Franken accuser Tina Depuy is full of shit

[hexola]

Did you see her on CNN this morning?

Her description of Frankens "assault" consisted of "he put his arm around my waist and grabbed flesh"

That's basically a description of every picture ever taken!

But then went on to say how she had just quit smoking and had gained weight and was self conscious.

She is a liar or crazy or both.

[Fullduplexxx]

1. The lid has blown off and now people are lashing out

[Bengus81]

77. Depuy "groping" pic at the hands of Franken---GASP!!!

Franken "abusing" this poor woman



We won't soon forget.........

[MrModerate]

91. I am -- or was -- a reasonably generous donor to Dem pols.

My wallet just snapped shut. If they don't have sufficient energy to defend themselves, they're not going to be winning many elections. I need to find some Dems with backbones.

[JimBeard]

123. I have just gotten that sinking feeling in my gut and I really don't care what Trump is doing or

the Democrats are going to do to him. I just don't care anymore.

[Fullduplexxx]

98. She looks traumatized but you cant tell due to the big smile on her face

Im conflicted because i used to listen to her on stephanie miller and respected her but what she described doesnt sound like sexual harassment but it wasnt me

[Bengus81]

101. How come no charge of GROPING on HER part??

My what DOUBLE standards we have now days.............

[IronLionZion]

118. She clearly sexually assaulted his shoulder with impunity

[vi5]

128. Ugh. I didn't see Warren on the list until now....

..so disappointing. I was already on the fence about Gillibrand and Booker for a number of reasons, but this puts me over the top.

[rusty fender]

134. Good luck (sarcasm)

with all your new grudges

[KT2000]

137. thanks for the faces

I thought only one of my senators participated but it was both! Another email then.

[FarPoint]

2. Until there is evidence through due process....

Claims are just words.... somehow, this step is being avoided....

Due Process is an essential step for Justice.

[Doodley]

36. What about Franken's own words that he is "disgusted" by his own behavior?

[hadEnuf]

46. Are any of these women pressing charges?

With all of these accusations, it seems that nobody want's an investigation.

Why is that?

[Saviolo]

90. Because we as a society still don't believe women

And an investigation into an accused abuser always turns into an investigation of the accused in a way that is irrelevant to the situation. How the woman dresses, how much she drinks, former sexual partners, all of these things get dredged up in an effort to justify the abuser's actions and discredit the women involved. It happens over and over and over when women make accusations again powerful men who may also be abusers. There has obviously been a shift lately that is empowering women to call out serial abusers and harassers, but the investigations into those womens' past will still happen.

Now, in the case of Franken, I don't think he was a serial abuser or harasser. The accusations against him are not the same as the accusations against people like Weinstein, Moore, and Trump. I'm glad that Franken and Bernie Sanders are both bringing the discourse back around against the serial abuser in the Oval Office.

[JimBeard]

124. As I said above, it just doesn't seem to matter anymore.

[gabeana]

127. What do you mean we don't believe women

then why are there all these men resigning from office or losing careers

[Saviolo]

135. They're resigning or losing careers because they're serial abusers

But they're not going to jail. Some of these men abused, harassed, and even raped women, and they're not going to jail. Losing your job is not the end of your life. These are mostly very powerful, wealthy white men. Don't worry, they'll land on their feet. Weinstein was heinous, so were O'Reilly and Charlie Rose.

Most of them were "open secrets" which means people knew about it, but no one wanted to do anything or felt they couldn't because those powerful men could ruin your career for casting aspersions. Rose McGowan famously stated that Ben Affleck said "GODDAMNIT! I TOLD HIM TO STOP DOING THAT" when he was told of the accusations against Weinstein.

Even when everyone "secretly" knows about abusers, womens' stories are still discounted for years and years, and careers get ruined when they try to speak out about being on the receiving end of that abuse. That's only starting to change now. There's still a long way to go.

And again, I don't think Franken is a serial abuser.

