Franken is trying to rewrite history by blaming Democrats who called for him to resign

[bigtree]

Washington Post Live @PostLive
@alfranken on his regrets on resignation: “They made it impossible for me to get due process… No one did any investigation of this at all, and I had 36 of my colleagues demand that I leave… And it was a pretty awful experience for me and my family.” #PostLive

Link to tweet

...okay, true, it was an awful experience for Franken and his family, and no investigation was done, but mostly because he resigned.

Let's not forget the reasons he gave for quitting, which were the same reasons those 36 Democrats gave for demanding he leave. Franken insisted that the ethics investigation that he, himself, had called for would be a distraction from his Senate duties, and that Tina Smith could do the job more effectively, given the circumstances.

here's a snip from his resignation speech:

"It’s become clear that I can’t both pursue the Ethics Committee process and at the same time remain an effective senator for them. Let me be clear. I may be resigning my seat, but I am not giving up my voice. I will continue to stand up for the things I believe in as a citizen and as an activist. But Minnesotans deserve a senator who can focus with all her energy on addressing the challenges they face every day."

Btw, the charges against him, however defended, will still be a distraction if he runs again.

[Casady1]

1. Do you think he abused those women?

[bigtree]

7. no, but what I think wouldn't obviate the reasons he gave for leaving

...I agree with him that the women who accused him should have had their say in any ethics investigation and hearing.

[DiamondShark]

95. Franken was railroaded by someone or some group

to quote your current title "Franken is trying to rewrite history by blaming Democrats who called for him to resign" There is no rewriting going on. He was stopped by someone in our party, the Democratic Party asked him ot step down.

[Hortensis]

103. Umhm. More than one thing can be true. Our leaders called immediately

for the investigation he and the party were entitled to and should undertake. But as the swiftboating sped along, he very quickly realized he'd need to resign for the good of the party.

His colleagues ultimately almost all asked him to resign for the good of the party. With #MeToo fervor in full flame, a few unfortunately publicly took sides with the accusers. Even though he agreed he needed to resign, he was hurt and angered that his colleagues accepted/demanded his sacrifice so quickly and didn't rally to his defense more strongly.

But even if they had, he would still have resigned.

There was no way to for him to prove that he didn't grab the butts or stick his tongue in the mouths of a dozen (or as many as it'd take) "respectable" women as they described his supposed assaults again and again and again over the days their testimonies took.

Tell a salacious, scandalous lie often enough...

Later he apparently regretted not fighting longer and wondered if he could have survived.

[DiamondShark]

109. I still think your title is misleading, Al Franken is not the one trying to rewrite

I'll leave this here.
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/06/full-list-senators-call-for-al-franken-to-resign-282175

A wave of Democratic officials, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and more than half of all Democratic senators, called on Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) to resign Wednesday over numerous allegations of sexual misconduct.

I feel the statement in the tweet is correct.

Washington Post Live @PostLive
@alfranken on his regrets on resignation: “They made it impossible for me to get due process… No one did any investigation of this at all, and I had 36 of my colleagues demand that I leave… And it was a pretty awful experience for me and my family.” #PostLive

https://www.twincities.com/2017/12/07/al-franken-sexual-misconduct-allegations-timeline-senator-minnesota/

DEC. 6
A seventh woman accuses Franken of sexual misconduct. According to Politico, the woman, a former Democratic congressional aide, said Franken tried to kiss her after a taping of his radio show in 2006. The woman, who wasn’t identified, says that after her boss left and she was collecting her belongings, Franken tried to kiss her, saying: “It’s my right as an entertainer.” Franken categorically denies the allegation, saying the idea he would claim such conduct as a right as an entertainer was “preposterous.”

A group of female Democratic senators, and some of their male colleagues, call upon Franken to resign. Within an hour, his office released a statement saying: “Senator Franken will be making an announcement tomorrow. More details to come.”

