I know some will accuse me of victim-shaming, and I'm not saying the forced-kiss didn't happen, but she's been a regular "contributor" on lie-peddling Sean Hannity's show, which could be cause for some skepticism. Again, it doesn't mean the allegations aren't true, I (and none of us) have anyone of knowing at this point.

11/16/2017 5:44:31 PM

I've seen a whole lot of people saying he should resign immediately, and I have to disagree with that.

Because even if these accusations aren't politically motivated, if he resigns before any investigation happens, I guarantee the next ones will be.

11/16/2017 11:40:49 PM

^ uh, he admitted to doing it. Allegations of sexual assault/rape/etc don't hold much water if there's zero evidence to corroborate them. When you have multiple accusers coming forward with proof or documentation, your choices are deny or own up to them.

He should absolutely step down, instead of wasting everyone's time and money "investigating" himself.

11/16/2017 11:48:48 PM

He admitted to taking the photo making a juvenile boob honk pose photo. He said her description of the rehearsal is different than his own memory, however.

[Edited on November 16, 2017 at 11:58 PM. Reason : ]

11/16/2017 11:57:15 PM

I've seen headlines suggesting that Al Franken groped Leeann Tweeden in her sleep. Is this accusation based only on the photograph or on what a witness described as happening after the photograph was taken?

In the photograph, he appears to be posing as if he intended to physically assault her; is the allegation that he groped her after the picture was taken?

11/17/2017 12:22:25 AM

you all realize that him calling for an investigation on himself sets a precedent for other politicians to be held to the same standard, right?

11/17/2017 12:22:55 AM

^that is exactly correct

11/17/2017 12:46:17 AM

Is Al Franken the first senator to ever call for an investigation on himself?

11/17/2017 2:04:49 AM

^^^^

The photograph was taken by a professional photographer on their USO tour. Obviously it’s in extremely poor taste and the fact so many people thought it was a good idea shows the systemic problem with sexism in our culture. But Franken isn’t groping the woman and it’s unlkwly he did grope her.

But the forced kiss to me would be enough for Franken to step down. It doesn’t look like this will happen as the woman has already accepted his apology and it’s doubtful she’s going to throw him under the bus during the congressional investigation.

What would definitely sink Franken is if some other woman came out and established a pattern of abusive behavior.

11/17/2017 2:21:43 AM

If all these guys aren't given the same treatment then nothing is going to change. I've always thought Franken was a piece of garbage, but this hasn't convinced me that he's a sex offender. How many of you have pictures out there that were taken at a party, after a few, where maybe you walked up behind someone and feigned grabbing their ass and had your buddy take a picture? To me that is what that picture is. Awful taste. But sexual offense? I don't know.

But if you ran for office, really, what could some journalist dig up on you?

That's why I'm not making a big deal about the picture. The kiss though? Why in the hell would he even do that? Why risk a career with something so trivial as a kiss?

11/17/2017 8:23:07 AM

lol, in what way is he a piece of garbage?

11/17/2017 8:49:12 AM

Really? Out of all that you just pick out my personal beef with him? He's crude, profane and I just don't like his personal world view.

But being raked over the coals for the picture isn't something we should be focusing on.

11/17/2017 9:02:45 AM

it's always entertaining how much you hate democrats for reasons you don't understand

11/17/2017 9:06:46 AM

I don't hate all Democrats, but a select few I really don't like. He's one of them. But I'm not jumping on the bandwagon here with these allegations.

If anything, I'm starting to like more and more Democrats through watching my party implode with Trump at the helm. I don't agree with this tax plan, I don't agree with a lot of things.

But still, there are some Democrats I can't even stand to look at.

11/17/2017 9:34:48 AM

Just to be clear here, this may be more nuanced than first thought. I'm presuming this is why he's fine with an investigation and isn't stepping down.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/16/politics/leeann-tweeden-al-franken-the-lead/index.html

Quote :

"Despite reservations, Tweeden said she eventually agreed to it, and Franken "puts his hand on the back of my neck and comes in so fast. There was not finesse to it at all -- let's put it that way. And he just mashes his mouth to my lips. It was wet and he puts his tongue in my mouth and I push his chest away with my hands." Earlier Thursday, Tweeden had said Franken groped her and kissed her without her consent in 2006 while they were on a USO tour overseas. "

[Edited on November 17, 2017 at 9:45 AM. Reason : a]

11/17/2017 9:43:57 AM

She's saying she reluctantly agreed, but still agreed.

