# Now, Al Franken **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 16, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770 "2017-11-16T15:42:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/221 "2017-11-16T22:30:54Z")
> [@Pantastic](#): > > So far it’s the two incidents I’ve quoted already in this thread (in some cases multiple times) so I won’t quote again, but I expect more incidents to come to light now that the door is open. I’m not really sure why you’re on the defense train for the guy, but it’s looking more and more like it’s going to be the defense train wreck within a week. I submit two instances of unrelated events separated by years does not a pattern make. YMMV If more credible accusations come to light I’ll be right there with you. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/222 "2017-11-16T22:33:27Z")
Tweeden accepts Franken’s apology. The victim thinks an ethics investigation is up to Congress. The victim sees no need for Franken to step down, unless other women come forward. Sounds reasonable. I think there should be an ethics investigation though. > **[Woman who accused Franken says she accepts his apology](https://thehill.com/homenews/news/360709-woman-who-accused-franken-says-she-accepts-his-apology/)** > > The woman who accused Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) of sexual misconduct said Thursday she accepts his apology.”The apology, sure I accept it, yes. People make mistakes and of course he knew he m… ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/223 "2017-11-16T22:34:42Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > One thing I don’t get is all this smack talk about the Republican Party. Is this the same Republican Party whose leaders have called on Moore to drop out of the race, threatened to expel him from the Senate if he gets elected, and said ““He’s obviously not fit to be in the United States Senate, and we’ve looked at all the options to try and prevent that from happening”? Or some other Republican Party? Well, in fairness, it’s also the Republican Party whose voters appear prepared to elect Moore to the Senate in spite of it all. But I will concede that at least the non-Alabama parts of the party’s leadership have dealt with the situation somewhat better than I would have expected. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/224 "2017-11-16T22:34:52Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Fox News commentators are prepared to tell lies in order to hurt their political opponents. …not every Fox News commentator is “prepared to tell lies in order to hurt their political opponents.” Not every word that comes out of a Fox News commentator is a lie. Being a Fox News commentator is not the equivalent of a “Scarlet Letter.” A claim of sexual harassment should be examined independent of hyperbole. > [@](#): > > If you haven’t figured that out yet, I don’t know what to tell you. You seem to be struggling with things to “tell me.” Just tell me already. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/225 "2017-11-16T22:36:16Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > I don’t care to be lumped in with those two. … Then it’s rich, rich irony that the rest of your post is a long-winded explanation about why you oppose calls for his resignation, and it was followed immediately by posts by “those two”. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/226 "2017-11-16T22:37:23Z")
> [@](#): > > …Tweeden accepts Franken’s apology. The victim thinks an ethics investigation is up to Congress. The victim sees no need for Franken to step down, unless other women come forward. A darkly suspicious mind might wonder if the prospect of testifying under oath might have given her pause. Did she make this statement _after_ Franken publicly welcomed such an investigation? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/227 "2017-11-16T22:40:17Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > One thing I don’t get is all this smack talk about the Republican Party. Is this the same Republican Party whose leaders have called on Moore to drop out of the race, threatened to expel him from the Senate if he gets elected, and said ““He’s obviously not fit to be in the United States Senate, and we’ve looked at all the options to try and prevent that from happening”? Or some other Republican Party? It’s the party that rallied to Trump, and continues to do so, for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/228 "2017-11-16T22:41:42Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > A darkly suspicious mind might wonder if the prospect of testifying under oath might have given her pause. Did she make this statement _after_ Franken publicly welcomed such an investigation? I’d encourage that “darkly suspicious mind” to go fucking stump for Roy Moore, because that’s where they’d feel most comfortable, and where they belong. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/229 "2017-11-16T22:42:39Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I for one would have a harder time snickering at them and making jokes about “if they go low, we go high” if they would, but with posters like Thing Fish, elucidator, and Whack-a-Mole, I don’t think there’s much danger of it. I wish you luck in jousting at your windmills though. We’ll see. Hopefully they’re having these conversations right now in the leadership and will come to the right decision. If they don’t, I will be quite disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/230 "2017-11-16T22:49:33Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > One thing I don’t get is all this smack talk about the Republican Party. Is this the same Republican Party … That put Donald Freeking Trump in the Oval Office? ---
