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i miss Al Franken

Franken was one of the sharpest tools in the Senate toolbox. I just saw a clip of him questioning Amy Coney Barrett when she was nominated for a federal judgeship. Shit, he was sharp.

by Anonymousreply 50November 18, 2020 2:57 AM

Hi Al.

by Anonymousreply 1October 20, 2020 10:10 PM

I listen to his podcast regularly. Time well spent

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by Anonymousreply 2October 20, 2020 10:10 PM

Was he ever even found guilty of anything? I only remember the Republican former-soldier that said she had proof he grabbed her breasts, then showed a picture of him not actually touching her. I remember Franken said he was more than willing to be investigated, but never heard anything after he resigned.

by Anonymousreply 3October 20, 2020 10:15 PM

He needs to run for the Senate again, he'd win in a landslide.

by Anonymousreply 4October 20, 2020 10:26 PM

R3 I agree. He was never investigated but that might be because he quit so easily. I still don't understand why he didn't fight it. The photo was a sight gag. He pretended (he did NOT touch her) to touch her with a lecherous look on his face but it was a joke. He caved too easily on this out of respect.

by Anonymousreply 5October 22, 2020 4:23 AM

Stupid Krissy Gillibrand railroaded him out of the senate.

by Anonymousreply 6October 22, 2020 4:24 AM

He wanted to clear his name but Gillibrand marshalled a mob who told him to resign. Quite a few regret it now and Gillibrand will never go higher in politics than NY Senator because of her mean girl antics.

by Anonymousreply 7October 22, 2020 4:31 AM

Franken was one of the ̶s̶h̶a̶r̶p̶e̶s̶t̶ tools in the Senate

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by Anonymousreply 8October 22, 2020 4:32 AM

R7, it was laughable when she was one of the earlier fools who thought she could run for president. Even in NY, we were pissed with her over the Franken episode. Along with Franken.

I would seriously take another couple of carpetbaggers in place of these two shits

by Anonymousreply 9October 22, 2020 4:33 AM

R6 R7 Thanks, I never knew that. I have to look into more info about Gilibrand now. I need to know what she's accomplished since forcing him out.

by Anonymousreply 10October 22, 2020 4:34 AM

This happened quite a while ago when people were holding on to some sense of normalcy.

He resigned because the other Democrats, especially Gillibrand, called for it.

And he was a decent enough man that he didn't fight it when he really should have. I don't think it was about whether or not it happened, I think it was about him having this follow him around forever (true or not) and the Democrats acting as judge, jury and executioner to the point where the Republicans had to do little.

Into 2019/2020 things got so dire that the Democrats paused eating their own for a while.

If this incident had of come out now I doubt all of those Dems would have been going for his head or that he wouldn't have fought it.

by Anonymousreply 11October 22, 2020 4:38 AM

Along with Schumer*

by Anonymousreply 12October 22, 2020 4:38 AM

He’s an asshole. Everyone on SNL couldn’t stand him.

by Anonymousreply 13October 22, 2020 4:45 AM

Franken was the Jew scapegoat the media and the Dem Party served up to a bigoted, hypocritical public and congressional colleagues demanding targets for their self-righteous outrage. He was tried, condemned and executed. The dead do not return.

Gillibrand did not act in a vacuum but with tacit approval of the Dem Party. Riding Franken out on the rails is simply another manifestation of Dem bankruptcy.

by Anonymousreply 14October 22, 2020 5:04 AM

Yes, r9, she had a ton of issues raising campaign money too because donors abandoned her over the Franken stunt?

by Anonymousreply 15October 22, 2020 5:20 AM

Meanwhile a pussy-grabbing, sexual assaulting, womanizing, cheating, scumbag liar sits in the White House.

by Anonymousreply 16October 22, 2020 5:25 AM

R14 IIRC Gillibrand either introduced or was about to introduce some metoo type legislation and used the Franken incident for additional exposure in addition to what was happening with Kavanaugh. She's somewhat toned down the girl power rhetoric since Franken and mattress girl did her no favors.

by Anonymousreply 17October 22, 2020 5:27 AM

Oh, and in 2019 she had her own metoo reckoning when it came out one of her staff was a sex pest and she did nothing.

by Anonymousreply 18October 22, 2020 5:30 AM

R18 Karma is a bitch.

by Anonymousreply 19October 22, 2020 5:43 AM

[quote]Stupid Krissy Gillibrand railroaded him out of the senate.

Why is this fable so popular? Pure misogyny?

