Leftists Women DEFEND Franken: “Those Women Asked For It”

Leftists Women DEFEND Franken: “Those Women Asked For It”

Model/Entertainer Leann Tweeden came forward during her radio show to describe Al Franken’s inexcusable behavior during a December 2006 USO Tour

Tweeden’s story and picture alone should be more than enough for any doubters of harassment.  However, Leftist activist, and Huffington Post columnist, G.S. Potter claims Tweeden is no victim.  Potter writes:

I am sick that people like Leeanne Tweeden feel comfortable enough to take the traumas of the women and children that have been the true victims of sexual violence and used them for her own personal gains and the political goals of the Republican Party.

What Leeanne Tweeden has done is stolen the very real traumas of very real survivors — people like me — and mocked them. What she has done is taken our pain and our bravery and our strength and exploited it on behalf of a network of people that actively prey on the women and children she is pretending to show solidarity with. What she is doing is vile and it is disgusting and it is dangerous on every personal and political level associated with sexual assault in the United States.

Perhaps if she was, in fact, a survivor of sexual assault she would understand the damage that is being caused by her actions. But she is not a survivor. And she is definitely not a victim of Al Franken.

Leeanne was never raped. She was never assaulted. And she was never the victim of sexual violence or harassment. She was a willing and active participant in a comedy show that involved sexualized behaviors. She consented to participating. She actively engaged in and invited similar behaviors with other performers other than Al Franken at the event.

Leanne Tweeden was a consenting and contracted performer for the USO then, just as she is a contracted performer for the right wing now. She was not then and is not now a survivor. She was not then and is not now a victim of Al Franken.

Leeanne Tweeden was not then and is not now a victim. A very large part of me wishes she had been, though.

Yet Potter is not alone.

MSNBC Capitol Hill reporter Kasie Hunt has referred to the incident as “mock groping”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VK6qOnj_2Y

CNN Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger also defended Franken:

“Leeann did not call for him to step down or say he ought to step down.  He was not a member of the Congress at the time this occurred,” then added. “He was just a comedian.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDfynD7UOUQ

NBC News reports Franken is also getting support from his colleagues, past and present:

The letter, titled “SNL Women Offer Solidarity in Support of Al Franken,” was signed by 36 women who worked on the program with Franken. Franken worked as a writer and performer on the NBC program from 1975 to 1980 and again from 1985 to 1995.

“We feel compelled to stand up for Al Franken, whom we have all had the pleasure of working with over the years on Saturday Night Live (SNL). What Al did was stupid and foolish, and we think it was appropriate for him to apologize to Ms. Tweeden, and to the public,” the women wrote. “In our experience, we know Al as a devoted and dedicated family man, a wonderful comedic performer, and an honorable public servant.”

“That is why we are moved to quickly and directly affirm that after years of working with him, we would like to acknowledge that not one of us ever experienced any inappropriate behavior; and mention our sincere appreciation that he treated each of us with the utmost respect and regard,” they added.

Following Tweeden’s allegation, a group of former female staffers in Franken’s office and on his campaigns penned a letter in which they wrote that Franken “treated us with the utmost respect,” “valued our work and our opinions and was a champion for women both in the legislation he supported and in promoting women to leadership roles in our offices.”

In addition, his former chief of staff, Casey Aden-Wansbury, defended Franken, saying in a statement that “he has always worked hard to create a respectful environment for his staff.”

And then on cue Hillary Clinton dismissed the Franken allegations while pivoting and then spinning the topic to attack President Trump and Roy Moore.

Clinton thinks Franken should be praised for holding himself “accountable” and “willing to apologize”. Many wonder if she would have said the same about her husband?

The Selling Out of Principles

Feminist writer Kate Harding was very candid about her support of Franken, as the Washington Times observed:

Consider the political repercussions, she opined.

Consider the future, she pleaded.

Think of the party and for which it stands — abortion and birth control and the like.

“If we set this precedent in the interest of demonstrating our party’s solidarity with harassed and abused women, we’re only going to drain the swamp of people who, however flawed, still regularly vote to protect women’s rights and freedoms,” she wrote.

In other words: Losing Franken would mean one less Democrat in Congress.

Or more, she warned.

“I’m betting that there will be more,” she wrote. “And more after that. And they won’t all come from states with Democratic governors and a deep bench of progressive replacements. Some will, if ousted, have their successors chosen by Republicans.”

So being representing by rapists, sexual misogynists, adulterers, liars, and crooks is better in the eyes of liberal feminists than having a Republican legislator?

Since Tweeden’s revelation, two more women have come forward making similar accusations against Franken. However, it seems that would make little difference to these people.

Do As We Say/Not As We Do

Franken’s juvenile antics were tolerated in the post-Clinton era of American society, and any dissenters were publicly shamed and ridiculed by the likes of Franken and his ilk.  So, what will happen to this one-time failed SNL writer? In short…Nothing! 

He has already said he will not resign from the US Senate, and plans to return to work when the Senate goes back into session.  The liberal news website Vox is criticizing mainstream Democrats for failing to take the high road (again) with Franken:

Democrats have already failed in this regard at least once, continuing to embrace and defend former president Bill Clinton even after an inappropriate relationship with an intern and reports of sexual assault. If they want to maintain the trust of their constituents and become a better, stronger party, they can’t make the same mistake this time.

It appears Washington establishment is going to circle the wagons to protect Franken and ride out the current political storm until the next crisis arises.  The same strategy that was used 20 years ago.

 

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