General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSo we are to believe Al Franken is a serial groper who likes to grope while being photographed
In public. In full view. In front of spouses.
The first two accusations don't even pass the basic smell test. And the second two accusations, well, we can't even give them a smell test.
Not to mention that ridiculous Huffington attempt - debunked by the alleged victim. Someone is trying way too hard.
His time in the barrel indeed.
JI7
(89,279 posts)And it led to a lot of bad stuff for them.
dubyadiprecession
(5,725 posts)not the woman's breasts. Other than that, she admitted that she consented to the kiss as part of a skit in another part of the show.
As for the groping, a person can misjudge where their hand can initially land when putting your arm around someone for a photograph. I know i have.
At this point, i would only question Franken, if he verbally sexually abused those women or any woman for that matter.
Exultant Democracy
(6,594 posts)While at SNL, running a movie or while in office.
The fact that the women of SNL have come forward in mass to attest to his character speaks volumes. If he wasnt acting out in that booze and drug fueled set I find it hard to grasp how he came around to ass grabbing so late in life.
From what has happened to every other man republican or Democrat we would expect to see real accusers that worked with him by now if any of this is true. Not to say they wont come roars and if they do it changes things, until then Im looking forward to the hearing he called to clear him.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,347 posts)Serial molestors carve out their victims. Get them alone. Use power they already have through position, employment etc.
This is classic ratfucking. Take a partial truth -- the non grope in the Kevlar vest -- and build on it. Then incorporate alleged gropings during photos that EVERY politician takes with both male and female constituents.
Then add some vague "contemporaneous" statements that don't pass the sniff test or match the alleged level of supposed outrage.
Bullshit.
calimary
(81,527 posts)You can take that to the bank. That's his specialty. Cocky bastard has been very proud of it for decades, and has never hesitated to say so.
Historic NY
(37,454 posts)[link:https://www.cbsnews.com/news/roger-stone-appears-to-have-known-about-al-franken-allegations-hours-before-they-went-public/|]
[link:http://dailycaller.com/2017/11/16/roger-stone-knew-the-franken-story-was-coming/|]
[link:http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/360726-stone-appeared-to-know-franken-allegation-was-coming|]
JI7
(89,279 posts)After the first 2 were exposed along with stone and other right wing connection.
This seem to be following previous right wing attacks we have seen. Its clear why Franken was targeted.
ollie10
(2,091 posts)This is a set up.OF COURSE there would be more than one lame accusation. ...
kcr
(15,320 posts)Just to add that extra dose of total believability. Did they hug a tree afterwards, too? All of a sudden they're liberals, but anonymous, reporting to Huffpo. It's just getting beyond ludicrous, now. Even the mainstream media doesn't care about it anymore.
JI7
(89,279 posts)it's like when right wing trolls come on here and say things like "we leftys need to............" . like who the fuck actually refers to themselves that way ???????
most of the victims of the other left leaning male harassers have been women that lean the same side politically but there is more focus on the actual facts of what happened instead of "omg i was a liberal and loved him and he did this". as if that matters.
kcr
(15,320 posts)They try hard, but don't quite get it right.
Beartracks
(12,821 posts)fierywoman
(7,698 posts)Nevernose
(13,081 posts)As it is it doesnt look good, but since accusers three and four are anonymous and depend solely on one reporters word, Id like to know more about the reporter.
LBM20
(1,580 posts)stevenleser
(32,886 posts)Hassin Bin Sober
(26,347 posts)Keep taking the temperature in "hot pundit" land.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)Hassin Bin Sober
(26,347 posts)stevenleser
(32,886 posts)Denzil_DC
(7,280 posts)Remember? I do. You were hell-bent on telling me I didn't know what I was talking about and you knew best and "facts" and "the industry" and all that.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=9861892
You dismissed my description of some of the work Franken's been doing in Senate on a rape bill as - what was it? Oh yeah,
What a turnaround.
And here I am applying the same principles and standards of proof right now about Franken as I did with Tweeden then, with the boot somewhat on the other foot.
I'm left wondering if you'd know a fact if it reared up and bit you on the nose.
I noticed that too. That certainly is an interesting change of tune there.
Denzil_DC
(7,280 posts)stevenleser
(32,886 posts)And if this was an issue with Franken, I knew more stories would come out.