Gillibrand had no such magical powers to demand another Senator's resignation, so you can all quit your play acting right now. Eight women had by then come forward to tell exactly the same tale of unwanted groping and forced kissing by Franken, and six of the eight were Democrats. Six.

For all of his "weasel words" about demanding an investigation, he happily quit and skipped town before any such investigation could exonerate him. I guess he'd still have to prove all eight of his accusers were lying after he came out of it innocent. Are you all that naive as to think Chuck Schumer didn't ask Franken just how many more women this investigation would unearth. Five more? Ten more? More? Wouldn't it be best to just resign and save your marriage and family?

Keep in mind this was a few weeks before the Doug Jones vs. Roy Moore Senate race in Alabama where the Dems were counting on Moore's rotten behavior around women to tip the scales to Jones, which it did. I donated to both of Franken's campaigns, so don't come for me, but the only person responsible for Al Franken leaving the Senate is Al "Handsy" Franken. Apparently he was nothing but a Democratic Bob Packwood.

by Anonymousreply 20October 22, 2020 5:55 AM

There is plenty of blame to spread around. And it definitely (and correctly) ended Gillibrand's aspirations for anything beyond her current position. But it also highlighted the quagmire that Democrats inevitably find themselves in: either stoop to become like the morally bankrupt Republicans or take the moral high ground and become toothless is any real political fight.

That's one of the reasons I supported Buttigieg. He is sharp enough to cut through the BS and always come back with an intelligent retort without trying to meet his opponents on their level. He is not the only one who can do it. Pelosi is also very good at it (in a different way). But there are too many who fall into the trap.

by Anonymousreply 21October 22, 2020 6:05 AM

Agree with R21.

The Democrats need to get down and dirty fighting with tooth and nail as the moral high ground is bullshit when your opponents are pathologically and criminally dishonest.

by Anonymousreply 22October 23, 2020 8:19 AM

Was a fan, had his books but he quit too fast. Had no fight in him.

by Anonymousreply 23October 23, 2020 9:32 AM

R23 I agree. I was so disappointed in his response to the accusations. Maybe the timing wasn't right. He was caught at the very beginning of the movement. I hope he'll make a comeback at some point, maybe run for a smaller office and do good.

by Anonymousreply 24October 23, 2020 9:37 AM

[quote]And he was a decent enough man that he didn't fight it when he really should have.

The Democrats didn't want a potentially scandal-creating investigation going on at the same time as the Mueller investigations, which were just starting at the time. They also didn't want this lingering around for the 2018 midterms which they were working really hard to win, so they could at least get some leverage in the House.

It's been a long time but if you think back you'll remember the Democrats acting like everything was normal, if regrettable, just after the election and up until the midterms. They thought they could shame the GOP by showing how to ethically behave if someone in your party had been accused of some wrongdoing, so the Dems "went high" and believed the accusers. The media encouraged it.

Then it didn't do jack shit, because they hadn't yet come to terms with the fact that the GOP were 100% scumbag grifter frauds.

by Anonymousreply 25October 23, 2020 10:12 AM

The voters knew what they elected

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by Anonymousreply 26October 23, 2020 4:42 PM

Cunts are cunts, OP. Franken was swarmed by cunts.

by Anonymousreply 27October 23, 2020 4:43 PM

he did a really interesting interview discussing the whole thing I believe it was with Conan O'Brien but I'm not sure

He did say he regrets not fighting more but it all happened so fast.

Or maybe it was a New Yorker or Vanity Fair article. I forget but that was the main gist of it.

by Anonymousreply 28October 24, 2020 3:53 AM

I saw him the other night on MSNBC with Brian Williams who showed the clip of Franken questioning Barrett about her federal judgeship. Franken looked good and responded well to Williams' questions but sounded disgusted at the lack of questioning on Barrett's SC nomination.

by Anonymousreply 29October 24, 2020 7:07 AM

He has good enough; he was smart enough and doggone it, people liked him.

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by Anonymousreply 30October 24, 2020 1:27 PM

I hope he’ll be back. Maybe he’ll cool his heels for a while and then come back roaring. He was a smart guy and a great addition to any committee.

Maybe Biden will give him some kind of a position in the new regime.

by Anonymousreply 31October 24, 2020 6:26 PM

[quote] Maybe Biden will give him some kind of a position in the new regime.

Possibly

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by Anonymousreply 32October 26, 2020 3:45 AM

Loved Al Franken then, love Al Franken now.