[gabeana]

143. In the past sure (and I will agree the very recent past, such as the last month)

but not now, all it takes is an accusation unverified just the accuser word and it's game over, without any concrete evidence from most of them, I am specifically talking about franken,

It is just how it is now
and most people won't change their view until a son, husband, father, uncle, etc. is falsely accused,

just how it was before, where women were not believed now it is going to lean over far in the other direction

Franken is out because the Dems in the Senate believed the women over him

[MrsCoffee]

120. Statute of limitations.

The reactions I'm reading on this board are nothing but a perpetuation of what got us here to begin with. Historically women are put under a far more scrutinizing magnifying glass than the abuser. It's a sick cycle.

For many women coming forward now, there may be a statute of limitations that prevents due process. Many women, like me, were very young when they were abused and they were simply too terrified to say anything. And some were not so young and simply terrified to say anything. The victim can have feelings of shame and guilt that prevent them from coming forward. So many reasons that little girls and women don't tell authorities. Sometimes they do and a parent or relative or family friend will be protected instead of the victim being believed.

But there is no due process for the victims either in those cases. It's time to break this cycle. You don't break the cycle by trying to discredit the movement and women's voices. You encourage them to come forward and guarantee that their claims will be investigated. And I expect my party to stick up for those women.

I am appalled that Franken was asked to resign before an investigation. But I am not appalled that action is being taken around the country and women's voices are being heard.

[hadEnuf]

125. Railroading Franken is doing nothing for victims of real sexual abuse, IMO.

And with the evidence presented, I do not see Franken as a "sexual abuser". I see a man who was a comedian and is now a senator who clearly participated in chauvinistic-comedic style skits with willing partners back in the day, who now feels embarrassed and remorseful over it, given the position he now holds.

Allowing the Right Wing to trivialize a critically important subject like sexual abuse for political shenanigans does more harm than good for the cause in the long run.

[MrsCoffee]

130. As I said, I don't think Franken should have been forced to resign before an investigation.

But I'm not willing to see women be silenced because this one case has so many people pissed off. I understand why the calls from party leaders happened, I just think they got this one wrong.

Take the accusations seriously and investigate. That is the best way forward.

[brush]

80. Come on. He said he was disgusted about the Tweeden "gag" photo. If you watched his...

speech yesterday he made it clear that he did not confess to any groping.

And we all know by now the groping Tweeden alleged in that photo did not happen.

It was as I said, a gag photo with Franken posing for the photographer with his hands hovering over Tweeden, not touching her. She however can not say the same as another photo from that same USO tour showed her actually groping the ass of a guitar player on stage.

She and her co-workers at that right wing radio station, Hannity and Roger Stone begin the hit job that took down Franken. It worked and now many are finally starting to realize that, too late, that it was a right wing smear job.

His own party delivered the final blow after the last two accusers came out — Depuy claiming he "groped" her around the waist and the other woman saying he tried to kiss her saying, "It's my right as an entertainer."

Who the hell believes either of those ridiculous claims? Apparently Kirsten Gillibrand was gullible enough to believe them and the hell with any due process investigation.

[Doodley]

88. Do you find that "gag photo" funny? Would you find it funny if that was done while your

daughter, or your wife, or your mother was sleeping? Please stop making excuses. Dupey is a Democrat. Are you calling her a liar? When was the last time your flesh was grabbed by somebody you had never met before? The disgusting attacks on those who come forward is one reason women stay silent for years.

[hurple]

95. According to ALL oter witnesses of the event

Tweeden was fully aware of the photo being taken and pretending to be asleep. It was fully staged with her consent.

So, it was not an act of harassment.

[hexola]

99. We have no idea what their relationship was like.

So you can't really make that judgement.

[spooky3]

105. Brush answered your q. Franken said he was

disgusted by the photo, not by a pattern of behavior. You may also find the photo disgusting.

[brush]

106. Oh please. Depuy asked Franken to pose with her. Are you serious? Who gropes a waist for God's sake.

No, I don't believe that for a minute.

