The Case of Al Franken by Jane Mayer

[LiberalLovinLug]

300. Fair enough

Gillibrand is singled out, because, if you read the story, it was her that lead the move to publicly call for him to resign. (Now!...no ethics review....do not pass Go) She just did it without even talking to him first. It put her colleagues in a difficult position. With Roy Moore and the MeToo movement lead stories in the news at the time, it propelled her into the spotlight. I don't think Sanders, Warren, Harris, or Booker thought it through enough plus did not want to go on the record as seeming to support sexual assault, with all of them eyeing a run at the Presidency. Politicians are politically motivated.

Unfortunately, Gillibrand forced their hands to a degree. She saw an opportunity to stand above the crowd to be the hardest line MeTooer ever with no regard for due process or Al's career or his value to the party. Without her forcing the issue, things probably would have ended up in an ethics review. Al wouldn't have been shamed into resigning without it. And if then, he still felt he had to resign, fine. We'd all have been disappointed but it wouldn't have been an unfair railroading.

As far as the other accusers, there's no denying that Al had an old school attitude about what's funny or acceptable, but in a time when that kind of humour was, if not applauded, at least tolerated. No doubt he was probably more "touchy feely" than he should have been...in hindsight. Biden also falls into that category. I just get the impression that if he did purposely slip his hand down to a woman's butt, it wasn't for sexual pleasure, it was to get a reaction.

I'm 60 now, and I have known men who have, in the past, decades ago culturally, think it was "funny" to pinch a woman's butt and see her jump in surprise. (in some world cultures this is still somewhat acceptable) In hindsight you may think this is deplorable, but there was a different kind of tolerance back then which is difficult for anyone coming of age in the 21st century to understand. Its one thing to say...."well that's no excuse, Al should have had precognitive abilities to see the future, learn all the lessons and overcome all the ignorance that men and even many women had accepted as "normal" joking around, boys will be boys, behaviour". But that's easier said than retroactively done.

There should be room to ask about how bad is too bad? Bill Clinton, looking past the ridiculous impeachment voting for a consentual BJ against him, he did have at least one sexual dalliance with an 18 year old intern as a married man and President, and did it in the Oval office. Then there were the other women accusers against him beyond that as well as you know. But we forgave Bill. Will Biden's past behaviour disqualify him? I can totally see Roger Stone or some new R hitman or hitmen gathering past victims testimonies about Joe's happy hands, especially if he remains the lead choice. The great thing for Republicans is that they don't have to even do the work, Democrats will eat their own once they push the first domino. What I don't like is the black or white draconian judgments, and the refusal to accept that there is a grey area, and that there is any room for forgiveness if the person is truly sorry.


https://www.complex.com/life/2019/07/senators-regret-calling-al-franken-resignation-sexual-misconduct-allegations

7 Senators Say They Regret Calling for Al Franken’s Resignation After 2017 Sexual Misconduct Allegations