We now have two stark examples of powerful men behaving badly with women, to steal a phrase. Without her knowledge, permission or even consciousness, Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) physically and pictorially assaulted Leeann Tweeden. Most of the initial lead-ins, that have thrust Ms. Tweeden into the news today, made sure to mention she was a former Playboy model. That is true, but was it necessary. Ms. Tweeden is a model but currently, she is a news and sportscaster at KABC radio in Los Angeles. Leeann Tweeden is the first woman to publicly accuse Mr. Franken of grossly inappropriate sexual behavior.
The first reaction from Senator Franken was to issue a less than satisfactory apology and after further reflection take ownership of his admitted assault on Ms. Tweeden and come back with a full-throated apology and call for an investigation of himself by the Senate Ethics Committee. Prior to this incident, I wrote a few days ago that “caught Democratic scoundrels lose and disappear, caught Republicans scoundrels take their immortality to public office and revel in piety.” The cases of Roy Moore and Al Franken could not be more illustrative of the point.
I fully expect more accusers will come forward in the coming days just like they have with Judge Moore. The chemtrail of misconduct will poison the air of both parties but the clearing will happen with how they are handled. So far Mr. Franken has chosen to admit guilt and subject himself to judgement. Mr. Moore has shrouded himself in the sanctity of religion, accused the women of being in a ‘vast left-wing conspiracy’ and denied his culpability. I am confident Al Franken will choose to either quit or quietly go, should he be removed from office when and if the time comes, I hold no such hope for Roy Moore.
The President of the United States is ducking public comment concerning Moore, perhaps the President is embarrassed after all it would be laughable for him to attempt any sort of moral authority.
I must admit I am in a conundrum.
Guys, this is where we need not to mansplain to any woman or girl in our lives. No talk of how hard you laughed at good guy Al Franken when he fed the monkey in the movie Trading Places or made you proud when he publicly called Bill O’Reilly a liar. His guilt should come with the same admonition we would give anyone who touched, groped or leered at our wives, daughters or girlfriends. I will admit the charges of pedophilia come with a special caveat in the case of Roy Moore, but Democrats cannot relinquish the high ground. Michelle Obama could not have been more prophetic when she implored not only women and girls but all of us, “when they go low, we go high.”
It is hard when a hero has feet of clay. Mr. Franken has revealed his Achilles heel and it may not be repairable. As hard as it will be to swallow this bitter pill please do not spit it out with a lame mansplaining explanation. The women in your life will respect you more for it.