An eighth woman comes forward to tell Politico that Franken groped her while posing for a photo at a party to celebrate Barack Obama’s first inauguration as president. Tina Dupuy told the publication that Franken grabbed a handful of flesh around her waist and squeezed at least twice.

DEC. 7
Franken announces he will resign in coming weeks.

Apparently it was only one day to decide? Sure looks like railroaded to me.

I make this statement and I have made this statement multiple times when this came up. I am 100% behind these women and their accusations, and hope they ALL win when they bring their complaint in court. Al Franken should PAY UP if true.

I will add, it started in 2017 by Anonymous, and you know I don't recall hearing of even one lawsuit being brought against Franken.

[Hortensis]

112. :) Bigtree's title. Fwiw, there's no way any of us can know whether

he's guilty or innocent or how much. Loyalty doesn't somehow make it right to insist on believing what might not be true, or to refuse to believe that what could be true...could be. We have way too much of that kind of bad acting these days.

I feel fairly sure at least most of it is complete malicious fabrication, and very possibly all of it.

But I keep the door open to the possibility that at least some allegation may have seemed possibly true -- or merely supportable -- to colleagues who knew him a lot better than I do. What would colleagues do if that were the case when people start attacking and hating them -- blab stories of some prank they heard?

Certainly his posing with his hands hovering over the breasts of a woman who makes a living with similarly bawdy performances is just the kind of playful behavior everyone knows could be maliciously weaponized against anyone. And would be downright dangerous for a Democratic senator. I've wondered if all the rest of a giant character assassination project migth have been built on that one photograph.

[ColinC]

2. Franken is a strong enough voice that any "distractions" would still

Not keep him from being an effective senator. He may not have realized that then, but I think we are all seeing it now.

[Hortensis]

61. His vote in the senate, covered by the current senator, would

have remained. Sure. He could have continued committee work.

But his strength was as a public spokesman, in his persona, his identity. Americans felt they knew him. And that's exactly where the damage was done. Character assassination.

[George II]

73. Personally I wish he would run again. I was very disappointed when he resigned...

The thing is he'd have to run against Gillibrand (he's a resident of NYC now)

[milestogo]

86. Well I would love to see him beat her

so to speak.

[Atticus]

3. The "charges" against him were, to be kind, a CROCK. nt

[lagomorph777]

35. Greatly overblown at best; a RW plot.

And our side just meekly played along.

[Trueblue1968]

58. i agree. he should not have resigned.

[sarcasmo]

107. Exactly.

[MontanaMama]

4. I blame certain Democrats for rushing Franken into resigning.

Colleagues on the left side of the aisle indeed made it impossible for him to receive due process. Repukes sat back and let it happen because it worked to their benefit. I don't know that it is accurate to say Franken is trying to "rewrite history"...when that's exactly how it went down.

[spooky3]

12. ITA. Dems were worried they would lose the "high ground"

And wanted to defeat pedophile Roy Moore. It was wrong for them to pressure Franken to resign without due process, as many of us said at the time.

[Mad_Machine76]

36. Even though there was a HUGE difference

between what Moore was accused of vs. what Franken was. Franken never really struck me as anything other than a comedian with a dirty sense of humor.

[Jedi Guy]

92. That was exactly it.

Democrats came out strongly in support of the MeToo movement (which I'm not saying was a mistake), so when the accusations were leveled against Franken, the Party was in a bind. Either defend Franken and risk the cries of hypocrisy from the right, or pressure Franken to step down to maintain a consistent stance on the movement from the public's perspective.

The frustrating thing is that clarification and nuance could have easily solved the problem, particularly since the right is going to scream and shout no matter what we do. It would have been worth the effort to at least try to defend Franken rather than rushing him into resigning in the interest of "optics."

[bigtree]

13. so he didn't believe what he said in resigning?

...his reasoning that it was the ethics hearing that would prevent him from serving effectively wasn't actually what he believed?

Those 36 senators saying the exact same thing should be forgiven for taking him at his word.