Denzil_DC
(7,280 posts)Your words are there for all to see.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)Denzil_DC
(7,280 posts)Good for you. But don't claim to be concerned about women all of a sudden when you gave no sign of it then.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)Denzil_DC
(7,280 posts)And I'll let other people read your words at the link (if they have a few hours to spare) and come to their own conclusions.
Demsrule86
(68,715 posts)Demsrule86
(68,715 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)Smh.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)discredit Franken, no one would be happier than me to hear it.
kcr
(15,320 posts)They're scraping the bottom of the barrel now. What the hell?
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)kcr
(15,320 posts)stevenleser
(32,886 posts)kcr
(15,320 posts)You don't appear interested in giving an explanation for this sudden change of heart.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)I still am not particularly sure about whether I believe Tweeden and her accusations.
But there is now a pattern of accusations. I think there is a strong chance there is something there.
kcr
(15,320 posts)They are now trying to claim they're liberals, but of course now suddenly they're anonymous. On Huffpo. I guess if you squint you can see a pattern there. Even the mainstream media barely gives a shit anymore.
questionseverything
(9,663 posts)since you are tv personality why don't you explain to me why the theft of seigleman's election was never covered
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=9860272
Demsrule86
(68,715 posts)Kingofalldems
(38,496 posts)ChubbyStar
(3,191 posts)I suspected as much...you are a brave man!
tapermaker
(244 posts)4 or 12 or15 women to ruin a democratic political life There are roughly 75 million women repukes to pick from.The Fact that over onehundred women who work with him daily and had constant contact with him are going out of their way to exonerate him ,you don't get that kind of loyalty if you grab their ass every time they turn around . HE is innocent , but is probably toast anyway.
pandr32
(11,631 posts)But I hope you are wrong about the being toast part.
It is my hope that Franken will turn the tables on the situation and expose the dirty tricks. If this doesn't happen the right-wing asshats responsible will use the same MO on any Dem they want to take down.
tapermaker
(244 posts)for over 30 yrs.
pandr32
(11,631 posts)He said he will work on rebuilding the trust of the people of Minnesota.
Thank goodness and let us all prepare for more dirty tricks from the "ratfuckers." As you said, it is their MO.
Igel
(35,374 posts)And if we make excuses or even hesitant in condemnation, we're denigrating women kind everywhere in a manner most vile. That, of course, makes us accomplices and sexist ourselves, worthy of condemnation.
I had a mentor in grad school who pursued a line of academic research that was perfectly allowed. Then it was found by the Great Leader to be bourgeois. He had a choice. He could inform on his colleagues. Anonymously, of course. And they'd tell him the colleagues he'd inform on. And give him the denunciations, saving him time and effort. Or he could be punished.
Officially he was punished for his bourgeois research. In what was later termed computer science. But in reality, he was punished because he refused to condemn people who were suspected of being politically unreliable. And was himself, therefore, unreliable.
He spent a while in an outlying province before the Great Leader died and he could be rehabilitated.
McCarthy went native. He used "Communist" tactics, in part. He didn't use samokritika, "self-criticism" as a means of avoiding politically or ideologically or power-grubbing threats. This was, of course, at a time when the CP USA was firmly Stalinist and employed these ideas in the furtherance of being politicheskii pravil'nyi or, as they translated it, "politically correct" or "correct when it comes to policy".
I discount anonymity. Fine, I'm being asked to believe that a stranger, a reporter I don't know and who has his/her own personal politics, is telling the absolute truth based upon a dispassionate and thorough investigation in which the primary purpose wasn't proving the claim but disproving the claim (I like how science works).
They're reporters. Most people I know who went into reporting went in with self-imposed missions and agendas. Some just for power. Some to advance some Truth. But most couldn't discern their Truth from the truth. That "ir" makes a difference.
shadowmayor
(1,325 posts)To eliminate a potential rival for the Presidency.
Stinky The Clown
(67,831 posts)Who?
shadowmayor
(1,325 posts)Is it Hillary? No, I don't think she'll run again.
Warren? Not sure the repukes fear her that much?
Bernie? No idea what the republicans think about him, but possibly a factor?
