Three men, two standards
Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota announced his resignation Thursday, having been credibly accused by eight women of inappropriate conduct. Franken disputes many of the details, but for the sake of argument, we here assume that all the accusations are valid. They ended Franken’s political career after he agreed with fellow Democrats that he could no longer serve effectively.
Others live by far lower standards, as shown by a comparison of rap sheets.
Franken is accused of, among other things: l Sticking his tongue down the throat of another entertainer during rehearsals for a 2006 USO skit in Afghanistan, then posing for a photo while she slept, clothed, pretending to grab her breasts. l Grabbing the buttocks of three separate women when posing with them for photos at various events in 2007, 2008 and 2010. l Putting his hand on the breast of an Army veteran during another USO tour in 2003. l Trying to give a former elected official a “wet, open-mouthed kiss” during a 2006 event. l Trying to forcibly kiss a congressional aide after a radio show taping in 2006. That’s Al Franken. Donald Trump, the current occupant of the White House, is credibly accused of bad behavior by 19 women, including: l Luring a reporter into a room at Mar-a-Lago in 2005, forcing her against the wall and pushing his tongue down her throat. l Abruptly kissing on the lips in 2005 a woman just after she introduced herself as the receptionist of a company that did business with Trump. l Grabbing and kissing on the mouth a woman during a brunch at Mar-a-Lago in the late 1990s. l Groping the backside of another woman at Mar-a-Lago in 2003, during a photo shoot. l Aggressively kissing, and groping and putting his hand on the breast of an “Apprentice” contestant and thrusting his genitals against her in 2007. l Kissing another “Apprentice” contestant on the lips in 2004. l Sliding his fingers under a woman’s miniskirt at a Manhattan nightclub in the early 1990s, and touching her vagina through her underwear. l Grabbing the breasts of and trying to move his hands up the skirt of a woman he sat next to on an airplane in the early 1980s. l Grabbing and lip-kissing another woman during a 2006 golf tournament in Lake Tahoe. l Grabbing the butt of another woman in 2006. l Abruptly kissing on the lips a Miss USA contestant in 1997. l Grabbing and touching the breast of a yoga instructor at the U.S. Open in 1998. l Trump also boasted to “Access Hollywood” host Billy Bush, “I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ‘em by the p---y. You can do anything.” That’s Donald Trump. Roy Moore, Republican Senate candidate in Alabama, has been credibly accused of sexual misconduct against nine girls and young women as a prosecutor and lawyer while he was in his 30s and 40s, including: l Initiating, in 1979, a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old girl, taking off her shirt and pants, removing his clothes and touching her over her bra and underpants, then guiding her hand to touch him over his underwear. l Forcing himself in 1977 on a 16-year-old waitress in a car, groping her and trying to push her head onto his crotch. l Asking out on dates six other teenagers between the ages of 16 and 18, and being barred from a local mall for pursuing high school girls. l Groping a 28-year-old woman who came to his law office on legal business in 1991.
That’s Roy Moore, who is campaigning with blatant lies about the formerly young women he treated abhorrently, and with Trump’s strong support.
The tale of the tape isn’t even close.