Kirstin Gillibrand paid the price for her gleeful attack on Franken. When she tried to go for the nomination (trying for VP one presumes), she fell on her face - and was pushed on her face.

Everyone hates her, she's a fucking cunt. She *enjoyed* persecuting Al Franken. I can still see her, eyes glazed with excitement, rushing up the stairs with a bunch of sackless Democrats behind her - off to tear up Al Franken.

Disgusting. I want Gillibrand out of politics altogether and look forward to that day. Give her seat to AOC or whoever - just get rid of Kirstin the Kunt.

by Anonymousreply 33October 26, 2020 4:07 AM

Anybody see him on Maher last night? I thought he might have been a bit drunk. He was kind of mush-mouthy and made some weird jokes that just fell flat.

by Anonymousreply 34October 31, 2020 5:39 PM

If he's going to come back he needs to run again. After that (partial railroading) he needs the legitimacy of the voters.

by Anonymousreply 35October 31, 2020 5:46 PM

^^^He definitely appeared to have had a drink or three before coming on stage. It was disappointing.

by Anonymousreply 36October 31, 2020 5:47 PM

Im a big fan but he bombed big time . I don't know if he was drunk but his jokes made no sense even when he tried to explain them. Maher was exasperated.

by Anonymousreply 37October 31, 2020 5:50 PM

hung...urinal next to him at Minneapolis airport.

by Anonymousreply 38October 31, 2020 10:02 PM

[quote] He was kind of mush-mouthy and made some weird jokes that just fell flat.

I don't think he was drunk, I think his timing was off. He's become used to podcasts (his and other people's) where you can pause for effect and then land the joke. In television in general (and Maher's show in particular), pauses are deadly. Stop for air and Maher jumps right in (it's one reason I don't like his show, too many people talking over each other).

Nice to hear he has a big dick R38. Maybe that's one of the reasons why Franni forgives his little indiscretions

by Anonymousreply 39October 31, 2020 10:58 PM

@R39

Except Al and Bill are old friends and worked together many times. Al used to be connected to the show at one time, when Bill had special correspondents. Chris Rock was one, too. At first I thought he was just tired, his voice was a little hoarse, and then my partner goes "WTF, is he having a stroke?" The more I paid attention, the more he seemed drunk or high. Maybe Bill gave him an edible that just kicked in.

by Anonymousreply 40October 31, 2020 11:38 PM

Well, I have good news for you!

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by Anonymousreply 41November 17, 2020 10:46 AM

Perhaps the victim was the tip of the iceberg. Maybe there were were others that didn't come forward yet and didn't need to since he did the right thing and resigned before victimizing again in forcing women to testify.

by Anonymousreply 42November 17, 2020 11:14 AM

WHET that karenbitch who got him to resign. I'm happy I've forgotten her name.

by Anonymousreply 43November 17, 2020 11:30 AM

[quote] WHET that karenbitch who got him to resign.

He's still the senate minority leader.

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by Anonymousreply 44November 17, 2020 11:41 AM

Lol touche!

by Anonymousreply 45November 17, 2020 11:42 AM

It's stunning thar Dems are just like GOPers. If there's a D after your name you can grab and grope all the women you want. I guess cancel culture is only for those people. Why is it so verboten to ask Franken to actually take responsibility for behavior he ha yet to deny? It's more fun beating up women, huh?

by Anonymousreply 46November 17, 2020 4:58 PM

[quote]Why is it so verboten to ask Franken to actually take responsibility for behavior

R46 No one "asked" Franken. He was scapegoated and railroaded by mob justice. Obviously that meets with your fascist approval.

by Anonymousreply 47November 17, 2020 5:02 PM

How can you deny something you didn't do?

by Anonymousreply 48November 17, 2020 5:03 PM

Roger Stone set the whole thing up, he as much as admitted it.

That's all you need to know, right there.

by Anonymousreply 49November 17, 2020 5:36 PM

[quote][R46] No one "asked" Franken. He was scapegoated and railroaded by mob justice.

You stating things does not make them fact.

Al Franken had ample time, (like the next day maybe?) after the accusations started pouring out to defend himself. Other than a mealy-mouthed, "Well, I don't remember it quite like that!" he denied nothing. "Railroaded"! My, you've a flair for hyperbole! Do you actually believe the tales you tell yourself?

If falsely accused of wrongdoing, one needn't "wait to be asked" to defend one's self.

by Anonymousreply 50November 18, 2020 2:57 AM
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