[George II]

90. From your OP, this is what he said:

"It’s become clear that I can’t both pursue the Ethics Committee process and at the same time remain an effective senator for them"

That hasn't changed, and obviously he believes that.

[milestogo]

39. + a brazillion

[onecaliberal]

45. 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻

Last edited Thu Feb 10, 2022, 06:15 PM - Edit history (1)

He didn’t get due process.

[Demsrule86]

51. I agree and believe Franken is correct.

[dem4decades]

5. I miss Al and would have backed him in his fight to prove his innocence. And those that denied

him due process, hung him out to dry.

[pwb]

6. I don't know?

What he did back then seems like small potatoes now?

[lagomorph777]

46. It was small potatoes then, to anybody who cared to look at the details.

Apparently, our side in the Senate just wanted to cave and move on.

[Generic Brad]

97. Even more so because he didn't do anything in the first place

He was victim of a Roger Stone hit job that some Democrats gleefully and opportunistically latched onto with the pipe dream hope of advancing their bid for the presidency at Franken's expense.

[tavernier]

8. IMO he was railroaded right out the door.

I still get angry when I think about that whole incident.

[BlackSkimmer]

24. Same here.

That was ugly.

[Deuxcents]

37. Agreed

I would hope the good folks of his state see that he gets another chance. He was a good senator.

[BlackSkimmer]

79. We could use him.

A good man.

[SoonerPride]

9. "Rewrite history?" ummmm no.

He is frankly telling like it is.

He was railroaded.

No one had his back.

Even supposed staunch Democrats buried him in an afternoon.

It was a pile on and he was tarred and feathered and his career was done in by people on his side of the aisle.

Much to the glee of Republicans the press.

[BlueIdaho]

16. Senator Franken got swept up in the overheated early days

Of the “Me Too” movement. He was never allowed to pursue his due process rights. And yes, as you said - Democrats buried him.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

42. Tarana Burke started the #metoo movement in 2006

Franken resigned in 2018. "Overheated early days"? Hardly.

[BlueIdaho]

53. Let me rephrase that..

In the overheated days of the post-Harvey Weinstein revelations and following a parade of other high profile Me Too claims revolving around media celebrities… Franken found it impossible to pursue the due process rights his job promised him.

All movements create collateral damage.

[Demsrule86]

54. And it still happens...Cuomo should not have resigned...New York is not as liberal as some think

outside of the city...hopefully we keep the seat.

[uponit7771]

66. +1

[brooklynite]

71. Cuomo should not have have resigned, why?

Cuomo called on AG James to investigate and she did. The findings were solid and damaging.

I'm far happier running with Gov. Hochul (who also is a hell of a lot easier to work for).

[Caliman73]

84. Agreed.

Cuomo had "due process" he got his investigation. It did not come out for him the way he thought he could swing it.

Huge difference with Franken who never got his investigation.

I have no problem with Tina Smith replacing Franken, but I think that Franken was done a major disservice while Cuomo actually appears to have done what was alleged against him.

[CentralMass]

21. This.

[demmiblue]

26. +1 n/t

[maxsolomon]

10. Yes and no.

In retrospect, it was clearly a hit job, and the Senate Dems chose to throw him overboard rather than have the fight the GQP were seeking.

Is Tina Smith as effective a Senator as Franken? I have no clue; I assume they vote similarly. She is not as effective at TV, because I never see her on it.

[vanlassie]

11. Your argument that he is trying to rewrite history is that "he resigned?"

[bigtree]

15. no, that he just blamed the Democrats who agreed with his reasons for resigning

...stated unequivocally in his resignation speech.

Kinda rewriting history to make it look like Democrats forced him out. He said nothing of the kind, at the time, and it's offensive that he'd come back now and put some onus on them for essentially saying the same things at the time that he did.

[lagomorph777]

47. Democrats played right along with the Republican plot.

They did force him out.

That was a test of our strength, and we failed.