Franken? Lots of folks have thought the Senator might be the best possible candidate to run against drupmf. He appeals to a wide variety of voters, especially the younger voters. If these allegations were dialed up to take him out of the race, I wouldn't be surprised. Trump's team is vicious, vindictive, and effective on a level that democrats fail to see over and over again. Just ask Jeb Bush.
brooklynite
(94,792 posts)I hang out with a lot of DNC members, candidates and funders and haven't heard him discussed in any political quarters asa propsective candidate.
shadowmayor
(1,325 posts)Not DNC folks, or candidates or insiders, just average Americans who vote for democrats and some few republicans still capable of having an honest discussion about politics. Franken has been a popular Senator for a large portion of those who identify as democrats.
brooklynite
(94,792 posts)I'm sure SOMEBODY has suggested this, but not with the level of support that would lead Republicans to want to "take him down".
(nb - I'm probably the only person here who's had a private lunch with him to discuss politics; and he calls once or twice a year. I like him as a Senator, but I don't see hi as an obvious Presidential candidate).
shadowmayor
(1,325 posts)I'm just speculating that republicans might consider him a formidable candidate, and they don't care what smart democrats say about it.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)blue cat
(2,415 posts)I'm a loyalist so I go with whoever is our nominee.
OnDoutside
(19,982 posts)distract from Moore....what better way than to take down a women's advocate like Franken ? "You think we're bad, the Democrats are worse" type of crap. It's sick, and also sad the way some Democrats on DU are falling for it.
shadowmayor
(1,325 posts)Not 2018, I goofed. And it certainly dilutes the Roy boy fiasco. Gives fox noise and their ilk the whole "both sides do it" lever to ram down our throats. On the other hand, it does shine light on the women who said that drumf molested, harassed, and groped and raped again.
OnDoutside
(19,982 posts)Democrats are split over, and consumed by, Franken. I think ultimately he will get over this, but the old Rep tactic of dirtying the water for all, is working.
ollie10
(2,091 posts)Turbineguy
(37,375 posts)Which is reasonable, but still an assumption. And then we assume that these accusers are women.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)We got a lot of trolls working hard here, i do believe.
Stinky The Clown
(67,831 posts)The whole thing is a bullshit right wing ratfuck and she is the face of the rats doing the fucking.
Dream Girl
(5,111 posts)dhill926
(16,373 posts)and fuck this shit. A hit job that sadly is working.....
brooklynite
(94,792 posts)bagelsforbreakfast
(1,427 posts)Not meaning a homophobic slant just illustrating a point about this insane requirement to remember something so slight that - well, do you remember the 2nd to last time you used a payphone?
brooklynite
(94,792 posts)...his uncertainty raises the point that he thinks it's possible.
bagelsforbreakfast
(1,427 posts)brooklynite
(94,792 posts)bagelsforbreakfast
(1,427 posts)chowder66
(9,087 posts)He may be being careful to not call the women liars. Just as he did with Leeann. It would be difficult to come up with the best apology if you don't know who you are apologizing to especially if it happened years ago.
Regardless he did apologize to the first accuser and she did accept that apology. That was the right thing to do and the right way to handle it. He's going about this more appropriately than Trump or Moore by far.
Here's a thought:
What if he did it as a joke - inappropriate, yes... but still as a comedian he may be trying to get a cheap and easy laugh, an uncomfortable laugh and maybe one misread by him. Male privilege aka ever-present misogyny that is ingrained in society and is finally being exposed in full measure is something that's been pervasive since forever. We can't go back and litigate every single instance of this but we can expose the degrees and start the process of figuring out how to change it.
An investigation should be allowed. More information will help inform better opinions and possibly change them.
I will say that I'm skeptical about Frankens' accusers but I haven't discounted them completely. Leeann is the one I have the most trouble with based on her being able to do things to men on the USO tour. It makes me wonder if it would have been less offending had she thought Franken was attractive, or if he was a bigger star or a musician...but I haven't settled my mind on that completely. I also haven't accepted their accusations...at least not yet.
If he did these things as stated then those acts were inappropriate and rude. What I also find important about Franken's case while not measuring up to the levels of a Trump or Moore or a Spacey or Weinstein, is the overall issue of what women have to deal with on every level from inappropriate and rude to abusive and criminal. Frankens' doesn't rise to that of the predator/abuser mentality IMO. At least not at this time.
