I Was Wrong About Al Franken by Michelle Goldberg

[DFW]

15. Goldberg is playing a lot of CYA

"In the end, Franken might have had to resign anyway..." Sure, because Corey Booker thought his long shot chances at the 2020 nomination might have been enhanced?

Sure, and "in the end, Trump might have won the 2020 election anyway." Right--except that no, he didn't, and wouldn't have, because some Republicans had more integrity than he did (not hard when realizing that he had none whatsoever).

The one person she might have consulted before writing her article, namely Al Franken, would surely have made himself available to tell her his side of the story, but it appears she wasn't in the slightest bit interested. It's a good thing Goldberg didn't have a one-on-one interview with Franni, or she might have needed a trip to the emergency room before getting around without crutches for a month or so.

For the 99th time, the reason Al didn't respond more forcefully to the accusations at first is the he knew better than anyone that the accusations against him were bogus, and figured his Senate colleagues would figure out that this was a Republican (specifically Roger Stone) coordinated smear campaign with no substance to it. Stone said as much before the whole thing broke ("it's Al Franken's time in the barrel" ). The fact that Stone knew in advance didn't raise warning bells with 33 members of the US Senate? Gimme a break! Al was blindsided by his fellow Democrats jumping on the bandwagon before doing any fact-finding--something he never thought could happen. Some of them have apologized to him in the meantime (notably, Tester, Whitehouse, Nelson), most have not, and certainly not publicly, something I consider reprehensible. I have refused to contribute to any of them that haven't made the gesture. I flat out opposed (and still do) any presidential campaigns of those who trashed him, including Warren, Booker, Gillibrand, Harris and Sanders. Either you have a backbone or you don't. I will vote for any Democrat who wins the nomination, of course, but I sure as hell will not support some of them in their efforts to be the nominee. It has been 5 years now, and Al has moved on, but Franni has not, and nor have I.