[Demsrule86]

55. I blame certain Democrats too...and while once I might have supported them in a presidential run,

I didn't in 20 and I won't now. Of course, I mean the primary...I would vote for any Democrat in the election.

[JohnSJ]

14. He is not re-writing history, he is stating what happened. HE WASN'T given due process, and the

amount of pressure that was put on him, gave him effectively no choice.

Make no mistake about it, he was pushed out of office without due process.

The resignation was triggered by pressure from his Democratic colleagues in the Senate, with Schumer giving Franken a deadline to quit after three dozen Democratic senators called for him to step down.

The fact that some of those who pushed Franken to resign now have second thoughts, matters. They didn't have all the facts, which would have been revealed if he had been given due process.

[bigtree]

18. no, he specifically blamed the 36 Democrats, as well

...who don't deserve his claptrap just because they echoed his own reasoning for resigning.

[JohnSJ]

40. and so do I. That reasoning for resigning was because of the railroading they did to him. He

effectively had no choice. I know what a mob is when I see it, and I know what bullying tactics are too.

[bigtree]

49. there was no 'mob' of Democrats 'bullying' him

...curious way of characterizing the women and others who were agreeing with Franken at the time that the ethics committe investigation wouldn't allow him to serve effectively.

[Demsrule86]

56. Yes there was and it happened with Katie Hill to and we lost that seat...almost happened in VA. too.

[bigtree]

59. sexual harrassment charges can't be generalized like that

...every case deserves to be judged on its own merits.

That goes for the politics behind each individual case.

[sheshe2]

72. Who was the judge and jury for Franken?

[Hortensis]

106. Right. Katie Hill admitted guilt in her ethical violations.

She was in a position of power to hurt the careers of the two young staffers she had affairs with if they displeased her in some way. Same situation as Cuomo, though neither of her staffers claimed to be "terrified" of what she'd do if they didn't let her have her evil way with them.

[JohnSJ]

62. Interesting. For an OP who is concerned about a "Franken" candidacy as a distraction, which I don't

Last edited Thu Feb 10, 2022, 08:12 PM - Edit history (1)

believe he said he will do, you seem to be setting up "the distraction" you said you didn't want

[bigtree]

93. so you think this discussion post on DU is holding sway in Franken's political future

...and the party's.

Got it.

[Torchlight]

52. I don't think they deserve his claptrap either. But I do think they've earned it.

I'm not gonna blame a guy for reading a bad script with a gun to his head. And as far as it looks to these unsophisticated eyes, the pressure from both the left and the right was a loaded gun. So he read the script. Ain't gonna blame the guy for telling us it stinks when the gun's no longer a threat.

[ProfessorGAC]

65. You Keep Saying That

Somehow the reverse eludes you.
The resignation speech was a reflection of the reasoning of those knee-jerk senators.
You seem to think there's only one way this logic flows.
But, i'll come right out & say that the speech was a forced hand based upon what all those who failed to support him were saying.
Hence, it's completely consistent with what they were saying.
I don't think it's chicken & egg. I think it's clear which is the cause and which is the effect.

[bigtree]

88. Franken's in denial about the blizzard of negative coverage at the time

...eight allegations, one a House staffer.

I'm absolutely amazed by the apparent denial among some here about the political effect of that kind of scandal in the media, deserved or not, for Franken as well as the party. It was withering, and no amount of support shown him was going to make it stop.

I think those senators who spoke out don't deserve bashing for not buying into this rosy scenario where Franken survives the onslaught.

[nolabear]

17. Here's a transcript of an interview with someone who wrote about it.

She certainly makes a case for the twisting of the original accusation and his clumsiness, not evil intended but foolishly familiar. Make of it what you will. I don’t know what I think of him running again. He’d better have asbestos underwear.

https://www.npr.org/2019/07/25/745232345/journalist-jane-mayer-on-the-many-mysteries-in-the-accusations-against-al-franke

[Vogon_Glory]

19. Franken's primary accuser was not only working hand in glove with Sean Hannity

But was seen in a raunchy video on-stage waving her backside in front of the troops.

