# Can the Democrats win the Alabama senate special election in December? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 13, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504 "2017-08-13T00:49:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/361 "2017-11-10T14:47:43Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Yeah, saw that in the news. And I can’t take credit for my response - I stole it from a fellow smart-ass over at Balloon Juice. 🙂 [Humph](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20592049&postcount=289) :mad: Granted, the joke does pretty much write itself… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/362 "2017-11-10T15:07:36Z")
An interesting tidbit that had been in [this NYT story](https://t.co/3N2QThVpq6), but isn’t anymore: > [@](#): > > In a 2015 case involving a man, David Pittman, who pleaded guilty to raping an underage girl, Mr. Moore wrote in a dissenting opinion that Mr. Pittman should have been allowed to introduce evidence showing his alleged victim’s parents “suspected her of sexual activity,” because it could be relevant to discerning her “alleged motive” in claiming she had been assaulted. > > And in a 2014 case, involving a man convicted of abusing two underage girls, Mr. Moore wrote in a dissenting opinion that the man, Sherman Tate, should have had the chance in court to demonstrate that his accusers were romantically involved with each other. Mr. Moore wrote that connection “could be relevant to the victims’ alleged bias against Tate.” Not sure what the deal on that is, because these cases are presumably in the public record. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/363 "2017-11-10T15:14:02Z")
I’m not surprised that Moore would deny the allegations - I think anyone would. What’s shocked me from yesterday was his surrogates’ attempts to justify the situation. It’d be like responding to charges of cannibalism with, “Look, if you just know how to cook it right…” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/364 "2017-11-10T15:20:23Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > I’m not surprised that Moore would deny the allegations - I think anyone would. Except that “anyone” wouldn’t have done what he is alleged to have done. Not to get all argumentative about that, but my response was based on this thinking: _I’m anyone. Would I have denied it? I would never have done it in the first place, so if I denied it, I’D BE RIGHT!_ But I don’t think that’s what you meant. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/365 "2017-11-10T15:28:59Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > I find that one a hard sell. And I’m from Alabama. A write-in for Strange seems like it would just be more likely to split the vote, and get a Dem in the position. Would McConnell rather have a Dem than Moore? But I’m not sure how a write in works if Moore were to step down. Would that pretty much mean a runoff (good for Republicans) or would it still be the one with the most votes of those participating wins. The joke’s on them because Moore’s supporters can’t write. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/366 "2017-11-10T15:31:43Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > It’d be like responding to charges of cannibalism with, “Look, if you just know how to cook it right…” Yep. Stick a fork in him. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/367 "2017-11-10T15:33:26Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Yep. Stick a fork in him. Watch out. The juices might run green. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/368 "2017-11-10T15:39:44Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Except that “anyone” wouldn’t have done what he is alleged to have done. Not to get all argumentative about that, but my response was based on this thinking: _I’m anyone. Would I have denied it? I would never have done it in the first place, so if I denied it, I’D BE RIGHT!_ But I don’t think that’s what you meant. Meaning “anyone in his place”, who I would expect to defend themselves whether they’d done it or not. The A/B of is this is that he’s either a molester or not a molester. In neither of those situations would I be surprised at a denial. Though I suppose we have the Spacey example to look at now. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/369 "2017-11-10T16:00:02Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > Meaning “anyone in his place”, who I would expect to defend themselves whether they’d done it or not. The A/B of is this is that he’s either a molester or not a molester. In neither of those situations would I be surprised at a denial. Though I suppose we have the Spacey example to look at now. I’m reasonably certain Roy Moore isn’t going to use Spacey’s “I (probably) did it because I’m gay” defense. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/370 "2017-11-10T16:06:27Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > What about Mary and Joseph, in the Bible? Mary was a young teen, Joseph was an adult Carpenter, and they raised Baby Jesus. I wonder if there’s anyone who is saying that and would actually be cool with a guy taking their 14yr old daughter to his house to paw at her for a while because, you know, Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/371 "2017-11-10T16:24:18Z")
I’m not in any way condoning what Roy Moore did in 1979. And I’m against Roy Moore becoming a Senator from Alabama, for a variety of reasons. BUT… In Alabama, what he did with the one girl appears to be a misdemeanor offense only (sexual contact with a female from 12 to 16). It MAY be that he committed the felony of luring the girl to his home to have sexual contact; I’m not familiar with the law. IF all he did was commit a misdemeanor offense, I’m thinking that Democrats howling for him to not be elected might want to re-think that moral outrage. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/372 "2017-11-10T16:30:13Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > I’m not in any way condoning what Roy Moore did in 1979. And I’m against Roy Moore becoming a Senator from Alabama, for a variety of reasons. > > BUT… > > In Alabama, what he did with the one girl appears to be a misdemeanor offense only (sexual contact with a female from 12 to 16). It MAY be that he committed the felony of luring the girl to his home to have sexual contact; I’m not familiar with the law. IF all he did was commit a misdemeanor offense, I’m thinking that Democrats howling for him to not be elected might want to re-think that moral outrage. I don’t think the “moral outrage” really has anything to do with whether it’s a felony or a misdemeanor. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/373 "2017-11-10T16:35:29Z")
