Warren: Frankens Reported Behavior Unacceptable And Deeply Disappointing

[Pugster]

Source: Associated Press/CBS

BOSTON (CBS/AP) – Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is speaking out about a woman’s claim that Minnesota Sen. Al Franken groped and kissed her without consent.

Los Angeles radio anchor Leeann Tweeden says Franken forcibly kissed her during a 2006 USO tour. She also accused Franken of posing for a photo with his hands on her breasts as she slept, while both were performing for military personnel two years before the one-time comedian was elected to the Senate.

“The behavior reported today is unacceptable and deeply disappointing. I am glad Senator Franken has acknowledged as much and has agreed to cooperate with an ethics investigation,” Warren said in a statement.

“Women who come forward are brave and deserve to be respected. We’re not going to fix the problems of sexual harassment and assault until men take responsibility for their actions and change their behavior.”

Read more: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2017/11/16/al-franken-leeann-tweeden-elizabeth-warren/

[truthisfreedom]

1. Deeply disturbing indeed, but just as deeply disturbing is the exaggeration

that he "groped" her in her sleep. I've looked very closely at the picture. It seems clear that one hand is not touching her at all, and that makes me assume that both hands were not touching her.

The kiss thing? Yuck. Just yuck! Eww. Ugh. Idiot.

[LisaM]

2. When it's someone like Al Franken, I'll pause slightly before passing judgement.

It's like the other day when Elizabeth Warren gave a knee jerk response re Donna Brazile's book and then had to back peddle. I am just taking a wait and see on this (note: I don't think the photo was appropriate, whether or not she was asleep or awake, or they all thought it was funny, or even if he was not touching her. I just don't).

But I can distinguish between a raunchy cast of adult entertainers on a USO tour and a guy who harassed teenagers in a mall back in the 70s to the extent that he was banned, and I'll add this distinction: I have no reason to believe that Roy Moore has changed his mindset in any way. I wouldn't expect him to join the Senate and stick up for women's rights in any way, shape, or form, while Al Franken has a very different track record in that regard.

Again, I don't like that picture - I think it's horrible and it kind of gives me flashbacks to how people routinely acted in the 80s, but I'm not going to treat these like they are identical incidents and, Al Franken stands out as having clearly evolved well past that kind of behavior while people like Roy Moore (and Louis C.K., and Harvey Weinstein, and Kevin Spacey) have not. Even Mark Halperin, whom I don't really like, said that he sought treatment after he was at ABC, and that sets him apart as at least understanding the issue, unlike some of these other cretins.

[Equinox Moon]

3. Sen. Franken's expression of humor is what I believe this to be about.

I think he did these things to be funny. It is his form of expressing humor.

It isn't funny and it is very inappropriate. I really like Sen. Franken's work in the Senate and this is unfortunate to be happening.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

4. Unfortunate, yes, to say the least.

[Hoyt]

5. Not much funny, even if joking about groping. But Franken should not be ruined

by this. Even the lady accepted his apology. If Moore were to apologize, I doubt any of the women would accept it.

[mucifer]

6. I continue to scratch my head over why he thought that photo was funny. We have to see where

the investigations go and if there is truth to the other parts of her her accusation which is much worse than a stupid joke photo.

[Equinox Moon]

8. I think the kiss was his humor as well.

It was a part of a skit. I think?

[mucifer]

9. In her statement it was backstage.

[madville]

7. I'm going to wait a couple of days and see if

any additional women are emboldened by the first two coming forward.

I've seen a lot of people try to explain it away as "He was just trying to be funny". If a person thinks it's funny to grab another's breasts and that it is ok, I'm going to have to disagree, it's still assault. The intent doesn't matter, what matters is how the victim feels about it.

[Nitram]

10. It disappoints me that Warren so quickly jumps onto the dogpile.

I would have expected her to give Franken a chance to defend himself and allow an investigation to decide his innocence or guilt.