Are you expecting us to believe that Sean Hannity is always truthful? Are you expecting us to believe that Hannity is fair and impartial? Is it possible that Sean Hannity might not practice anything close to proper journalistic standards of accuracy and integrity?

We have seen what sort of influencer Sean Hannity was before and during l’affaire Franken—and most recently during the January 6th riots.

Do we think that What what’s-her-name said about Franken might not have happened?

—Yeah

Do we think Franken got railroaded?

-yeah.

Franken was a mensch who was willing to take a bullet for the team and resigned. The Democratic Senators who pressured Franken to resign should have known better

[FakeNoose]

33. THIS!

He got railroaded all right, and certain Dems pushed him out the door.

[Vogon_Glory]

38. Thanks for the reply

As a former Cold Warrior and as someone who spent my adult years learning that self-styled writers, journalists and are all too often less than truthful or honest, it pains me to see such wide-eyed credulity not only among the red end of the political spectrum, but among our own.

Who else’s bullshit are we expected to believe as gospel? James O’Keefe and Project Veritas? One America News?

[uponit7771]

67. ***THREAD WINNER !!!***

[Crunchy Frog]

20. We couldn't afford to lose a senator of his caliber then,

and we can't afford the loss now.

I get sick every time I think about it.

[bigtree]

25. evidently we could afford it

...Tina Smith is a great Senator.

I think this comes down to something that may be in Franken's interest to pursue, but not so good for the party to be engulfed in ethics committee hearings and the rest just to try and vindicate him.

He used to agree with that.

[BlueCheeseAgain]

22. I feel bad for Franken...

But at the time of his resignation, there were something like eight women accusing him of one kind of misconduct or another, including some Democrats. It was a difficult situation to maintain, especially with the Alabama special election at the same time. And it's not like we lost the seat-- we have another great Democratic senator now in Tina Smith.

[lagomorph777]

32. All those accusations were lame.

None of them amounted to anything like Repubs get away with on a daily basis.

It was a RW plot and our side fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker.

[VarryOn]

23. It was good having him in the Senate...

He should run again. Let the voters decide.

[JohnSJ]

41. Exactly

[Hortensis]

63. Deleted duplicate.

[Hortensis]

64. With a 50-50 senate tie, we let the nation's future -- democracy

or potential RW authoritarian kleptocracy -- possibly depend on Franken's ability to defeat the Republican candidate?

For me the big issue is not that he should have an opportunity to convince a majority of voters that he did not grab women's butts when they moved close to take selfies with him, or didn't stick his tongue in a soft-porn model's mouth during a skit. It's my grandchildren's futures. Oh, and heck, at our age what we'd live on if Social Security was "privatized" into the accounts of more deserving people. I really don't want to live out my last years in a bedroom converted from our daughter's dining room. The big houses many have these days could really come in handy, but the bedrooms might well be needed for other relatives and their children.

Many other fallen democracies show us a variety of possible alternatives to what we have now that range from tragic to horrific.

[brooklynite]

69. Should he run against Klobuchar or Smith?

[VarryOn]

76. Great question. That's the problem...

I like both. I’d be onboard giving MN three Senators. How’s that? Lol

[tenderfoot]

27. Franken was rooked - acknowledge it.

eom

[bigtree]

29. okay

[lagomorph777]

28. BS. He got railroaded in an excess of zealotry fueled by a RW plot.

Why shouldn't he be pissed?

His colleagues fell for it. They owe him an apology.

[Emile]

30. He was forced to resign by members of his own party! No one

had his back and Republicans laughter was deafening l. The ones who were the loudest instigators (and we know who they were) should be ashamed!

[WhiskeyGrinder]

31. Why is he taking this approach?

[LAS14]

34. I'm glad he's speaking up. The reaction of those 36 senators...

... is the kind of thing that really harms the #MeToo movement.

