Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2017/11/16/al-franken-admits-groping-slee.html
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Ms. Tweeden was actually traveling with Franken as a fellow entertainer on a USO tour. I don’t believe she was ever a soldier.
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Are we really going to ask everybody who did something stupid many years ago to resign? That’s ridiculous.
Further, Franken is probably the smartest Senator the Democrats have. Losing him would be a big hit to liberal causes.
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Am I wrong, or does it seem like the photo shows him pretending to grope her without actually making contact? It looks like a posed gag photo, not like he’s being caught in the act, so it seems likely that he didn’t actually make contact. It’s an inappropriate joke, of course, but does it go further than that? His response seems to imply this interpretation, but of course it would.
The kissing bit is gross, natch. Writing a scene like that for yourself seems really presumptive, regardless of how tastefully you “rehearse” it.
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When your cause requires tolerating sexual assault it ceases to be a cause worth fighting for.
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As Samantha Bee said on Wednesday (referring to Moore and CK); each community has to kick out their own creeps.
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claimed no recollection of her more serious claim: that he forced a kiss on her during rehearsals
There’s only two explanations for this and both are not good. He’s either senile and explains why he doesn’t recall, or he does this so often he doesn’t recall this particular instance.
Which is it?
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Yes. Yes we are. The time for consequences is long past due.
(Also I don’t think 2006 is “many years ago”, especially when Franken would still have been well more than adult enough to know that what he was doing was wrong.)
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If Franken is forced to resign over this, then the Pussygrabber-In-Chief MUST be made to follow suit, as well. No more excuses.
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I don’t think Franken has actually admitted to groping her. He’s admitted to staging the photo (obviously) and has agreed the photo is in extreme poor taste, but the photo doesn’t actually show groping.
The photo shows Franken miming groping, he doesn’t seem to be making actual contact. It looks like an attempted joke photo of “the lecherous old comedian groping a sleeping woman”. It’s obviously inappropriate and invasive, but doesn’t seem consistent with an actual groping.
If the groping and kissing allegations are true Franken is in trouble, and certainly if it’s a pattern he should resign. But all we know for certain at this point is that he made an offensive joke photo.
Hopefully we find out more one way or another.
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Fixed, thanks!
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Only two explanations? Really? How about the possibility that the event didn’t occur the way Tweeden describes it?
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Actually he said “I don’t remember the rehearsal for the skit as Leeann does”. Which, is a diplomatic way of saying “I remember the rehearsal for the skit and nothing I regard as inappropriate happened, but I don’t want to imply she’s lying”.
Whom you choose to believe is another question.
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There can be no room for double standards–which is exactly what you are suggesting. Franken is smart and popular and effective, but what he is not is irreplaceable or above reproach.
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I’m sorry, but what? Somehow faking one being a sexual predator is OK? I really hope that is not what you are saying.
FWIW, I don’t claim allegiance to any particular political “team”. What I do want to see is every sexual predator, especially those in positions where they can abuse power, to be subject to the consequences of their actions. Whether those actions occurred last week or last decade are irrelevant. Sexual predators don’t stop at one.
Franken must step down. Harvey, Kevin, etc, and the rest must be stripped of their ill-gotten wealth while they were abusing people on their way up. Cleaning house, regardless of team, is the only way to be sure. Nuke 'em from orbit.
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Welcome to BoingBoing!
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I thought the same thing. It appears from the photo he is pretending and not doing.
It’s sill reprehensible and gross. So not ok at all.
But in shades of grey it feels different than say Moore.
Maybe this is wishful thinking on my part.
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I know you guys don’t like Breit, but here ya go anyway. Serial predator established: http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2017/11/16/al-franken-allegedly-grabbed-joy-behars-breast-comedy-central-roast-rob-reiner/
Still not funny. And still not appropriate. Photographic evidence is a beech.
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No. I took pains to explicitly and repeatedly say it wasn’t ok. And I pointed out that Franken also agreed it wasn’t ok.
Do you think Franken should step down solely because of the photo? Because that’s the only thing we know for certain at this point.
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Tweeden is wearing a flak jacket. Have any of you worn a flak jacket? You can’t “grope” someone through a flak jacket. It’s the equivalent of “groping” someone through a piece of plywood.
What he did was stage a juvenile photo. Depending on the insecurity of the subject of the photo, it’s understandable that they might feel humiliated. Tweeden obviously did, and Franken should apologize.
I reserve judgement on Tweeden’s description of the rehearsal as the description she gave for the “groping” incident was exaggerated.
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