So what's the course of action here? Aside from the poor optics of that picture, it doesn't appear there was any technical wrongdoing.

11/17/2017 9:46:57 AM

Quote :

"He's crude, profane and I just don't like his personal world view. "

how has he been crude and profane before this latest incident? and as a senator?

what specifically about his personal world view do you not like?

11/17/2017 10:15:03 AM

Quote :

"Franken once joked about child rape during a comedic roast of film director Rob Reiner. Franken laid out a scene where Reiner’s father, Carl, would invite famous friends over to rape his son. “On a typical night, Carl would slip into Rob’s bed, roll him over, swab him down and say something like, ‘I’m thinking about hiring Morey Amsterdam to play Buddy Sorrell, what do you think?’” Franken said. “Well, the success of The Dick Van Dyke Show changed things dramatically. Carl started inviting many of his famous friends to fuck his son. That list includes some of the greats in comedy: Paul Lynde, Dom DeLuise, Rip Taylor, Danny Kaye, Charles Nelson Reilly and Rock Hudson—whom I frankly don’t think is that funny.”"

I'm sure I could find more if I wanted to.

But it's ok right? Because it's comedy.

11/17/2017 10:28:50 AM

^^crude/profane remarks probably relate to his comedy days

nm saw he just posted. yes, it is okay to joke about anything in comedy. that's what comedy is. ever heard the aristocrats joke?

anyway, i was just pointing out that her "he forced himself on me" turned into "i agreed but he came at me more aggressive than i liked." that combined with the fact that Franken said he doesn't remember it the same way and immediately said he was okay with an investigation leads me to believe this isn't as simple of a case as was hyped upon first breaking, which is typical of pretty much every single news story ever. she went from "without consent" to "i consented."

[Edited on November 17, 2017 at 10:34 AM. Reason : a]

11/17/2017 10:31:04 AM

That's a disgusting joke. Jesus people, you ask why I dislike a guy, I give you a personal reason..an opinion, and that isn't good enough.

I feel like someone that can come up with garbage like that is well, garbage. Should he be making laws for this country based on his comedy? Minnesotans thought so, so there you are. I didn't vote for him.

11/17/2017 10:35:14 AM

Quote :

"But it's ok right? Because it's comedy."

Sorry, i was responding specifically to this statement. I was simply saying it was okay because it is comedy. it clearly would not be okay in real life.

For the record, it is perfectly valid for you to find him disgusting/insulting/etc. from his jokes. But that doesn't mean they are not okay.

11/17/2017 10:38:12 AM

In this day and age, you can't even be 100% cut loose with your comedy. People are just too easily offended - on both sides of the equation. I realize his comedy days are over, but it still gives you an idea of how the man thinks.

But back on target. I don't think this current issue with him is enough to throw him under the bus.

11/17/2017 10:40:32 AM

Quote :

"but it still gives you an idea of how the man thinks"

I tend to agree with this, particularly for politicians.

[Edited on November 17, 2017 at 10:44 AM. Reason : a]

11/17/2017 10:42:27 AM

Quote :

"I realize his comedy days are over, but it still gives you an idea of how the man thinks."

this is absurd

11/17/2017 10:45:58 AM

^So you think it's ok to make jokes about child rape?

11/17/2017 10:48:33 AM

it’s ok to make jokes about anything, because they are jokes

do you think he legitimately thinks that child rape is ok?

11/17/2017 10:50:58 AM

No, but I think you need to be in a pretty dark place to even go there.

11/17/2017 10:55:54 AM

and that’s where you’re wrong

you can’t assume that because one has the ability to frame outrageous situations in a certain way, that they’re a dark person, or more dark than other people.

ESPECIALLY in the context of politics, where people have actual power and the ability to do grotesque things. some of those people who you were happy to support/vote for.

those are the ones who are actually in a dark place, not in an assumed one

11/17/2017 11:36:55 AM

So Biden probably won't run in 2020 I guess?

[Edited on November 18, 2017 at 11:26 PM. Reason : guess I'm late to the party]

11/18/2017 11:25:27 PM

Quote :

"And now a second accuser has come forward"

Hey HCH where is that second accuser?

^ Was he ever going to run?