[bigtree]

44. so he should speak up, but those Senators

...speaking out in the wake of multiple charges of sexual harrassment against Franken, hush now?

They basically agreed that it was a distraction for the party to defend him at the time. I understand that he thinks right now may be more amenable to all that, but I think he's naive about the way he'd be used against the party, just as he reasoned in his decision to leave.

[SalviaBlue]

50. Everything is always used against the party.

Basing our actions on what Cons would do in reply is a losing proposition. Fuck em.

[bigtree]

57. they were basing their actions on the cacophany of accusations

...something I think people are being naive about.

The ferocity of the charges and the press they generated did much more damage then the resulting reaction from the pols. This isn't something that could be easily swept away.

What he's asking for doesn't exist. There isn't some safe political space for pols (especially Dems whose voters are more inclined to condemn harassment) who get caught up in sexual accusations. It just doesn't exist, no matter how angry or frustrated that makes us.

[questionseverything]

43. I would trade all 36 of them away, even Bernie, for franken

Franken was trying to be a team player when he resigned, that was his weakness being a decent person, being hurt by being stabbed in the back

[brooklynite]

68. Scary comment...

I supported Franken in several elections (also met with him several time), but no, I wouldn't say he was the greatest, bestest Senator ever. No elected official deserves that kind of fandom.

[questionseverything]

85. Since the thirty six couldn't stand up for a fellow democratic senator

Or the concept of “innocent until proven guilty “ their is no chance they will stand up for “we the people “

[brooklynite]

87. How many have you supported Primaries against?

Ironic that the only “Primary him!” calls are for the one guy who said Franken should stay.

[Celerity]

104. +1

[Hortensis]

102. How did what should be hostility against a RW operation

to take a Democratic senator out become twisted into such extreme hostility against Franken's colleagues? Please don't offer explanations. NONE of them deserve to be taken out by successful Republican character assassination, not Franken, and not any of the others. We're the good guys. The Republicans are corrupt and ruthlessly vicious.

Misdirected loyalty and hostility reminds me of 2016 and how some were willing to throw a nation of 330 million people, and progressive government itself, under the Republican bus out of loyalty to one politician.

It happened, and they helped it happen.

Since this hasn't gone away, it occurs to me that some Franken admirers "out there" may feel a mistaken loyalty to him that's even stronger than anyone expresses here. Franken is a committed lifelong Democrat, and he'd be the first to be appalled that even a few people might once again refuse to vote a Democratic ticket, this time in misdirected loyalty to him. (!)

I know you weren't thinking of Franken admirers "out there" or what crazy lengths they might go to. But your post makes me wonder if, with Bernie Sanders currently allied with our Democratic senators, Franken may have taken his place for those who need a heroic figure to transfer their previous loyalty, and perhaps any unresolved anger, to. The needs that lead to these behaviors don't just go away.

[SalviaBlue]

48. I don't think he is trying to rewrite history.

He is adding information for our deeper understanding of what happened. The fact that he did not speak out differently when the whole thing went down is completely understandable.

We would be extremely fortunate as Democrats if he runs again.

[MineralMan]

60. No, he's not.

Not a good battle to fight, I think.

[roamer65]

70. He's just trying to tell the truth.

[UCmeNdc]

74. It was a mistake to let the Republicans bait the Democratic party into forcing Al Franken to resign

Do we see any Republicans forcing their people to leave office? I know one Florida child molester who is still a house representative.

[USALiberal]

75. Two likes should tell you something!!! Nt

[bigtree]

83. lol

...only the bestest posts get likes!

[Hekate]

77. I believe Al Franken, & always have.I believe we lost a good Senator & this was a low point for Dems

That is all.

[edhopper]

78. You are wrong

He is right.

And you are defaming a great Democrat.

[bigtree]

82. he's defaming 36

...so I win.

