Al Franken is latest to be accused of sexual assault

[downbeatplumb]

He admitted to the photograph, as that can't be denied. He disputed the other accounts or claimed no memory to my knowledge. That isn't owning up. And if he didn't do those things, he shouldn't.

Yes it is buttwipe. Admitting wrong to specific events does not mean you are guilty of everything. 16 women accused 45 of not just grouping, but also RAPE. Name me one of those 16 45 said he was sorry for. 

And look at the photograph closely, he isn't grouping but pretending as a joke. Was it funny? No. Should he have done it? No.

If you want to pull this bullshit tit for tat crap, the difference between the left and the right when BOTH do this, is that the left calls out it's own at a far quicker pace. 

Your politicians deny and never admit. Cant have it both ways. If you don't like Al doing what he did, then you have even more of a responsibility to crawl up 45's ass because he is the top leader of our country.

45 has never apologized for anything he has done even when it is clearly mean, shitty and vindictive.

I have to ask, grouping is bad now?

I thought initially you'd spelt groping wrong but then you did it again.....

[henryp]

Franken/Takei certainly took the wind out of the sails of this little movement. Same as everything else. When it costs people nothing, they are happy to take a flamethrower to everything. But once there is a slight cost, all of a sudden, people want to take a breath, and reexamine. The social media crowd doesn't like Louis CK or Hollywood execs. So fuck 'em all! Year of the lady! Abusers must pay!

Franken and Takei get fingered, and cue the hemming and hawing and rationalizing and so on. And now that they've made the offensiveness of the actions political/subjective, it gives all future people cover, and who wants to come out and name a name when they know it's not going to amount to anything. It's such a typically american string of events.

[Mermaid]

Franken/Takei certainly took the wind out of the sails of this little movement.  Same as everything else.  When it costs people nothing, they are happy to take a flamethrower to everything.  But once there is a slight cost, all of a sudden, people want to take a breath, and reexamine.  The social media crowd doesn't like Louis CK or Hollywood execs.  So fuck 'em all!  Year of the lady!  Abusers must pay!  

Franken and Takei get fingered, and cue the hemming and hawing and rationalizing and so on.  And now that they've made the offensiveness of the actions political/subjective, it gives all future people cover, and who wants to come out and name a name when they know it's not going to amount to anything.  It's such a typically american string of events.

It's not a partisan issue.

[GrandizerII]

Stallone update. No new accusers. Brigitte Nielsen, his ex-wife, says they were newly married at that time and she was nearly inseparable from Stallone during the filming of the movie. Also the guy who supposedly introduced the accuser to Stallone says it never happened. Personally I'm giving Stallone the benefit of the doubt at this point.

Yeah leave it to other people to make the defense for you instead of making a case for your innocence and doing whatever it takes to clear your name. Personally I dont buy this "friends agree I didnt do it" tactic, and this is coming from someone whos enjoyed many of his movies.

[henryp]

Franken/Takei certainly took the wind out of the sails of this little movement.  Same as everything else.  When it costs people nothing, they are happy to take a flamethrower to everything.  But once there is a slight cost, all of a sudden, people want to take a breath, and reexamine.  The social media crowd doesn't like Louis CK or Hollywood execs.  So fuck 'em all!  Year of the lady!  Abusers must pay!  

Franken and Takei get fingered, and cue the hemming and hawing and rationalizing and so on.  And now that they've made the offensiveness of the actions political/subjective, it gives all future people cover, and who wants to come out and name a name when they know it's not going to amount to anything.  It's such a typically american string of events.

It's not a partisan issue.

It shouldn't be a partisan issue.  But the driving force for this stuff is young white democrats.  They're the ones who write the think pieces and retweet the posts, and share stuff on facebook, and read the CNN articles, etc..  

They essentially set the agenda.  And when they all balked at calling for Franken's head when there was a photo of him grabbing some lady's tits, it was over.  It's now like everything else.  We want to hang your guys, and make excuses for our guy.  Something that shouldn't be partisan is officially partisan.