11/19/2017 9:32:09 AM

He and the party are keeping the option open, partially because I'm sure he wants to be President and partially because they don't have anyone else.

11/19/2017 3:30:50 PM

Here we go!

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/20/politics/al-franken-inappropriate-touch-2010/index.html

11/20/2017 11:19:15 AM

franken calling for an ethics investigation on himself should be the standard for how to deal with sitting members

11/20/2017 11:21:48 AM

^^ why are you excited over allegations of sexual misconduct?

11/20/2017 11:29:41 AM

because whataboutism

11/20/2017 11:37:06 AM

I'm not excited.

And I'm not even sure if this is legit. The dude was a comedian. There's no telling how many pictures with fans this guy has taken. He maybe even honestly wasn't even trying to grab a behind.

11/20/2017 12:07:47 PM

you made a clear choice by adding an exclamation point

[Edited on November 20, 2017 at 12:20 PM. Reason : .]

11/20/2017 12:16:31 PM

derp

[Edited on November 20, 2017 at 1:22 PM. Reason : derp]

11/20/2017 1:19:42 PM

oh?

11/20/2017 1:27:16 PM

I was going to post a photoshopped groping pic but then felt that it was in bad taste so I decided not to.

And the derp was because I couldn't get the link right.

[Edited on November 20, 2017 at 1:28 PM. Reason : derp]

11/20/2017 1:28:35 PM

Quote :

"^^ why are you excited over allegations of sexual misconduct?"

Its exciting because it shows a lot of foresignt from the writers. They drew us in with the Trump allegations, then put a plot twist on trump by putting him in a position to need to call out moore...and all of that was just to set up dems to show their cards before the plot twist of allegations against dems.

its like an mnight shaymalyn level of twist. You spent the whole movie being afraid of monsters only to find out you were the monsters at the end.

11/20/2017 7:48:44 PM

I wouldn't go as far as calling Franken a monster. I still think he's a sick and twisted person, but a monster? Nah. Weinstein is the monster here. Which still fits in this thread because Democrats.

11/20/2017 8:30:20 PM

Franken is a creep and Weinstein is a predatory sociopath. One is worse than the other, but neither one of them deserves any excuses or minimization for their actions. This is exactly why a lot of women don't bother coming forward. They hear nightmare stories about the Weinsteins and they figure they should just be grateful for the Frankens in the world. It's bullshit and it needs to stop. It's not a partisan issue, either.

11/20/2017 8:53:02 PM

It should cross party lines but it won't. Both sides are going to find people they can call out for sexual harassment or assault and use it when it is most convenient for them.

11/20/2017 10:15:38 PM

a legitimate sick and twisted person died today and you’re still willing to call a comedian who happens to be a sitting senator sick and twisted

11/21/2017 12:36:42 AM

Quote :

"He and the party are keeping the option open, partially because I'm sure he wants to be President and partially because they don't have anyone else"

I don't think Biden has been a legitimate option since 1988. I don't get what people like so much about him. I don't dislike him by any means, but there's nothing about him that says he's the savior the party needs. He's unifying within the party since he doesn't bother anyone but I think that's worth making him party chair, not the presidential candidate. I don't get the impression he's up for the fight necessary to make important changes.

Biden and Sanders will both be close to 80 years old on election day 2020. I just don't see it happening. Hillary is done. And I don't want the Dems to sink into celebrity politics (like the republicans did) and put up Oprah, Mark Cuban, or Mark Zuckerberg.

It's Elizabeth Warren or bust.

11/21/2017 2:21:57 AM

the republicans didn't choose trump. trump chose them. What do you have against Oprah and Zuckerburg?

[Edited on November 21, 2017 at 2:27 AM. Reason : its not fair to demonize all non-politicians just because of one trump. ]

11/21/2017 2:27:04 AM

LeAnn Tweeden grinding and groping a male performer on the USO tour:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJidGI-NMd0

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/36-former-women-staffers-at-snl-release-statement-in-support-of-sen-al-franken/ar-BBFrPbU?ocid=sff

[Edited on November 21, 2017 at 12:43 PM. Reason : ]

11/21/2017 12:43:15 PM

whataboutism

11/21/2017 12:44:36 PM

I don't think that's a "whataboutism".

If anything, it's "victim-shaming".

11/21/2017 12:59:28 PM