She asked for the photo so your claim that he had never met her means nothing. Thousands of people a day pose in photos with their arms around another person's waist.

Groping a waist? Hah!

That claim is even more ridiculous than the other woman's who said he tried to kiss her say, "It's my right as an entertainer".

Have we lost the ability to do some critical thinking in this party?

[maxrandb]

136. Jesus Christ on a trailer hitch!!!

If we're getting to the point where a photo like that, taken in jest and much more tame than some of the other gags Tweeden herself instated and happily participated in offends people to the point that we ruin entire careers... how do people even watch a second of Prime Time?

Holy shit!!!

I guess I can't watch anything but a Disney cartoon. No wait, how "sexist" was The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast?

My brother is a Trumper asshole, and he's crowing his ass off. NOT because he thinks Franken is a serial woman abuser, but because he now can show how weak and out of touch Democrats are.

Retrumplicans are laughing their asses off. They'll use this Franken fiasco to completely dismiss every claim of sexual harassment and sexual assault, because they've perfected the art of divide and conquer.

They'll use this to appeal to Dems who think Franken should have been defended and fought for...and to appeal to Dems who think he should have been keelhauled.

It's like Democrats don't even know what the fuck they are doing

[Bengus81]

83. If Tweeden was also disgusted why is this pic on HER My Space Page??

https://myspace.com/leeanntweeden/mixes/classic-uso-hope-and-freedom-tour-2007-494121/photo/227160391

Funny how horrible Franken was with his gag pic but with these two guys Tweeden says their just "being silly".

[MFM008]

126. That something he was

"Percieved" to have done would have distressed someone so much.

[snowybirdie]

3. Ive listened to her

on the Stephanie Miller show. She seems a tad on the "kooky" side. Not sure she is believable.

[democratisphere]

4. Both.

[octoberlib]

5. If you put your arms around someones waist

you will come in contact with flesh. I thought it was ridiculous.

[LisaL]

12. Especially if that person has a fat roll around that waist.

By her own admission she gained weight. Seems like that's what made her uncomfortable about the photo. Which of course means that many years later Franken must resign as a Senator.

[Kimchijeon]

121. So, we let someone's self-conscious feelings about their fat rolls

accuse a guy of "sexual assault" for a normal hand around the waist pose in a photo.

Real good, folks, real good.

[Doodley]

41. When is the last time you grabbed a stranger's flesh? Do you really think that is acceptable?

[Cary]

50. Really?

Wtf?

[Doodley]

58. That's a WTF moment for you is it? He lacks respect for women's personal space, unlike any

decent man. Is that hard to understand?

[hexola]

67. Ok - so what's the official distance for a photo request? Be specific

10 inches - shoulder to shoulder?

Or maybe it should be 24 inches...

or is that too close to their personal space?

[Doodley]

68. That is something you shoudn't need to be told.

[hexola]

73. "He stood too close to me..."

That will be the new sexual assault barrier.

[Fullduplexxx]

100. Invaded my personal space is what it will be

Theyre gonna lose this movement if it is let loose

[Bengus81]

87. But her arm around Franken should have got her a GROPING charge?

Strange,you have no problem giving her a PASS.

[brush]

110. Get real. She asked for him to pose with her.

[Cary]

117. Your attitude is exactly why I have never aspired to run for office

Yes, your harsh declaration gives me a "wtf moment."

Ridiculous. I expect better from liberals.

[LisaL]

51. Franken didn't grab a stranger's flesh for no reason.

He posed for a photo. Lots of photos of people with hands around each other. Are you suggesting that is now unacceptable?

[hexola]

59. If you ask someone like Franken for a photo - they are going to assume you are a fan/supporter

And would like a nice, personal shot...its almost instinctive.

Like - "Hey look I'm pals with Al Franken!"

[brush]

85. And you believe that's what happened? Do ya really take the word of someone who asked...

Franken to pose with her then claimed years later he groper her waist?

