As Twitchy has reported, there’s been a rash of think pieces by liberals published this week urging Democrats to revisit how they treated the sexual assault charges against President Bill Clinton back in the ’90s.
Political analyst Howard Fineman doesn’t seem to have read any of those pieces, or perhaps it’s just that none of them sunk in. Was Bill Clinton allowed to skate on allegations of rape and sexual assault just because he was a so-called champion of women’s rights (i.e., abortion)? How does that work, exactly?
Well, we’re seeing a very similar scenario play out in 2017 now that Democratic Sen. Al Franken has been accused (with photographic evidence, no less). Fineman certainly isn’t the first to use the “champion of women’s rights” defense, but it’ll be interesting to see how many people fall back on that same turn of phrase.
I've watched @alfranken unfairly bracketed w/ accused serial sexual predators. He & I've been family friends for decades. As a comic, he could be crude. He went too far (& apologized). BUT: he's NOT predatory, adores his wife & family & is a lifelong champion of women's rights.
— Howard Fineman (@howardfineman) November 18, 2017
Ah yes… the “ive known him for a long time…” defense. https://t.co/HjQV0B1sLa
— You're in the DangerZone (@im_dangerzone) November 18, 2017
That @alfranken has not been predatory on the occasions that you've been with him doesn't mean squat. https://t.co/TPfHS5HhYg
— Ed Whelan (@EdWhelanEPPC) November 18, 2017
Franken adores his wife! And the woman who accused him of forcing his tongue into her mouth? She was photographed smiling while firing a gun at the range one time!
This is a prime example of a media hack. This is why nobody trusts the media. https://t.co/NlAY9xBaT0
— Steve Johnson (@stevo2321) November 18, 2017
If you thought the liberal media would take Al Franken's sexual assault allegation seriously, you thought wrong! https://t.co/8v7zSAuzZH
— RepublicanChrisRock (@spiritof1972) November 18, 2017
Thereby proving the Clinton "reckoning" was just for show. https://t.co/xMS8yWxzDY
— Molly (@commondecencyyo) November 18, 2017
How the Left circles the wagons and rationalizes sexual assault. The replies are also telling. https://t.co/qerhHEAcKS
— Ben Kepple (@bkepple676) November 18, 2017
The, “He’s not as bad as Moore” excuse. https://t.co/4xNQiz04Vb
— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) November 18, 2017
Now that the worst has blown over, it’s safe for the senator's allies to come out and ensure a complete and total rehabilitation. Also, Franken has neither admitted to nor apologized for the forced tongue kiss allegation, but whatever. He’s one of the *good* guys. https://t.co/4QyiGOL3um
— Tsar Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) November 18, 2017
This is, again, a virtual mirror of the defense for just about everyone accused of sexual impropriety. He's a good family man, this didn't happen/was a one-time thing/wasn't that serious… https://t.co/rGZouFHkYi
— Virginia Yankee (@RusselHenderso1) November 18, 2017
Every accused predator can find someone who excuses/doesn’t believe it. That’s why they get away with it. https://t.co/w95cp74DYu
— Time to Opine (@TimetoOpine) November 18, 2017
Last line: Franken “adores his wife & family & is a lifelong champion of women's rights.” Sad and pathetic attempt to minimize and excuse Franken’s atrocious behavior https://t.co/FmD6Z4YFtn
— Evan Siegfried (@evansiegfried) November 18, 2017
The last line is it. For liberals, this is all politics. If Franken had been an anti-Roe Republican, Fineman et al would be running him out. https://t.co/a62q5M1aSM
— Brad Todd (@BradOnMessage) November 18, 2017
"He's pro-choice, so if he wants to force himself on Leeann Tweeden during a rehearsal, sometimes you gotta crack a few eggs to make an omelet." https://t.co/6B9yQJEETe
— Nathan Wurtzel (@NathanWurtzel) November 18, 2017
Shorter @howardfineman: @alfranken is my friend and I'll excuse his predatory sexual assault because he loves his wife and supports abortion on demand. 😒 https://t.co/KJOlZJkLkA
— Helen Wheels (@txtiger1) November 18, 2017
The Nina Burleigh Rule. https://t.co/LVYGTmpUg8
— Shane Street (@SCStreet) November 18, 2017
It's the 90s all over again. We keep entering this vortex. https://t.co/Qq7zKM9kBE
— Michael (@Michael2014abc) November 18, 2017
The male Gloria Steinem, ladies and gentlemen. You knew it was coming.
cc: @KurtSchlichter @HashtagGriswold @benshapiro @JesseKellyDC https://t.co/Qq7zKM9kBE
— Michael (@Michael2014abc) November 18, 2017
What would your reaction be if it were a Republican, hmmmmmmm? https://t.co/U4dp5k01xR
— ItIsGoodToBeQueen (@redandright) November 18, 2017
Democrats protect Democrats https://t.co/K40yRDqKvj
— Rschrim (@Rschrim) November 18, 2017
Was he championing women's rights when he forcefully shoved his tongue in her mouth? Was he "not predatory" when he insisted that they practice the kissing scene or took a crude photo while she was sleeping? #pervert https://t.co/mZvdHescM7
— Arthur Grant (@crkbackt) November 18, 2017
What cognitive dissonance, willful blindness & mental gymnastics look like.
Framing: Focus on the photo.
IGNORE: Franken wrote a script calling for kissing, then thrust himself on the actress under the guise of rehearsal. Predatory behavior. https://t.co/4O9b15oS1j— CelesteHolmes🌹 (@Dallas4Bernie) November 18, 2017
Forcibly kissing a girl for comedy isn't comedy. He didn't mean for that to be comedy. He wanted to kiss her. We don't know if he's 'predatory', yes. But don't excuse his actions bc of comedy. https://t.co/alxBRF5kDX
— P. Williamson (@PWilliamson2006) November 18, 2017
Here’s the evidence we’d need to see to believe part of Fineman’s claim:
I have seen zero evidence for the assertion Al Franken was a comic. https://t.co/sY8TCbxEwq
— Turkey Knight (@deknightberight) November 18, 2017
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Related:
'The wagons are being circled': Are we supposed to go EASY on Al Franken now? https://t.co/RMfWn2QIw5
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) November 17, 2017
