may be way off...

but I can't help be reminded of the firing of Shirley Sherrod. We want to look so clean we let them take down a very effective public servant for a lie. I am doubting the forced kiss story and I would not be surprised to find that the photo was staged and Leeann Tweeden was awake and participating.

[Stuart G]

9. I am doubting the forced kiss story too. and Frankin has admitted that the photo was stagged.

[NCTraveler]

10. From the same author.

The Worst Reason to Condemn Roy Moore

"Why it’s wrong to attack the Republican Senate candidate for his dissent in a child rape case."

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/11/it_s_wrong_to_attack_roy_moore_for_his_dissent_in_a_child_rape_case.html

It would be extremely stupid for him to resign immediately.

This is ratfucking.

[NRaleighLiberal]

12. agreed. I posted it without my own comment because it is important for us to know how

all of these things get reported.

I appreciate your comment.

[NCTraveler]

13. Said person bends over backward to negate a righteous claim against Moore(court case).

While immediately calling for the resignation of Franken.

[Pacifist Patriot]

11. I think I just sprained a muscle rolling my eyes.

[kwassa]

14. "There is no rational reason to doubt the truth of Tweedens accusations"

Sure there is.

Don't rush to judgment, wait for complete information. We don't have it all yet, and are still getting more.

[Vinca]

15. If Franken is forced out over this then all the comedians in America had better quit their gigs.

Context, context, context. It was a USO show. The photo was reportedly staged and the woman was pretending to be asleep. Al is no Roy Moore.

[UTUSN]

16. Well, Donald TWITLER should resign immediately.

[BlueStater]

17. The more information that comes out, the more this just appears to be a really tasteless joke.

Sexual assault isn't funny at all and Franken was being an idiot. It's disappointing that a man of his age and educational background wouldn't have had more common sense. However, that doesn't make him a predator and his career shouldn't be ruined for, at least as far as we know so far, a single example of poor judgement from over a decade ago.