Groped her waist., not her behind, not her breast, but her waist.

That's the most ridiculous claim ever.

Get serious.

[Demit]

116. And it made her feel like she was no longer a person!

She admits in that ridiculous article that she bugs celebrities for pictures (her words) but that Al Franken made her feel "ornamental." I'm sorry, this woman is a ding-a-ling.

[chowder66]

107. I had someone grab my flesh when a photo was taken exactly as she did.

Last edited Fri Dec 8, 2017, 12:10 PM - Edit history (1)

It was a friend of a friend. When we closed in to take a photo together my shirt came up a tiny bit from my belt line when I leaned and he reached around with his arm. It was the most harmless thing possible. I too was a little uncomfortable because I had a little extra weight but I wasn't uncomfortable about him.

I was uncomfortable because I was self conscious.

There wasn't anything weird about it at all. I hadn't seen him in a few years and he was happy to see me as I was him. I was also squeezing his side.

It's like a side to side hug. Nothing improper.

She admitted that it was a celebration. It's more akin to a big bear hug someone gives you in a moment of excitement except it is from the side. That is how I think some people are taking it... as am I. Sometimes people get excited, sometimes people forget themselves in moments. This just doesn't seem "groping" in my opinion.

[better]

115. I for one would like to see from you an acknowledgment

that we are all in fact discussing the same action, not merely the same phrase. You seem to be calling into question the decency of people based upon "grabbing flesh", though it's not clear what specific action you perceive that phrase to mean.

So for starters, can we clarify that "grabbing flesh" here does not seem to refer to anything sexual?

We can debate from there the propriety of the action, and I don't think you'd get much pushback, but it does seem pretty important to make sure that we are in fact talking about the same action, because tickling someone's side in a photo op, which is what this sounds like to me, may be rude or inconsiderate, but it is not sexual assault.

There may indeed be some similarities, but there are also differences that are at least as important.
Nobody says we should never drink water on account of sulfuric acid also being a liquid.

We have seen way too much lately of conflation of things with similarities as being the same, and it is dangerous.

I think that's what your detractors in this conversation are getting at.

[Myrddin]

144. Just last night, when I...

...shook hands with a woman I'd just been introduced to for the first time! Also touched her waist when we air kissed on her departure from the gathering.

Apparently, according to some, that should now be grounds for sexual harassment at least?

That lady's husband, and my wife (both witness to the incident), will be helping her file charges today I fear??

I suspect a WTF may be appropriate here?

[oasis]

6. Franken at some point will begin to enjoy a private life among real friends.

Those who sought to ruin his career will have to continually construct different accounts of why they took action against him.

[Raster]

8. I believe that the majority of the Democrats that have "railroaded" Senator Franken...

...do so because they put party and/or their perceived political future over country.

Bring on the Ethics Committee investigation. Leeann Tweeden is a rat-fucking, tRump*-voting opportunistic little *** that needs to be put under oath and then asked a few questions.

[dalton99a]

10. +1

[oasis]

14. "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog".

The saying is as much alive today, as ever.

[MojoWrkn]

57. +1

[IronLionZion]

84. Leeann Tweeden is on camera visibly repeatedly sexually assaulting men

when is she going to resign?

[Bengus81]

104. Tweeden YUCKING it up over this pic--so much it's on her MY SPACE page...

Yet Franken takes a staged pic--like the one you see here and my GOD she's almost beside herself. Oh...and I hope everyone has read her 100 tweets back and forth with DONALD TRUMP JR.

Franken was FUCKED OVER by his own party.

[hexola]

7. Where's the photo?

Produce the photo!

[LisaL]

11. It's floating somewhere on the board.

What would you expect the photo to show, though? She is describing that sounds like a normal photo op. She isn't even alleging he groped her behind, for crying out loud.

[Demit]

29. Is that the one that shows her with with her arm around him, on his shoulder?

The one that's cropped so you don't see his arm?

