Gillibrand eloquently, thoughtfully and perfectly answers a question about white privilege

[StarfishSaver]

Link to tweet

[MLAA]

1. Wow, that was an excellent answer!

[EffieBlack]

2. Nice!

[beachbum bob]

3. Too bad she can't apologize for her wrongful action against Al Franken

You can't be a leader if you can't see and recognize when you are wrong.

[StarfishSaver]

4. I think she was wrong about Franken, but that has nothing to do with

what she said today. I give her credit for saying it, regardless what happened with Franken.

[Trumpocalypse]

6. Unfortunately

some will never get over what happened to a rich white male TV star.

[StarfishSaver]

8. I think she was wrong and haven't forgotten it

But I also give credit where credit is due.

[Trumpocalypse]

10. It wasn't just her

It was over 35 other Senators including Sanders, Harris, Warren and Booker.

But it is a shame that a rich white male TV star lost his job despite accomplishing nothing substantial during his 10 years in the Senate.

[StarfishSaver]

11. This isn't a Gillibrand should or shouldn't have done whatever to Franken thread.

She did something well today and I wanted to commend her. Please feel free to start a separate thread if you want to rehash that fight.

[Trumpocalypse]

16. Once again

It was not just Gillibrand. It was over was over 35 other Senators including Harris, Sanders, Warren and Booker. By continuing to frame this as it as something only Gillibrand did you are just perpetuating the lie.

[StarfishSaver]

17. Let it go.

[Trumpocalypse]

19. I don't let go of

truth or fairness.

[sdfernando]

51. Apparently you have issues with Al Franken...fine, you're entitled to your opinion. But..

a cursory search will reveal that Al Franked did accomplish much while in the Senate.

Health care: Franken’s provision in the 2010 health care overhaul requires insurance companies to spend at least 80 percent of premiums on health care, not administrative costs, marketing, CEO salaries, or profits. If insurers don’t meet the requirement, they must rebate the difference.

Wall Street: In the wake of the 2008 financial meltdown, Franken’s provision to reform Wall Street credit rating agencies became law. It is designed to help prevent future meltdowns by ending a dangerous conflict of interest that let the credit rating agencies give Triple-A ratings to investments they knew were “junk.”

Mental health in schools: Franken helped successfully push for millions of dollars for schools in Minnesota and across the country.

No Child Left Behind: Franken won passage of bipartisan provisions to support foster students, mental health in schools, principal training and recruitment, computer adaptive testing, after-school programs and school counselors and funding to help low-income students afford AP tests.

Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig school: Franken fought for years to secure the funding to rebuild the school in northern Minnesota.

Net neutrality: Franken led the movement to establish strong rules that protect net neutrality and has been a leader in the effort to beat back the repeal of those rules.

Hate Al Franken all you want, but you cannot take away the good work he did for common people while in the Senate.

[Trumpocalypse]

52. No I have issues with the deification of Franken.

This is the problem with cultists. If you don't share their adoration of the dear leader, then you must hate him.

[sdfernando]

55. So because you think Franken is being deified

you are unable to acknowledge that he has done some good things in the Senate?

I don't much care for Gillibrand but I recognize that she has done good things while in the senate.

[Trumpocalypse]

56. Never said he didn't do good things

So don’t put words in my mouth. I said nothing substantial. And I would say the same of most Senators with the exception of Warren.

And Franken has been deified, please don’t deny it.

[sdfernando]

58. Your post

"But it is a shame that a rich white male TV star lost his job despite accomplishing nothing substantial during his 10 years in the Senate."

Deified or not, he wasn't given due process and that is not right....Everyone (yeah, even the orange one) deserves due process and a fair shake at defending themselves.

[StarfishSaver]

60. None of this has anything to do with my OP

Could y'all take this fight somewhere else, please?

[Trumpocalypse]

65. That's because you broke the rules

of the Franken cultists: #1: You may never post anything complimentary of Gillibrand. You may only speak of her with total disdain.

[StarfishSaver]

67. This is one of those cases of "both sides are doing it"

And referring to Franken supporters as "cultists" in what was supposed to be a positive thread only exacerbates the problem.

[Trumpocalypse]

68. But they are

cultists. Might as well be honest about it.

[Trumpocalypse]

63. Yes I wrote nothing substantial

which is different from nothing good. I stand by the statement and would say the same as most others Senators.

And due process is a standard for criminal and civil trials, not for an ethics committee hearing which doesn’t determine guilt or innocence, only if Congressional ethics rules were violated.

[SouthernProgressive]

66. Many people can't hold those two positions at the same time.

I’m with you on it.

[USALiberal]

12. LOL, here we go again. nt

[Trumpocalypse]

14. Sorry

You find reality funny.

[USALiberal]

20. Mr. Fassler, is that you??? nt

[Trumpocalypse]

21. Why do you

have such an issue with the truth?

