Why Democrats had to dump Franken [View all]

[DonViejo]

The party needs a clean contrast with Republicans heading into the 2018 midterms.

By EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE 12/07/2017 01:27 PM EST

A year into Donald Trump’s presidency, many voters still don’t know what Democrats stand for—so at the very least, party leaders reluctantly decided, they better take a stand against sexual harassment.

Especially when they’re going to need huge turnout among women to do what now still seems like a reach, but six months ago seemed impossible: flip the House and maybe even the Senate, and rally in races for governor and state legislature across the country next year.

“For the last decade, Democrats have been pointing the finger at the Republican Party for devaluing women,” said Guy Cecil, the chairman of Priorities USA and the executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee during the 2012 and 2014 cycles. “This is a requirement to be able to look at them with a straight face and say we’re the party that cares about them.”

“As long as Republicans don’t do that, there’s a very sharp contrast to be drawn. And there’s no question that women not only make up a majority of the voting population, but across the country, of both political parties, are sick and tired of the sexual harassment they’re facing in all sorts of work places,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), who has been at the forefront of calling on Democrats accused of harassment to step down.

So doesn’t matter if Nancy Pelosi calls you an “icon,” or if most Senate Democrats consider you a friend who just this year got comfortable enough in the job as senator to let his comedian side show in public. For a party heading into 2018 planning to run against Republicans as morally and legally corrupt, they know they need a clean argument.

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https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/07/al-franken-sexual-harassment-democrats-response-285959