[Bengus81]

108. Cropped? If so she did it because this is what SHE posted

[Demit]

113. Well, yeah. That was my point.

[LisaL]

9. It's a totally believable story.

Except what she is describing sounds like a normal hug during a photo op.
If she felt uncomfortable due to gaining weight, I guess that means that years later Franken has to resign?

[hadEnuf]

56. Only Republican women it seems. Funny that.

You don't throw sitting senators under the bus on unsubstantiated accusations.

[Doodley]

66. That is incorrect, if you are claiming all the women are Republican. Why would you

make such a claim? What was your source?

[panader0]

64. "grubby hands"? Really?

[stonecutter357]

89. #fakenews.

[hexola]

13. She mentioned "sparing the victims from the ethics investigation"

Is that the case?

I didn't get the sense that was off the table from Frankens statement - or anything else I've heard.

[LisaL]

15. If Franken resigned from the Senate, then what would be the point of Ethics investigation?

Yes, there will be no Ethics investigation.

[hexola]

18. His speech seemed to anticipate an investigation

Pretty sure he mentioned looking forward to the ethics investigation or something to that effect.

[LisaL]

20. Before he resigned he was asking for an investigation.

But majority of his democratic colleagues in their ultimate wisdom decided he should just resign without even getting an investigation.

[hexola]

21. Is that the case? I didn't get that feeling from his speech.

Looking for something official here...not speculation

[LisaL]

22. The worst punishment from ethics investigation would be to expel somebody.

If he already resigned, he can't be expelled, thus no need for investigation.
Here is the link explaining how it works.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-does-a-congressional-ethics-investigation-work/

[Hassin Bin Sober]

42. Listen to his speech again.

I did a double take as well. But he mentions the investigation in the past

He says he was certain he would have been exonerated -- or similar words.

[brush]

96. I don't think the repugs want any party of an investigation.

That could've already happened, but an investigation might reveal some inconvenient information.

Besides, they've accomplished their mission and are laughing their asses off that they got a huge assist from Gillibrand.

[octoberlib]

17. So she ginned this up hoping it would

be the final straw?

[brush]

112. You really think she ginned it up by herself?

[mopinko]

49. the ethics committee only has jurisdiction over serving members.

so, no, investigation.

[Chasstev365]

16. And Senator Gillenbrand Rushed to Judgement!I

[Old Vet]

19. No, Senator Gillenbrand wants to be President................

[LisaL]

23. She won't get my vote.

[Demit]

47. She has to get past the primary, though, doesn't she?

That's where we can express our displeasure.

[calimary]

25. Nor mine.

Unless of course there’s no alternative. If she’s our party’s nominee, I would have to hold my nose and do it to keep another CON out of the White House.

[Jose Garcia]

122. You could support Bernie Sanders

http://digital.vpr.net/post/leahy-sanders-among-us-senators-saying-al-franken-should-resign#stream/0

[yardwork]

145. Sanders also called for Franken's resignation.

[Historic NY]

32. Not going to happen....

[JDC]

33. Not a chance she'll get my vote.

[sfwriter]

27. nor mine

[FreeStateDemocrat]

26. She did to it to get a career boost, did she get paid for the article???

CNN is pandering to sensationalism and allowed her a platform to exploit the situation for her own self-interest
Disgusting behavior on the part of every news organization associated with this deplorable hit job!!!

[Doodley]

28. Al Franken is a man who could not keep his hands to himself. I am so sick of reading

opening posts that defend that. He should have kept his grubby hands away from the bodies of women - is that so difficult? He has said he is "disgusted" by his own behavior, so why is anyone coming along after the fact to try to defend him? Please stop attacking any of the women who have made allegations, unless you have actual proof that they are lying.

[hexola]

35. If we've reached such a delicate barrier that you can't put your arm around someone for a photo.

What's next? Dont look at women...don't make eye contact?

Break out the burkas...

[Demit]

54. One of the anonymous women did accuse him of looking at somebody's chest too long.

That's when I was pretty sure they were piling on.

