Not like Franken, flack says
THE ONLY difference between President Trump and Sen. Al Franken is that the Minnesota lawmaker admitted he did something wrong, a White House official said Friday.
Franken sent a personal apology to the radio host who accused him of forcibly kissing and groping a decade ago, telling her he “understand(s) why you feel violated.”
The Trump administration pointed to Franken’s repentant response as officials tried to deflect questions about the President’s own past problems with accusations of sexual misconduct.
Trump has repeatedly denied allegations made by more than a dozen women that he sexually assaulted or harassed them, calling the women liars and threatening to sue them.
Asked the difference between the two men, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders stood by her boss’ denials.
“I think, in one case specifically, Sen. Franken has admitted wrongdoing,” Sanders said during a press conference. “The President hasn’t. It’s a very clear distinction.”
Several women came forward last year with lurid claims about Trump making repeated unwanted sexual advances.
When prodded about Trump’s promises to sue all of his accusers, Sanders said she would have to ask the President “why he hasn’t chosen to take that path.”
Trump, once caught on a hot microphone using vulgar language to describe how he likes to grab women by the genitals, tweeted his personal take on the controversy surrounding Franken late Thursday, calling a picture of the former funnyman holding his hands over Los Angeles news anchor Leeann Tweeden’s breasts while she was asleep “really bad.”
He also referred to the senator as “Al Frankenstien.”
Trump has faced criticism for not strongly condemning GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore. Sanders defended Trump’s response.
The 70-year-old former judge has been accused of sexually harassing or assaulting eight women, most when they were in their teens.
“The President certainly finds the allegations extremely troubling,” Sanders insisted.
Moore, like Trump, has denied all the allegations against him.
Trump’s Democratic rival in the presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton, praised Franken for his “accountability” in an interview with WABC radio’s Rita Crosby. “Look at the contrast between Al Franken, accepting responsibility, apologizing, and Roy Moore and Donald Trump, who have done neither,” Clinton said.
Tweeden read from apology letter Franken sent her Friday morning on ABC’s “The View.”
“There’s no excuse,” Franken wrote. “I understand why you feel violated by that photo. I remember that rehearsal differently. What’s important is the impact on you and you felt violated by my actions. For that I apologize.”
Tweeden reiterated that she has accepted the married father of two’s apology and is not calling for him to step down.
In a post Thursday on the KABC website, Tweeden accused the “Saturday Night Live” alum of forcibly kissing her and groping her during a USO tour.