[edhopper]

89. He's not on a forum

That has a rule about attacking Democrats.

He is simply telling what happened.

You are still wrong.

[bigtree]

91. he's a former legislator, and I haven't said anything untruthful or demeaning about him

....the 36 still serve, but apparently it's open season on them on his behalf.

I think that's disgusting.

[kcr]

80. Franken is stating facts

[eissa]

81. Telling the truth is not "rewriting history"

I'll never forgive those who railroaded Franken. We lost one of the most intelligent and hard-working members of our party over fabricated, overblown allegations.

[radicalleft]

94. Weren't you always a very vocal proponent

of his resignation? I could be wrong, but every time a Franken post popped up, you have always been there to point out what a bad person he is. If I am mistaken, I sincerely apologize

[bigtree]

96. nope. I thought the media had taken down one of our best fighters

...I was actually really sore at them, and hoping he'd be able to ride it out. I really didn't want him to quit.

I had made all of the reasonable arguments about letting the charges be heard and giving him his day in the ethics committee. What I thought I saw then was Franken throw in the towel, right after calling for an ethics committee investigation.

I understand the temptation to catagorize people who take positions here into little political boxes of our own biases. But I almost always defend our Democrats to the end of their political existence.

I would have had Franken remain, but I agreed with him at the time that it might be too much of a political liability. I didn't blame Democrats who expressed their opinions that he should resign. I blamed the political confluence of negative coverage. I thought he did as well.

I really find this new stuff self-serving, and in denial about the wave of negative coverage which convinced him he was more of a liability if he remained, and really just swept under the rug the fact that he thought Tina Smith would be a fine replacement.

I'm afraid Al is navel-gazing here, and I don't have a wit of care about his political future.

Do DU google search sometime with 'bigtree' and 'Franken'.

[radicalleft]

99. Thanks for the reasoned response...

I truly appreciate it and please accept my apologies!

[betsuni]

98. They're to blame. Fake scandal. Tweeden lied, woman whining that Al touched her waist fat absurd.

Little bit of research showed it was fake. Too much to ask that anybody, journalists included, do research. People see headlines and set their hair on fire.

I hope Al never goes back into politics. I want another book. Everyone should read his "Al Franken, Giant of the Senate." Still waiting for Hillary's memoir "Fuck All Y'all" and I want the Al version.

[krawhitham]

100. rewrite history? PLEASE He is describing EXACTLY what happened

As soon as it broke he said he wanted a Ethics Committee review, and before that could happen 36 Dems stated they wanted him to resign immediately. A lot of those same Dems were on TV daily demanding he leave NOW (a few for pure political gain). He did not get "due process" because of said pressure, they knowingly pushed him out before any Ethics Committee review could be done.


It was clear a day in real time that they were pushing him out and for a reason, and it's a reason I agree with. He was pushed out because he would be replaced by a Dem and it would help Doug Jones, most local news in Alabama were running stories about how the Dems were "do as I say not as I do" (we were "demanding" the GOP to ditch Moore while not getting rid of Al), somehow they used Whataboutism with Al Franken and a child rapist and it was working, Roy Moore was gaining ground (Jones only won by 1.7% AGAINST A CHILD RAPIST, WTF). Al announced he was resigning 5 days before the election. Al Franken was sacrificed to save the ACA, plain and simple.

[Arazi]

101. Nah dude. He was bullied out without due process

[yardwork]

105. I agree with Franken.

[USALiberal]

108. This didn't go well for you. nt

[betsuni]

110. ...

[George II]

111. Bazinga!

[bigtree]

113. what do you think I was trying to get out of it?

...posters express many opinions here, most don't get a bit of notice.

I'm always surprised when one of mine generates controversy, and it usually doesn't make my day, if that's what you mean.

Maybe give the mocking a rest, huh?

[Tarc]

114. Men always seek to evade culpability for sexual assault, and seek redemption

Not at all surprising.

He should run for office again, let the voters decide.