[Doodley]

55. When was your flesh last grabbed by somebody you never met before? I'm a guy and I have

never had the need to grab a women's flesh other than my wife's and previously, those I was in a relationship with. Please don't excuse slimy behavior.

[LisaL]

60. Oh for crying out loud.

Again, he posed for a photo with her that she wanted to pose for. He put his hand around her waist.
Did you expect him to do so without touching?

[mentalslavery]

102. we do have proof that she is lying

She claims shes a victim while spanking the ass of a country music singer as he pushes her away...and she comes back and does it again.....

[hadEnuf]

61. The disgusting behavior he was talking about was the USO tour.

You know, the one he did with the ex-stripper, Tweeden, where even she was acting pretty raunchy?

BTW, how's things over at DI?

[Doodley]

82. Does that somehow make it alright? What does DI mean?

[scarletwoman]

62. I'll defend him as long as I live.

Franken was railroaded by a lynch mob based on ridiculous/spurious/exaggerated charges. Where is the proof that these women are telling the truth?

Too bad there won't be an Ethics Committee hearing to clear that up - thanks to the rush to throw Franken under the bus.

[Doodley]

78. Funny, he avoided the ethics committee, but was able to pre-judge the outcome.

[scarletwoman]

86. Oh, ffs! He didn't "avoid" the Ethics Committee, he was pushed out before he could get a hearing!

As soon as the first accuser, Leeann Tweeden came out, Franken immediately asked for an investigation by the Ethics Committee. They had just convened on this matter last week.

But thanks to the craven Senators insisting on his immediate resignation, the process wasn't allowed to go forward.

[Doodley]

94. If Trump resigned because a delegation of Republicans told him he needed to go, would you think it

right for him to say, "I'm certain Mueller and all other investigations would have found no wrongdoing on my part?"

[scarletwoman]

109. Wow, you are really reaching.

There's no logic to your argument.

[Demit]

119. I only WISH we had Mueller and his team investigating the accusations against Franken.

It would be a lot more thorough than OMG eight women, half of whom are anonymous, made allegations so they must be true!

[brush]

114. Keep up. He's the one who asked for the investigation, when the first accuser came out...

so your claim that he avoided the ethics committee investigation doesn't hold water.

[RhodeIslandOne]

65. Democrats need to stop taking pictures with people

End of story. If someone can prove they were in arms reach of you, you have to resign now.

[LisaL]

70. But at least whoever decided this is the standard now, should be applying it to from now on.

Not going back 10 years looking for offenders when such a standard didn't exist.

[Doodley]

71. Are you saying Al Franken was only within arms reach?

[RhodeIslandOne]

79. Im saying anyone in arms reach can now be accused

And by your standards must resign immediately, if they’re a Democrat of course.

[atreides1]

69. You keep harping...

...about his statement! But you fail to tell the whole story, he made that statement in reference to the photo of Leeann Tweeden, and his behavior in that incident!



As for the women, I don't know if they're lying, but then again I don't know if they're telling truth and neither do you!!!

[Doodley]

75. You are right, he claimed he was disgusted with himself about only one incident.

He said he could understand how millions of women could be offended by what he did. So, yes, he is the reason why he is resigning.

[Canoe52]

111. As a man Im staying out of the discussion,

but my wife, yesterday, wrote both our senators (Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell who both had called for Franken to resign)
and told them in her opinion the women who came out against Franken were bogus and that calling for his resignation before an investigation was wrong.

[japple]

30. One of Franken's supporters and campaigners from MN posted pictures of her family

with Al Franken in three different photos on a facebook thread I'm following, and he had his arms around her husband and son in one and her two little children in another. One person commented "I guess Al is gay and pedophile, too."

[JDC]

31. I watched it. Seems like she is starving for a metoo story

This sort of "accusation" diminishes a serious problem. Just waters it down to nothing. I made fun of Pence when he refused to be alone with a women other than his wife. I now think maybe he has the right idea.

