General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: A statement made today by Al Franken [View all]Denzil_DC
(7,241 posts)No lashing out, sincere-sounding expressions of self-searching and regret, no attempt to get bogged down in arguments about details, and no suggestion that the women involved shouldn't be believed. It's actually in proportion to the nature of the allegations, whether you believe them or not.
He does need to be more careful in future. But then so does Joe Biden, for instance. It's fun to be cuddly with (seemingly) willing participants, but it just takes one allegation after the event to start the whole ball rolling (again, in Franken's case). It'll be a brave politician who gets close to a stranger for a selfie in future. That's sad.
Whether it'll satisfy those calling for his head (I have seen a few changes in heart among some who penned op-eds calling for him to go so far) or be rewarded in the polls is another matter, but unfortunately, in a week or so's time things may come out about other politicians and public figures that could make anything Franken's accused of seem very tame.