Sounds like Senator Al Franken was stupid and wrong in what he did to news anchor Leeann Tweeden 10 years ago, and sounds like knows it. Of course, it’s hard to image how he could have denied it, given those rather incriminating photos.
There is probably no good way to come clean over such behavior, but the course Franken has taken thus far seems the best available. He admitted his wrongdoing, apologized and claims to be four-square in favor of an investigation into his actions.
Here’s where I confess. I agree with most of Al Franken’s political positions and I hope that whatever investigation that comes out of this doesn’t reveal the kind of transgressions that gets him kicked out of the Senate.
But if there turns out to be enough in his past to warrant his expulsion, then I’d just say his karma caught up with him. And in my mind, at least, that would be that.
He would get what he deserves.
There’s a game men and women have been playing since long before any of us were born, and now the rules of that game have changed. And it’s about time.
The light is today shining into corners that have been dark and dirty far too long. Women are finding they don’t have to put up with the kind of assault on their humanity that their mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers felt compelled to accept as simply life in a male-dominated society.
Our consciousness needed raising, and if nothing else, the examples we’re seeing these days in the cases of Harvey Weinstein and Roger Ailes and Anthony Weiner and Bill O’Reilly and Louis C.K. and Roy Moore are opening the crack inch by inch and allowing more and more light to shine through.
Most Democrats, I’m happy to see, realize Franken screwed up, and needs to be held accountable. Good for them.
And of course the Republicans, led by Mitch McConnell, are all about making sure Franken faces the music – as they should be.
But I can’t help think the uproar from certain circles rings a little hollow, given that the President of the United States has been widely and repeatedly accused of behavior far worse than anything Franken is said to have done.
When Trump is heard on tape saying that he’s able to grab women where no woman should be grabbed – and can get away with it because he’s a famous celebrity – his supporters believe him when he claims he’s only engaging in “locker room talk.’’
When more than 15 woman stand up to say that Trump groped them, or kissed them without their consent (sounds like Franken here) or, in certain cases, actually sexually assaulted them, his supporters are more than willing to believe it’s all just fake news, accounts made up to take a presidential candidate down.
So let’s all remember together that, in addition to denying all the charges against him, Trump vowed to sue every one of his accusers. Trump also promised to sue the New York Times for publishing the allegations.
And, to date, none of those suits have been filed.
Instead he slams Franken (referring to him as Frankenstein) in a tweet, while remaining silent on the accusations against Moore, and you know who else.
So over the next few days, every time you see Mitch McConnell or any other politician who continues to stand behind Trump demand that Al Franken be held accountable for his actions, ask yourself the two following questions.
How can Donald Trump get away with what others cannot?
And how nice it would be if the President of the United States were the example, and not the exception?
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