[hexola]

39. I think even Allison Camarota was thinking "Hmm - that doesn't sound bad"

As she interviewed her - I think she didn't get the intended effect.

[LisaL]

43. All our male politicians will have to be like Pence.

Never be around any woman who isn't your wife.
For any photo ops, there will have to be a person appointed to observe from behind and make sure there was a certain distance kept between those photographed.
And I guess that should apply to female politicians too.

[IronLionZion]

48. They WILL find a way to take down female politicians

they definitely have people researching it since they expect a lot more female candidates to run for office.

[LisaL]

53. In theory, female could just as easily grab someones behind as a male.

So, yea, females should follow the same new and improve code of conduct.

[IronLionZion]

34. Flesh of her waist or somewhere else?

This sounds like any normal picture or hug, not "grab them by the ...." or trolling for underage high school girls at the mall. It's unfortunate that she feels self conscious about her weight but that doesn't make it sexual assault.

Liberal men and women will have to keep a visible distance between people during pictures and use panorama shots.

Maybe Mike Pence is way ahead of us and is the real feminist here.

[LisaL]

37. Waist. Her allegation is he put his hand around her waist for a photo and squeezed it.

She isn't alleging he groped her butt. It's her waist that he groped, she says.

[hexola]

40. Such a fine line between pulling someone in for a photo

and "grabbing flesh"...

[IronLionZion]

44. I guarantee some liberals have gained weight this past year from stress eating

so it's time for Trump to resign. Hearing about his terrible diet has left me traumatized.

[Demit]

63. My favorite part of her anguished article about having her waist squeezed in a photo op:

"It shrunk me. It’s like I was no longer a person, only ornamental. It said, “You don’t matter—and I do.” He wanted to cop a feel and he demonstrated he didn’t need my permission."

[Egnever]

72. Good lord

Cause squeezing fat rolls is a great way to get your jollies.

This lady has demons all her own.

[IronLionZion]

76. That woman has deep insecurities

and is trying to hijack feminist language to turn it into something it's not.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

142. I thought the same about her use of language.

Hard to believe she actually supports those concepts outside of this situation.

[mountain grammy]

38. She guest hosted Jonhn Fuglesang's radio show yesterday

I'm a regular listener and was a fan of Tina's so I forced myself to listen.. good that Lady Bunny was on for some comic relief or I may have thrown my phone off a cliff.

Tina is an idiot! Her story is bullshit and never should've been given the publicity.. THIS was the worst thing that happened to her and now she "knows how everyone feels" BULLSHIT!!! He squeezed her waist roll and she's violated! Give me a fucking break!!!!

The Democratic leadership look like the bunch self righteous fools. Now, Session's justice department will be investigating PP for "selling fetal tissue." Do I trust the Democrats to stand for PP? No, not really.

[AllaN01Bear]

52. meanwhile the groper in chief is still in office and still braggs about his exploits

[Honeycombe8]

81. I KNOW! She clearly doesn't know what groping and harassment are.

As someone who has been groped & harassed, I can tell you that THAT is not it. But hey, she got on tv! That's what matters!

[marieo1]

92. Oh, No!!

She is a liar or crazy or both and a DJT supporter!!

[PatrickforO]

93. The gutless windbags that railroaded Al Franken out aren't getting my support.

And that's about half our bench strength, so the Democratic party is now fucked, is it not?

It's gutless pandering and inability to show any political courage has caused us to lose countless elections.

There is a VERY REAL danger that the Democrats will fall by the wayside as a political party, because this lack of moral fortitude doesn't win elections. It doesn't.

And, boy is old Charlie Koch laughing! And Rove. Oh yes. They had to do NOTHING, and we railroad one of our best out.

And where were the voices of any of these people raised against the pedophile Roy Moore, who is now endorsed by his party? And the p***y-grabber-in-chief squatting treasonously in the WH and illegally profiting from his position while his minions tear down everything we hold sacred?

