From a purely partisan standpoint, it’s better for Republicans if Al Franken stays in the Senate.
Franken is a living, breathing monument to liberal hypocrisy, an accused serial groper and tongue-shover-in-mouther who reminds us daily that whatever else it is, the Democratic Party is the party that promoted and covered for the lustful Kennedy brothers and their more modern progeny, Bill Clinton. If only Teddy had a Hillary to go to bat for him when he needed it most; just think what she would have done to the reputation and memory of poor Mary Jo Kopechne.
Every day that Al Franken remains in the Senate is a day that Republicans get to whatabout Democrats. It’s another day that Democratic Senators and Representatives have to confront their sexist double standards not only for politicians, but for their base supporters in the entertainment and media industries.
After an initial shock to the liberal body politic, the wagons circled around Franken. Media and Democrats in unison sang the message that Franken just made a mistake, that he’s too vital in the Senate to throw overboard. The womyn of Saturday Night Live stood with Franken against their sisters who have accused Franken of copping feels at their expense, including during a photo pose at a 2007 event hosted by the Minnesota Women’s Political Caucus.
Other liberated women slut-shamed Leeann Tweeden, who first brought Franken’s conduct to light by publishing the now infamous grope-her-while-she-sleeps photo.
There has been a lot of talk that with four accusers, Franken would have to step down. But as of tonight, that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.
Franken issued a defiant Thanksgiving Day message that he will not resign. The Star Tribune reports, Sen. Al Franken vows to regain trust of Minnesota after harassment allegations:
Sen. Al Franken said Thursday that he plans to stay in the U.S. Senate and try to win back Minnesotans’ trust.
The Minnesota Democrat, who has been accused by four women — two of them anonymously — of inappropriate contact, issued a Thanksgiving afternoon apology and pledge. He wrote that he “feels terribly that I’ve made some women feel badly.” He called himself “a warm person” who likes to hug people when they’re being photographed with him, but clearly, his embrace “crossed a line for some women.”Although his statement did not directly address the question of whether he might resign, it vowed to move ahead with an effort to regain the trust of his constituents. A spokesman for Franken said Thursday that the senator has no plans to resign.
This is the statement issued by Franken, via the Star Tribune (emphasis added):
“I’ve met tens of thousands of people and taken thousands of photographs, often in crowded and chaotic situations. I’m a warm person; I hug people. I’ve learned from recent stories that in some of those encounters, I crossed a line for some women — and I know that any number is too many.“Some women have found my greetings or embraces for a hug or photo inappropriate, and I respect their feelings about that. I’ve thought a lot in recent days about how that could happen, and recognize that I need to be much more careful and sensitive in these situations.“I feel terribly that I’ve made some women feel badly and for that I am so sorry, and I want to make sure that never happens again.“And let me say again to Minnesotans that I’m sorry for putting them through this and I’m committed to regaining their trust.”
So it looks like we’re going to have Al Franken to kick around for a while. Unless more accusers come forward, or Democrats decide Franken is too damaging to be of use to them anymore, much like Bill Clinton.
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