He was also smart enough to know that fighting (rightly to) for his reputation would also split the party and cause great damage. The ill conceived intra-party attacks against him had already begun... and the "ringleader" had caused too much damage already.

Franken knew this and he was MORE concerned for the future and strength of the party than he was for himself. He sacrificed himself for the sake of the party and to avoid a prolonged battle with those who had already boxed themselves in... and who were unable to do the right thing, or the fair thing.

Franken is, and will always be, a HERO to me. I admire him for the decisions he made and for the things he chose not to do (although he had every right to do) in defending his office, his integrity, and his reputation.

I will never forgive or trust the ringleader/s... and I'll always have doubts and resentment for the bandwagon-hoppers who neglected to think things through clearly and fairly. He was denied the due process he sought. He was railroaded. It was unfair. It was unjust. It was stupid.

As a party we are diminished because of it.

God Bless Al Franken! We need him now more than ever!! It's our great loss not to have him.