Discussion: How Gillibrand Defied The Odds To Get 9/11 First Responders Long-Awaited Help

2 Likes

That’s Nice , We appreciate it
Two words
Al Franken

15 Likes

Al Franken gets it. Too bad you don’t.

"For instance, that picture. I don’t know what was in my head when I took that picture, and it doesn’t matter. There’s no excuse. I look at it now and I feel disgusted with myself. It isn’t funny. It’s completely inappropriate. It’s obvious how Leeann would feel violated by that picture. And, what’s more, I can see how millions of other women would feel violated by it—women who have had similar experiences in their own lives, women who fear having those experiences, women who look up to me, women who have counted on me.
“Coming from the world of comedy, I’ve told and written a lot of jokes that I once thought were funny but later came to realize were just plain offensive. But the intentions behind my actions aren’t the point at all. It’s the impact these jokes had on others that matters. And I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to come to terms with that.”

-Al Franken

7 Likes

She is a political opportunist of the first order. By the way, does this piece feel like something written by her campaign for the roll out? Shouldn’t it have “sponsored” next to it?

18 Likes

Nice to see some positive news that explains why she’s s Senator. I really haven’t seen much of her. Unfortunately the only time I paid attention was during a recent (well, last November) interview on Maddow and I had a negative first impression.

When the news about Northam came out my first thought was of Franken and how similar the situations are. Tbh, I was genuinely surprised to see people here quickly line up on the side of Northam resigning. I wonder what the people still angry about Franken think is the difference (other than Northam engaged in behavior that was deeply hurtful to black people and Franken towards women).

9 Likes

And if we want to get nice things done, we need more “political opportunists.”

7 Likes

I only opened this article to see if it was tagged as sponsored. After scanning through it it looks like a hagiographic puff piece meant to boost our most establishment candidate in the primaries. What a shock to see that here.

11 Likes

Why I wrote what I did
Fluff indeed

4 Likes

That is an apology that should have sufficed
I get it
A valued contributor to the party railroaded without a hearing by the “ME!TOO!” frenzy
Even douchebag Kavanaugh got a hearing
Like the Caravans has anyone seen any headlines about ME! TOO! lately
On to the next shiny object
He was a target of a political opportunist
Seriously, has anyone noticed what the President is doing?
Franken would have been a powerful voice against the insanity

12 Likes

He was not “railroaded.” He could have had a hearing, but resigned voluntarily.

Like I said, he got it.

I like Al Franken a lot and I was hoping he would run for President. It sucks that he did what he did. But he did do it.

Do you think Northam should resign? Or is he being “railroaded” by an anti-racism frenzy?

5 Likes

No georgeh, it was a mob mentality. Even Franken’s friend Sen Leahy admitted he screwed up, caught in the frenzy. Franken would have been hounded out of office either way. Imagine if you had built strong friendships and alliances during your years in the Senate only to have your ‘friends’ quickly turn on you before you can even open your mouth to defend yourself. And Sen Gillabrand led the crusade. Sen Franken decided he was not going to be publicly abused.

6 Likes

I rather wonder about that too. I’m not a Gillibrand supporter for the the nomination. I’m not a supporter of anyone for the nomination yet. But it’s a bit shocking to read commentary here – from people who supposedly want a new and even more powerful blue wave in 2020 – toxically denigrating an achievement by a Democrat that beautifully illustrates what initiatives the party should stand for and fight for, and has stood for and fought for. Not to mention the way that Gillibrand’s fight places Republican hypocrisy in high relief. The Republican stance was nothing short of a disgrace, and if this is a “fluff piece,” it’s one that’s damned good for the Democratic party. At large. It’s the kind of story that makes plain. not terribly politically savvy or interested people take notice. A Democrat did that? The Republicans wanted to screw first responders?

I cannot believe the shortsightedness and really childish resentment in evidence on this thread here.

16 Likes

“Faced with that grim picture, Schumer handed the reins to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand…”

Chuck Schumer profiles in courage: “Oh, its going to fail, give it to the new kid…”

7 Likes

He was talking about the picture with Leeann Tweeden. There are suspicions that Roger Stone, dirty trickster extraordinaire, had a role in her coming forward. At the time Tom Arnold hinted at it, saying: “Her partner at KABC John Phillips is a Roger Stone pal & they coached her for weeks to bring Al Franken down.” Now that the FBI has all Stone’s data if anything illegal happened maybe we’ll find out how it all went down.

7 Likes

So what good did putting Republican hypocrisy in high relief do? Kavanaugh got a full pass partly based on the argument that the attacks in him were typical of a Democratic mentality willing to railroad over ancient minor infractions. That argument was a crock because Kavanaugh’s actions were attemptied crimes whereas Franken’s were a sexist joke plus allegedly misplaced hands on a few occasions out of thousands of joint selfies and a couple of dodged unwanted celebratory kisses in public settings.

Now, looking at how long time posters on this site have reacted to Gillibrand’s actions and think her behavour is going to play with the average male voter via Republican ads.

2 Likes

Now, looking at how long time posters on this site have reacted to Gillibrand’s actions and think her behavour [sic] is going to play with the average male voter via Republican ads.

So you’re worried about the white male vote now? I’d say you should have had a care about that before we lost Michigan and Wisconsin.

ETA: “average male voters” also kinda like cops and firemen and think we should take care of them. You know, those first responders who were forgotten and sick and dying here in NY while the country waved flags. The ones Gillibrand fought for. I think maybe there are “average male voters” who think those guys are as important as Al Franken.

2 Likes

Gillibrand is dead to me. No chance. Betrayed a colleague before the facts were in, just so she could move up a spot.

3 Likes

Railroad or not, it is interesting that the picture was brought to light by a Conservative group.

1 Like

Just a few days ago, stuck on a long flight, I re-watched Spielberg’s Lincoln for the 3rd time, and was struck by how some of the interactions among the “radical Republicans” in the movie reminded me of more contemporary debates. Thinking in particular of the (fictionalized) radical objecting to Thaddeus Stevens “betraying his principles” in a speech, and Stevens’ reply that, for the sake of passing the 13th amendment banning slavery, there was very nearly nothing he wouldn’t say.

Politics is the art of the possible.

8 Likes

So? The picture was real.

If a Republican Senator was exposed under identical circumstances as Franken was, I am quite certain that the calls for him to resign here would be almost unanimous.

And they would be correct.

Furthermore, if there are pictures or irrefutable evidence about similar acts committed by Republican politicians, I sure hope that Democratic Party operatives are working hard to find them.

It is called “opposition research.”

4 Likes