Rushing to judgement on people such as Franken is a good way to kneecap the # metoo movement.
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Talking over a woman who is speaking is, unfortunately, not that rare.
He’s human. Not one of those who believe that men are supposed to be made of iron. He’s just be betrayed by his colleagues in a way that made the argument that if he stayed he’d be as distraction for the causes he cares about. Why would he stay?
Turns out that forcing him out was the wrong call.
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We have only a limited counterpoint to wing nut welfare. In a just world he’d make a splendid head of the DNC.
So, so sad.
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It was the right call. I appreciate your comments and make mine with good will.
…
His constituents were unhappy…
Carleton College Political Scientist Steven Schier, who spoke with KSTP on Thursday, said that the results were “striking” and noted that there was no demographic group in the poll where a majority say he should remain in office.” Specifically, the poll showed, only 21 percent of male respondents said he should remain in office; a similarly dismal 23 percent of female respondents gave the same answer.
Split down party lines, the results were slightly more drastic, though the overall theme remained the same: among those polled, only 12 percent of Republicans and 34 percent of Democrats approved of Franken’s decision not to resign. Among Independents, the figure hovered at 22 percent.
Overall, the poll showed that only 32 percent of respondents believed Franken would be effective at his job, should he remain in the Senate
There was the unfortunate reality he’d continue to be held up as an example of Democrats employing a double standard.
During his re-election campaign the allegations would be repeated relentlessly.
It was pretty remarkable a comedian whose career stretched back into SNL’s notoriously debaucherous 70’s ever became a US Senator. I’m a huge comedy fan (not so much sketch but I still love Franken’s work) and accept that sexist jokes were the norm in the past. I don’t like it but it was so baked in that it’s unreasonable to expect someone who worked as a comedian didn’t make sexist jokes. By all accounts Franken has been a great Senator, I’m sad to see him go
but given his past was he really a great choice to be in a leadership role at the national level?
this question will be in the forefront of voters minds as the attack ads run these quotes … relentlessly…
During Franken’s time as a comic, which included two long stints on Saturday Night Live from 1975-1980 and 1985-1995, he came under fire for telling sexist jokes, some of which made light of sexual abuse and rape.
In a 1995 New York Magazine profile of Saturday Night Live, Franken is quoted making vulgar jokes about rape during a brainstorm for a sketch written by Norm MacDonald that involved sedatives. “‘I give the pills to Lesley Stahl,’” Franken says, referencing the CBS News reporter while pitching a line for the sketch. “‘Then, when Lesley’s passed out, I take her to the closet and rape her.’ Or, ‘That’s why you never see Lesley until February.’ Or, ‘When she passes out, I put her in various positions and take pictures of her.’”
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Franken was also highly criticized during his initial 2008 senatorial campaign for an article he wrote for Playboy Magazine in 2000, in which he imagines a fictional Institute for Pornographic Studies in Northridge, California.
“As Dr. DeVine led me to the Future wing of the institute, I couldn’t help but notice that she is an extremely attractive blonde with a tight, round ass, legs that won’t quit and firm but ample breasts,” Franken wrote. “So ample, in fact, that she received a full scholarship from MIT.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/16/al-franken-rape-jokes-sexual-harassment
It’s easier for an incumbent to win, the sooner someone else is in there the better their chances are of winning the seat.
Franken didn’t just take one for the team and set a standard that the behavior he was accused of wasn’t appropriate for an elected official. He was faced with the political reality that he could no longer serve effectively as a public official. Many people are conflating this with all types of jobs. This is different, specific, it’s about being a representative. I’m disappointed Franken is leaving too. But there were sound political reasons for this to happen.
Not that you need it but I totally accept if you disagree with my assessment.
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Painter teaches and therefore LIVES in Minnesota. I would love to see him run for that seat. Of course, the appointee is going to run for reelection. But I would love to see Richard Painter in Congress and eventually the Senate. Notwithstanding his truth telling function as a talking head and guest on MSNBC and Bill Maher.
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Appreciate your reply but don’t agree with it, otherwise I woukd hit the like button.
I’m not suprised that his constituents currently feel that way: the matter has been handled in the media the way the clouds and shadows were handled about the Clinton campaign. And even his Democratic Senate colleagues piled on – leading to speculation they know something we don’t.
I doubt-- given Leahy – that the latter is true.
An investigation would have been an appropriate response – it prevents both the claims of a dual standard and the claims that Franken was railroaded. If, and only if, there was a public accounting of what he was found to have done. It would have had the further advantage that investigations are also appropriate for people like Moore who deny what they fairly obviously have done. If Franken had had an investigation, it would have been harder for McConnell to refuse to hold one on Moore had Moore been elected.
Sexist jokes from a sexist era are not a deal breaker for me given the nature of his job and that the women who then worked with him report that he treated them with respect.
The media kept going on about several women accusing Franken. My last count was 8 people: Tweeden, the woman at the fundraiser, two attempted wet kisses and four misplaced hands.
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Gillibrand, Harris, Warren, Klobeshar.
All are guilty in this dreadful treatment of Franken. None of them will ever go higher than they are today, and hopefully all will be primaried and removed.
Warren seriously damaged her cred. All of these women were high-level lawyers, and they simply rushed to judgement ignoring process.
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I’ve said it to you before and I’ll say it again:
THBBFT!!
In case you can’t read the previous post from sevenchickens citing the photograph, it was taken while she was wearing body armor. Even is she was asleep, which I doubt given the photographer’s assertion that she was in on the joke, do you really think a device designed to prevent bullets from hitting the wearer is going to provide any kind of sexual thrill for someone grabbing it? It’s called SARCASM, and I’m sure the moderators and anyone other than you is capable of detecting it.
As far as the first clause of your reply, would you care to explain your thinking? It doesn’t make any sense to me.
and @seveneagles ? Al decided that waiting for the due process and investigation would be a distraction from the very real accusations that haven’t made the slightest difference to the Trump/Moore Repugnant voters. Caving to pressure? Yes. But it was the other Dems who caved to pressure and showed him the door.
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I agree with much of what you’ve written: never thought there was more to it and questioned what was alleged, don’t care about Franken’s past as comedian, think it was handled similar to HRC allegations in media/by pundits, think investigations are necessary tho disagree on usefullness at this time/instance.
I think some talking past each other has been happening and that there’s probably more agreement on details despite people coming to different conclusions.
The conversation was getting really toxic and it was nice to step back and have a sober respectful interaction, thank you.
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Agreed 
with the exception of Senator Amy Klobuchar.
I include her because she was probably highly influential in his decision. She came out the day before his announcement, and stated that she was “confident that he would make the right decision”. I do not live in MN, but given the opportunity to vote for any of these lynch-mob participants, I will vote against them.
Misplaced a post.
Posted in wrong place, so reposting. Go away comment nanny!
Jealousy and removing an obstacle.
She didn’t publicly ask him. Instead, she put pressure on privately. Fuck her. Another harpy getting her pound of flesh. Another lawyer acting to lynch him. She’d better be happy in the Senate, if she can keep her seat.
I love Richard Painter! He is my favorite talking head.
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I’ve read that MN Governor has said he’d appoint the Lt. Governor because she’s said she would be a placeholder and not run for reelection. I don’t see how that’s going to serve MN. Maybe that’s no longer the case.
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I have not been following it that closely. I thought at one point he appointed someone who was going to run again. If you are right, maybe Painter runs, or maybe he runs anyway, regardless. I dont see why he couldnt run Democrat, although I am sure some of the ideological purity folks who had a problem with Howard Dean coming back to run the DNC will squawk if he does.