This is bullshit.

[blimablam]

97. Questions need to be answered!

https://www.mediaite.com/opinion/the-most-mind-blowing-aspects-of-al-frankens-demise/

[HopeAgain]

103. Tina Depuy

Has been questionable to me long before this thing with Franken has come out. I believe she will turn on anything or anyone to try and hold on to the spotlight. She has no gratitude or allegance, just ego. Decided that before she made the allegation.

[awesomerwb1]

129. Us men are in trouble

if this stuff sticks. What's next? "Assault" when we grab the check to pay for dinner?

"Grabbed flesh"....

[MrsCoffee]

131. Oh you poor fella.

Seriously?

This is the main concern now? No regard to the fact that three out four women have been sexually assaulted or harassed during their lifetime? We can't step back and look at our society and culture and see adjustments need to be made?

Your hyperbole is ridiculous.

[awesomerwb1]

133. No kidding

Of course the hyperbole was ridiculous, that was the intent.

[Gothmog]

132. Agreed

[CrowCity_Dem]

138. This point is getting missed:

It's not just that Franken is accused of putting his hand on a woman's waist. Yes, that can be innocent. She said he had a handful of her and squeezed.

I don't know about anyone else, but if you have enough of a stranger's flesh in your hands that you can squeeze, you're probably being inappropriate. That's more than just 'being friendly'.

[haele]

139. Squeezed or put pressure against?

I've had a "waist roll" in one size or another for a couple decades now, and have been in many group pictures.
Inevitably, when bunching close together, the person who is putting their off hand around my waist to pull me in for the group photo "squeezes" or puts some form of pressure that felt like squeezing because my fat roll was being pushed into my body just so I could fit in the photo.

She may not have been used to that. I can understand that, it was really surprising the first few times I realized I wasn't still in my high-school/physically active shape any more and there was more of me hanging around than I mentally conceptualized getting in the way. I now expect that when I am part of a group photo, I'm going to be "squeezed" if I don't want to stand off to the side or directly in front pushing others out of the picture.

As for "feeling like an ornament", most people would wonder she feel like that when it was a picture for her and she was using the celebrity as the ornament.
I've felt like an ornament before, and that was due to an environment when I had less social standing than the other, and there was a power dynamic in play. I was asked to enter that situation without being informed as the real reason why that person wanted me to be there; I didn't ask to be there and be used for someone else's purpose, and I was very resentful because I was being used.

I'm not saying she's lying about her feelings.
I'm just saying that either her feelings are so tightly wound as to be way out on the fringes of "reasonable expectation" that anything can cause her upset - or she's cynically treating an actual issue like a low-slung bandwagon she can easily climb onto for attention or personal ego-building.

We can never really understand what people are feeling and where their boundaries are, and it's an extremely difficult landmine to cross, as despite unearned historical privileges and social assumptions, all adults have both the right to their own feelings and boundaries and the responsibility to recognize and negotiate where the intersection of their feelings and boundaries are with those of others - and still maintain the ability for everyone to function throughout life.

Haele

[questionseverything]

140. at least you are admitting all franken is accused of is a squeeze of the waist

first off even that is a ,she said/he said thing but more important SOME people might find that inappropriate, MOST would not

<shrugs>

i admit i am stunned,i knew the fight against the 1% would be horrid but i never dreamed it would be the dem senators collectively we had to fight

[CrowCity_Dem]

141. There's a difference between an arm squeeze (a hug) and a hand squeeze (a grope).

If you're basically treating someone like you're testing a melon's ripeness, you're crossing a line for a large number of people.

[Mike Nelson]

146. This is sick...

...how can anyone not recognize this woman's story is not a sexual assault? It's obvious... the earlier, vulgar picture was obvious; it was a crude joke taken on a typically crude USO tour where everyone threw juvenile sex jokes. People take photos with each other all the time and this woman asked for a photo with physical contact; it's obvious in the photo! I guess we moving toward a society where people can't touch each other...