--

They did the same thing with Black lives matter.  It was all about BLM, but then the Clinton campaign decided to go another way at the convention, and Michelle gave the "America is the best!" speech, and young white democrats echoed the "America is the best" message.  And it was the end of BLM's time in the spotlight.

I don't think that demographic realizes how much power they wield. Or maybe they do, but are just too stupid/irresponsible to weild it wisely.

[vorlon13]

"This whole thing has been . . . embarrassing and it's been difficult.  This has been a shock to me . . . I never would intentionally do that."

Al Franken

And there's your problem Al; it AIN'T about you. Victims, Al, victims, it's about THEM. And hoping to 'rebuild the trust' of the folks in Minnesota you represent? Don't they deserve better ??

You're taking the seat of another (hopefully) Democrat senator from Minnesota without your baggage and therefore, one who by definition, who would be more effective at securing support for Democrat legislation.

Al:

it's NOT about you. Wish you could wrap your mind around that. Try harder.

[Mermaid]

It's not a partisan issue.

It shouldn't be a partisan issue.  But the driving force for this stuff is young white democrats.  They're the ones who write the think pieces and retweet the posts, and share stuff on facebook, and read the CNN articles, etc..  

They essentially set the agenda.  

No.

[henryp]

It shouldn't be a partisan issue.  But the driving force for this stuff is young white democrats.  They're the ones who write the think pieces and retweet the posts, and share stuff on facebook, and read the CNN articles, etc..  

They essentially set the agenda.  

No.

Do you think SNL and Colbert are writing for black people?  For old people?  For republicans?  The same with CNN/MSNBC.  It's all geared towards a very specific demographic.  And that demographic also makes the most noise and spends and sets societal trends.  Starbucks, Apple products, and Social justice.

[John V]

Yes it is buttwipe. Admitting wrong to specific events does not mean you are guilty of everything. 16 women accused 45 of not just grouping, but also RAPE. Name me one of those 16 45 said he was sorry for. 

As I said, if the person didn't do such things, they shouldn't apologize or otherwise "own up" to it.

Franken is sitting on the fence. He's offering weak apologies while maintaining any wrongdoing other than that captured on film.

If he didn't do anything wrong, he has nothing to own up to.
If he did something wrong, he's falling far short of owning up to it.

Your politicians deny and never admit. Cant have it both ways. If you don't like Al doing what he did, then you have even more of a responsibility to crawl up 45's ass because he is the top leader of our country.

Post the best of the 16 allegations against him and I'll consider them. When accusations came out I found them underwhelming and they quickly disappeared. I doubt the liberal media would have let it die if there was merit. 53% of white women voted for Trump, so they, like my wife, accepted his explanation and found the accusers underwhelming. I suspect you're crying 16 allegations the same way you cried 17 intelligence agencies, even after it was shown that was inaccurate.

---

"This whole thing has been . . . embarrassing and it's been difficult.  This has been a shock to me . . . I never would intentionally do that."

Al Franken

See Brian? Look at the weasel word - intentionally. This is neither owning up to it nor denying it.

---

Yeah leave it to other people to make the defense for you instead of making a case for your innocence and doing whatever it takes to clear your name. Personally I dont buy this "friends agree I didnt do it" tactic, and this is coming from someone whos enjoyed many of his movies.

It's not like those things establish 100% innocence, but consider:

- usually after one accusation, more come out soon after. That hasn't happened.
- an EX-wife generally isn't a friend.

[GrandizerII]

It's not like those things establish 100% innocence, but consider:

- usually after one accusation, more come out soon after. That hasn't happened.
- an EX-wife generally isn't a friend.

Doesn't matter. Is there a clear record stating that she hates his guts? Silence or a lazy attempt to deny the accusation is often a telling sign of guilt, especially when the accusation is that to do with something reputation-damaging like sexual assault. Stallone is no mute person who would have trouble expressing himself in defense, so forget about using that as an excuse.