Sexual harassment on the Hill

Not ok at all, without permission.  On the same level as the Peter Sagan thing.

Franken needs to go. Even if that means his seat might be filled by a Republican. I don't know how solidly blue Minnesota is, and I don't really care. You sexually assault someone, you don't get to be a Senator. It's not hard, and it's not a partisan issue. 

If a Hollywood production company or Fox News wants to try and weather a sexual assault scandal, whatever. They can live and die by their ratings or public outcry or boycotts. But the government works for the people and that chit can't be tolerated.

There are differences between assaulting someone, being accused of assaulting someone, and being convicted of assaulting someone.  

I don't see a lot of political leaders volunteering that history without some accusation first.  

Constitutionally, the requirements to be a senator are pretty lax, and adding requirements now will require a change to the constitution.  

I do agree that we, as voters, should not accept candidates or members convicted of such behavior.  

I admit that I like Al Franken quite a bit, so I was pretty disappointed to see this. Not ok, even for a comedian. Wasn't ok when Sagan did it either.

This stuff is making the headlines every day, to the point that it's exhausting. My hope is that  people don't ignore it, and that it will change the conversation around what is acceptable. Hopefully, when my daughter grows up, it won't be funny to take a photo pretending you're touching a woman without her consent. Because we all know that when that picture was taken, it got plenty of laughs. And that's the problem.

I will say this... I've worked in male dominated professions my entire career and have had the pleasure of working with many amazing men who were respectful and intelligent. I'd say I've had it good, I've had it easy. But I've still had my moments of being supremely uncomfortable in certain situations, and as I look back, I felt like I didn't have a voice. I had a gallery owner trap me alone in a corner at a show last Christmas - I was doing my job, and he made me feel supremely uncomfortable and unsafe, all while my husband and a zillion patrons were standing upstairs. I managed to wriggle out of there, grabbed my husband and left the opening early. I stopped teaching workshops out of my home because of a student who started sending me 10 emails a day, paragraphs long, over the line. My husband stepped in on that one, because it was just plain creepy. I'm conditioned to dismiss this stuff - "it's no big deal" - but honestly, it sucks when I can't properly do my job because these guys think this is ok. And I have it easy! And I hope this conversation, as tiring as it may be to see it in the news everyday, will change things, even if just a bit - if not for me, for my daughter's generation. Probably a bit too hopeful, but who knows. 

Yeah obviously he's much more qualified to be President.

That picture was from 2006, but he took office in 2009.  I'm not excusing it, just saying that he didn't do that as a U.S. Senator.  Of course we're on day 2 of this and who knows if there will be other accusers.

Originally posted by mdg2003

Originally posted by Oysterboy He just got re-elected so opposition will be using that photo in 5+ years. You have a far more optimistic opinion of the electorate's collective memory than I.

The photo is already 11 years old and causing considerable heart burn for Al. I'm pretty sure it will be used against him with some degree of effectiveness in just 5 years. The barracudas that run those statewide campaigns will be there to remind anyone who might have forgotten. So no need worry about the electorate's memory! Yegads, I hate state election campaign season with all those ads and robocalls. Makes it hardly worth tuning in a local TV channel or getting up to answer the phone during those final weeks before the state and local election! Same in Fla?

Yeah it's bad enough where I live, can't imagine being in a battleground state.

Walter Cronkite

OK, it's official.....the best one yet has just come out......

"Bette Midler: Geraldo Rivera drugged & groped me"

We have now reached  "you can't make this chit up"  status. LMAO