**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 16, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/231 "2017-11-16T22:53:02Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > A darkly suspicious mind might wonder if the prospect of testifying under oath might have given her pause. Did she make this statement _after_ Franken publicly welcomed such an investigation? I see a re-education camp in your future. I’d recommend a tactical retreat, _amigo_! ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/232 "2017-11-16T22:54:52Z")
Yeah, 'luc, you’re treading down a dark, lonely path peppered with “Roy Moore for Senate” signs. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/233 "2017-11-16T22:55:38Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > That put Donald Freeking Trump in the Oval Office? The Dems take part of the blame for that too. Not just the Repubs ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/234 "2017-11-16T22:59:23Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Yeah, 'luc, you’re treading down a dark, lonely path peppered with “Roy Moore for Senate” signs. Got any matches? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/235 "2017-11-16T22:59:36Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > The Dems take part of the blame for that too. Not just the Repubs Right, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/236 "2017-11-16T23:01:09Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/237 "2017-11-16T23:04:01Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > A darkly suspicious mind might wonder if the prospect of testifying under oath might have given her pause. Did she make this statement _after_ Franken publicly welcomed such an investigation? Honestly, my mind is free of suspicion and the evidence to me suggests that Tweeden is a stand up woman. A range of interpretations is consistent with her claims. She called out Franken, but isn’t pressing for blood. Here is her depiction of her motives: > [@](#): > > Tweeden said Thursday that she was afraid to speak out when the incident happened out of fear of losing her job, explaining why she decided to come out with the allegations now. > > She said Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) inspired her to come forward with her story. The congresswoman earlier this month shared her own experience of sexual harassment, describing an instance when a chief of staff forcibly kissed her when she was a congressional staffer. > > “2017 is not 2006,” Tweeden said. “Maybe I can be somebody’s Jackie Speier and they can tell their story in real time and not wait.” I frankly don’t think the picture depicts groping. I have a relatively charitable view of events so far depicted, a view that would change if more women come forward against Franken. But at the very least we have a real opportunity to curb asshole behavior to some extent, including the drunk pics that Snowboarder Bo linked to. I see that as a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/238 "2017-11-16T23:16:59Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I submit two instances of unrelated events separated by years does not a pattern make. I submit that defending someone who shows a pattern of aggressively stalking women by saying that only two have come forward so far does not good sense make. > [@](#): > > If more credible accusations come to light I’ll be right there with you. What’s the exact number, and what exactly do you mean by ‘credible’ - do the two so far count? Your statement sounds like you’re committing yourself to something, but it really isn’t - you can keep saying ‘we need more for me to believe it’, or do like several people in this thread and claim that even the perpetrator admits to aren’t credible. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/239 "2017-11-16T23:17:09Z")
I could easily see Franken making a similar joke with the sleeping guy next to her where he’s holding a jar of vaseline and making a thumbs up gesture near his groin. The thing I see that’s different with Franklin versus the other men (and it’s a minor difference) is that he’s making a joke that is sexual in nature as opposed to being sexual. I also feel that way about the kiss. He was trying to be funny in a crude way. I would bet that if he was rehearsing with another comedian, they would each be trying to take it over the line in a funny way (maybe she’d grab his butt when they kissed). I feel that sort of line crossing is seen as okay between comedians. The other harassment claims are from men who are trying to be sexual and are trying to have a sexual experience. I don’t think Franklin was hoping the rehearsal kiss was going to lead to a makeout session. I don’t think he was getting all turned on or hoping it would lead to anything. He thought it would be funny in the same way we might make a big, fat “SMACK” sound when kissing our SO in front of other people. I’m not trying to excuse what he did, but I feel his motivation is different than the other men. All these accusations coming out are good since it will hopefully lead to men not crossing that line even when they’re just doing it for a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770/240 "2017-11-16T23:21:17Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > It’s the party that rallied to Trump, and continues to do so, for the most part. The Republican Party establishment did everything they could to stop Trump, but ultimately the voters have the final say. And now the guy is president. Unless you think he should be impeached over pussy-grabbing, you need to deal with him. Doesn’t say anything at all about anyone’s opinions of his harassing actions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-al-franken/801770.md?page=13)