Since Franken's situation is different so far and there is nothing wrong with waiting for more information no matter what side it all comes down on.
lame54
(35,331 posts)Is there proof these stories are bs?
ollie10
(2,091 posts)Guilty until proven innocent I see....
lame54
(35,331 posts)I don't want to be one of those men attacking victims
ollie10
(2,091 posts)...the preponderance of evidence shows this is a set-up.
Take a good look at the "evidence" he is guilty....sketchy at best.
Salem Witches faced the same thing, had to prove themselves innocent. Didn't work out so well for women's rights then and it won't now either.
BlueStater
(7,596 posts)...we have a tasteless joke, a photograph which proves absolutely nothing, and two anonymous accusations. Sorry, but I still don't believe the man's career should be destroyed over allegations that, so far, have been incredibly weak.
bagelsforbreakfast
(1,427 posts)old American saying.
USALiberal
(10,877 posts)I would be pissed if someone took that photo of my sleeping wife or daughter. Disgusting and tacky.
Resign over it? No way.
BlueStater
(7,596 posts)I'm talking about the one from the other accuser that was supposedly taken in 2010 where he has his arm wrapped around her.
McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)Fall for Kremlin propaganda
Initech
(100,108 posts)Bought and paid for by the Mercers and Koch Brothers.
MelissaB
(16,420 posts)tenderfoot
(8,438 posts)they're part of the machine
questionseverything
(9,663 posts)are the fox employee
and mr deep pockets
it aint just du that is inundated
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,347 posts)None of them brag about their deep pockets. None. Just sayin'
-je
(30 posts)Charles Kushner, (Jared Kushners father), was busted for witness tampering along with illegal campaign donations in 2004.
The witness tampering involved setting up his brother in law by hiring a hooker to seduce his brother in law and video tape the action, and said set up was successful.
Charles Kushner then sent the video tape to his sister to try to keep her and his brother in law from cooperating with the federal investigation into his illegal campaign activities.
bagelsforbreakfast
(1,427 posts)RainCaster
(10,929 posts)JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,374 posts)Even if Franken did none of these things (other than prank for a stupid photo joke), even if he keeps his Senate seat, I doubt we'll seriously discuss him as a 2020 presidential hope.
Just because.
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)No Republican would ever do anything underhanded!
Need a suspects list?
Hundreds of paid GOP operatives descended upon South Florida to protest the state's recounts,[1] with at least half a dozen of the demonstrators at Miami-Dade paid by George W. Bush's recount committee.[2] Several of these protesters were identified as Republican staffers and a number later went on to jobs in the Bush administration.[3]
The "Brooks Brothers" name is a reference to the protesters' corporate attire; described as "50-year-old white lawyers with cell phones and Hermès ties", the astroturfing protesters were corporate-sponsored and flown in, as opposed to being local citizens concerned about counting practices.[4][2]
The demonstration was organized by Republican operatives, sometimes referred to as the "Brooks Brothers Brigade",[5] to oppose the recount of ballots during the Florida election recount. Realizing that they could not meet a court-ordered deadline, the canvassers decided to limit the recount to the 10,750 ballots rejected by computer, and moved the counting process to a smaller room closer to the ballot-scanning equipment to speed up the process, while restricting media access to 25 feet away while they continued. Republicans objected to this change of plans and insisted the canvassers must do a full recount. At this time, New York Rep. John Sweeney told an aide to "Shut it down."[2][4][6] The demonstration turned violent, and according to The New York Times, "several people were trampled, punched or kicked when protesters tried to rush the doors outside the office of the Miami-Dade supervisor of elections. Sheriff's deputies restored order." DNC aide Luis Rosero was kicked and punched. Within two hours after the riot died down, the canvassing board unanimously voted to shut down the count, in part due to perceptions that the process wasn't open or fair, and in part because the court-mandated deadline was impossible to meet.[7][8][9]
The controversial incident was set in motion by John E. Sweeney,[10] a New York Republican who was nicknamed "Congressman Kick-Ass" by President Bush for his work in Florida.[11] Sweeney defended his actions by arguing that his aim was not to stop the hand recount but to restore the process to public view.[12] Some Bush supporters did acknowledge they hoped the recount would end. "We were trying to stop the recount; Bush had already won," said Evilio Cepero, a reporter for WAQI, an influential Spanish talk radio station in Miami. "We were urging people to come downtown and support and protest this injustice." A Republican lawyer commented, "People were pounding on the doors, but they had an absolute right to get in."[7] The protest prevented official observers and members of the press from getting in.[9][13]
Participants
A partial list:[3]
Roger Stone,[14] a self-described "GOP Hitman"[15] and former member of Nixon's Committee for the Re-Election of the President
Matt Schlapp, a former House aide who became the White House political director during the Bush administration
Garry Malphrus, who became deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council during the Bush administration
Rory Cooper, a former staffer for the National Republican Congressional Committee
Tom Pyle, a former Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) staffer
Roger Morse, a former House aide who became a lobbyist
Duane Gibson, an aide on the House Resources Committee who became a lobbyist and consultant
Chuck Royal, legislative assistant to Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.)