[USALiberal]

22. Let's see how the "Truth" works out for her. nt

[Trumpocalypse]

36. Not the point

The truth is the point.

[Trumpocalypse]

5. Along with Harris, Sanders, Booker, Warren

And over 30 other Senators.

[JI7]

9. that has nothing to do with this thread

[Politicub]

23. It's unfortunate that the only argument you have against her is Al Franken

Which has become a DU dog whistle whether people want to admit that or not.

[LanternWaste]

45. Too bad a puerile desire for perfection denies far too many rationality.

You can't be a rational thinker if you can't see and recognize the good as well as the bad.

[silentEcho]

53. Gillibrand was one of 38. The more interesting question is why one woman is singled

out for a white man's behavior.

[StarfishSaver]

59. What does ANY of this have to do with my OP?

If y'all would take this fight somewhere else, that would be great.

[silentEcho]

62. Ironically, I think it is a pretty good example of that male privilege,

even while white. Vilify one woman because of a man's behavior.

Gillibrand has focused on this issue her whole career. She gets it.

[DesertRat]

7. That was a very impressive answer

[brer cat]

13. Well said, Senator!

K&R

[Autumn]

15. Beautiful response by Gillibrand. Very impressive.

[democratisphere]

18. One answer does not a candidate make.

[JI7]

24. she is a senator

[democratisphere]

25. Unfortunately for NYS.

[JI7]

26. They voted for her including re- electing her

[democratisphere]

27. Many voters have no idea what their elected politicians do.

[JI7]

28. so you think most of new York has no idea about her ?

[democratisphere]

29. Al Franken. No.

[JI7]

30. you think new Yorkers don't know who Al Franken is ?

[Lady_Chat]

39. +100

[Celerity]

32. not unfortunate for NY, she has the lowest Trump score in the entire Senate and also was the only

Senator to vote against every one of Rump's cabinet nominees.


https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/

Lowest Dems



Highest Dems

[Lady_Chat]

38. +100

[chowder66]

31. Nicely said and in a way that is educational w/out coming off as condescending. nt

[StarfishSaver]

34. Exactly!

She explained it perfectly, acknowledging and empathizing with this woman's difficulties while recognizing and actually educating her about the unique challenges black Americans face - and helping get see it's not a zero sum game.

She did what I heard Mayor Pete saying needs to be done - white people talking to each other about race.

[delisen]

33. Warren, Booker, Harris & Sanders also called for Franken's resignation.

Last edited Fri Jul 12, 2019, 05:22 AM - Edit history (1)

as did the Senate Minority Leader, Schumer and half of the Democrats in the Senate.

I think the distinction that Gillibrand must be punished because she was either first or some sort of "ringleader" is without merit and places the others into a category of easily-led followers-which is not what I want in a president and which I do not think they are.

Each candidate should be accountable for their actions regarding Franken.

I myself was opposed to his resigning without going through whatever process existed in the senate.

[Lady_Chat]

37. +100

[ucrdem]

41. Joe is the last man standing on that one.

I looked the other way when Harris got on board that train but now it appears to be the rule not an exception.

[delisen]

50. Biden was not a sitting senator at the time.

[Trumpocalypse]

43. Well said nt

[Bluepinky]

35. That was a really good answer to a tough question.

I have heard Gillibrand speak on other issues, and I like what she says.

However, I can’t let go of the fact she was the first to call on Al Franken to resign from the Senate prior to the investigation he had requested. It shows she has really poor judgement in some situations.

Franken may be a wealthy white male, but he’s a strong supporter of truth and justice, and I’m sorry he’s gone. He’s smart and asked provocative questions during the Jeff Session hearings. He knows how to provoke Trump and other slimy Republicans.

If Franken was a black man, I would have been equally appalled at the way he was treated by his fellow Senators.

[Lady_Chat]

40. Perhaps the voters of Minnesota will encourage him to run again.

[brooklynite]

44. Which Democratic office-holder would you like him to run against?

[LanternWaste]

46. It's fun to pretend only obstacles exist when they don't.

[Trumpocalypse]

42. First by less than 5 minutes

https://qz.com/1148972/al-franken-all-of-the-senators-calling-for-his-resignation/

And exactly how did Franken provoke Trump?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

47. There is a lot I don't like about her, but this is one of the best summations of white privilege

I've ever seen.

[StarfishSaver]

48. +1

[Trumpocalypse]

57. Unfortunately

the Franken cultists will never let it go.

[IrishEyes]

49. Thank you for sharing this. It was a great answer.

[StarfishSaver]

54. Glad to

I just wish this thread hadn't turned onto a war between the Gillibrand and Franken forces.

It's sad that we can't just say something nice about a candidate without it becoming a forum for a brawl.

[IrishEyes]

61. Yeah, I agree.

I'm going to keep being positive though.

[pattyloutwo]

64. That was a thoughtful explanation

I think she deserves a lot more respect than she’s getting. I’m taking another look...