I’d be surprised if, this many years on, there would be any chance of a legal prosecution. Don’t most crimes (barring murder) have a statute of limitations? Nonetheless, the idea of a 32-year-old man having “sexual activity” with a 14-year-old girl is pretty creepy to most people, although I can’t speak for what they might be fine with in Alabama (and I \*wish \*that was merely a Southern stereotype joke). ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/374 "2017-11-10T16:39:48Z")
We could use an Alabama lawyer to check in, but I heard on the news this morning that there is no statute of limitations for rape/sexual assault in Alabama. Whatever, he has surely lost some votes over this matter. If it’s enough to elect a Democrat, we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/375 "2017-11-10T16:53:43Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > And even if it’s wrong, so what? > > [x.com](https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/928730814350811147) > > > [@](#): > > > > After a long pause, Alabama Bibb County Republican chairman Jerry Pow tells me he’d vote for Roy Moore even if Moore did commit a sex crime against a girl. “I would vote for Judge Moore because I wouldn’t want to vote for Doug,” he says. “I’m not saying I support what he did.” > > > [@](#): > > > > Quote: > > “Yeah!” Covington County GOP Chairman William Blocker tells me he’d consider voting Moore even if hard proof of sexual abuse emerged. “There is NO option to support to support Doug Jones, the Democratic nominee. When you do that, you are supporting the entire Democrat party.” > > Reply With Quote How is it possible to hate the Democratic candidate (and Party) _so much_ that you’d vote Moore even if you believed this story to be true? What do these people think the Democratic party is, some sort of evil treasonous murder gang? (I guess that’s a rhetorical question, but I really don’t get it. We’re not that bad folks, don’t let a few policy differences keep you from seeing our humanity…) Maybe, sadly, [it’s race](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Jones_(attorney)). > [@](#): > > Gordon Douglas Jones (born May 4, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as a United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama appointed by President Bill Clinton, and rose to prominence for prosecuting the remaining two Ku Klux Klan perpetrators of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing which killed four African-American girls. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/376 "2017-11-10T17:13:11Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Hannity and others are defending Moore’s involvement with the other women on the grounds that “it was consensual”, despite the fact that a thirty-something man perving after high schoolers is really damn creepy whether the high-schoolers are okay with it or not. They’re having a bit of trouble with the victim alleging “sexual activity” with Moore when she was **14** , though (although I’m sure Ted Nugent will be along soon to tell us how awesome it is). > > (Also, I saw \*Aladdin \*in the West End earlier this year. It was strangely underwhelming, though still a rousing show.) One of the women involved was 18 and a legal adult. I don’t find that creepy or immoral, personally. A second was 17: I find that ill advised, but it was legal in Alabama, took place with the consent of the girl as well as her mother, and never progressed beyond kissing according to the girl’s account. I don’t want a Republican controlled Senate, I think Moore’s conduct with the 14 year old was seriously wrong, and I don’t much care for Sean Hannity in general, but I am also deeply uncomfortable with people conflating a serious crime with a couple of relationships that were neither immoral nor illegal. Even if it’s done in a good cause. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/377 "2017-11-10T17:19:35Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > IF all he did was commit a misdemeanor offense, I’m thinking that Democrats howling for him to not be elected might want to re-think that moral outrage. There are quite a few countries in the recent past and today in which honor killings (murder of ones wife if she has an affair) is either legal, a defense to murder, subject to minor punishment, or just isn’t prosecuted. Do you believe if a political leader from one of those countries killed his wife, that Americans should not condemn the person, given that there is no serious punishment for his acts? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/378 "2017-11-10T17:23:23Z")
Liberal hypocrisy! (Nobody has said it yet, and the suspense was killing me…) ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/379 "2017-11-10T17:31:18Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > I don’t want a Republican controlled Senate, I think Moore’s conduct with the 14 year old was seriously wrong, and I don’t much care for Sean Hannity in general, but I am also deeply uncomfortable with people conflating a serious crime with a couple of relationships that were neither immoral nor illegal. Even if it’s done in a good cause. I sort of agree. The grooming and attack on a 14-year-old is categorically different from an older married dude skeeving on teenagers who are legally able to consent. However, you’re already seeing the people who are attacking the 14-year-old (well, now 50-something, but you know what I mean) as a liar. Establishing that this fucker had a pattern of pursuing teenagers is one piece of bolstering her claim. Then there’s the issue of hypocrisy. While I’m more of an issues voter than a character voter, Moore has really made a career of being a character activist. Nobody can claim at this point to vote for him because they care about sexual ethics, unless their sexual ethics condones a 30-something man cheating on his wife with teenagers. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/380 "2017-11-10T17:43:58Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > However, you’re already seeing the people who are attacking the 14-year-old (well, now 50-something, but you know what I mean) as a liar. Establishing that this fucker had a pattern of pursuing teenagers is one piece of bolstering her claim. > . I mean, not really. I suspect that the population of men who would date an 18 year old is very different from the population who would pursue a 14 year old. 18 and 14 are very different ages both physically and psychologically, and then there’s the issue of legality as well. (Lots of people would avoid doing something purely because it’s illegal). I’m not saying he _didn’t_ assault the 14 year old, incidentaly. Just that the fact he dated an 18 year old isn’t evidence of it. As for hypocrisy, wasn’t Moore unmarried at the time? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504.md?page=20)