Layna McConkey Peltier, a former Senate and House aide
Kevin Smith, a former GOP House aide
Steven Brophy, a former GOP Senate aide
Jeff Bloemker, a former aide to Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN)
Efilroft Sul
(3,584 posts)If allegations against Franken are true, then they've removed one of the Trump regime's most formidable opponents from the board, whether or not the senator resigns.
If the allegations against Franken are proven false, they will have successfully pulled a jiu-jitsu move on the Democrats, using the #metoo technique, to get them to so quickly throw one of their own under the bus. As an added bonus, their high-profile "victims" will have successfully made most of the public permanently doubt women making future truthful allegations against the biggest creeps out there who are like Moore, Weinstein, etc. Who benefits the most from false accusations against Franken? Trump.
LisaL
(44,974 posts)Orrex
(63,234 posts)wolfie001
(2,279 posts).......Roger "Fuckwit" Stone. That sick fuck-idiot is a menace to our Republic.
Ferrets are Cool
(21,110 posts)blueinredohio
(6,797 posts)smile on my face
Adenoid_Hynkel
(14,093 posts)With screaming top story headlines for the first two accusers, then, they deleted a story a contributor posted regarding the USO shows and Tweden's history.
Someone there has it in for Al. And they barely noted Ariana completely dismantling the BS grope of her in Murdoch's hit job in the post, even though she's their founder.
Their reporting has been embarrassingly hackneyed - just last week, that hack Amanda Terkel, a noted Bernie die-hard, tried to take out any Biden 2020 run with come convoluted and utterly baseless attempt to make him out to be a groper,''
Her piece read like something from Breitbart:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/joe-biden-2020-harvey-weinstein_us_5a0a0ba8e4b00a6eece3a13e
dflprincess
(28,086 posts)is where the creeps behind this campaign overplayed their hand and made it clear this is a hit job with Stone and Bannon written all over it.
And, are they so stupid they thought Arianna wouldn't call them out on it?
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,347 posts)brooklynite
(94,792 posts)A spokesman for Franken said the senator had no plans to resign, The StarTribunereported.
In a statement to the newspaper, the Minnesota Democrat called himself a warm person who likes to hug people when they are being photographed with him, but clearly, Ive crossed a line for some women.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/11/23/sen-al-franken-says-he-crossed-line-but-vows-regain-trust/891751001/
trueblue2007
(17,242 posts)i think they should have to publish their names. anonymous ...... way to easy to make up a story.
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)Getting lost in partisanship and conspiracy theories is not helpful. The real story is that sexual harassment, in the form of groping has been so pervasive and as widely accepted as cat calling that decent people have done it.
The Weinstein scandal opened a can of worms that was bound to reveal sexist behavior among Democrats because it is a systemic problem, and a man problem. Powerful men have collectively maintained an arrangement that has protected and enabled varying degrees of sexual predation. Women like the Alabama gov. have also played a role.
We live in a culture that has been comfortable with that patriarchal arrangement. So much so that it has not been discussed until recently. Many women and some men are finally seeing that those humiliating moments should not have happened. It was never okay, but it was accepted as a fact of life. Turning the aggressors into victims serves to give cover to the next guy who gets caught.
alarimer
(16,245 posts)I wonder if they are just mistaken. Could it have been inadvertent? (I know, I know, not likely if there are multiples).
Huffington Post is such click-bait that I'm not sure they can be trusted.