Thus, if Franken steps down, Dayton can sitll appoint another Democrat.

[question everything]

However, this new senator will have to run in 2018 to fill the remaining two years and the way Republicans have been making inroad in Minnesota, I am not hopeful.

Sigh

[Sneederbunk]

1. Franken is not going to step down, nor should he.

[dflprincess]

10. Agreed

I would vote for him again.

[awesomerwb1]

2. Thus we need to stop this talk about Franken

resigning. Period.

He shouldn't have to.

[question everything]

5. He may not have any choice. Every single MN politicians is calling for at leat investigation

by the ethics committee.

On the one hand, they would be reluctant to expose their own skeletons. On the other hand, if the senate will vote to expel Moore, there will be a dicey issue. Schumer, and Warren, and others, will have hard time continuing going after Trump and Moore while defending Franken.

Trump and Moore theoretically can fall under the "she said/he said." Here, you have a nasty photograph.

[Salviati]

6. but with photographs come photographers and other eyewitnesses.

If Franken is calling for an ethics investigation on himself, then he's not afraid about what that investigation will turn up. Will he be embarrassed by it, sure, but he's a comedian, he's used to being embarrassed.

[rzemanfl]

3. Don't begin a first sentence with "thus."

Franken is not going to "step down." Your concern is noted.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Al is not going to walk away.

[solara]

7. Why in the world would Franken step down?

Why is that thought even a thing?

I honestly don't get the haste with which the Dems have started throwing Franken under the bus. If they are not outright calling for his resignation, they are intimating that he is unworthy to keep his seat in the Senate and should be ousted, or censured.

Comparing what Franken 'supposedly' did with LeeAnn Tweeden, and what Moore 'supposedly' did with the many women who have come forth is False Equivalency, a tried and true GOP effort to confuse and separate the Democratic Party. Franken was not lying in wait for Tweeden. Franken was not eager to get his sexual way with Tweeden by threats. Franken did not bully her, or hold her against her will. Franken did not repeat his action with myriad others. And he is a long time supporter and proponent for Women's rights. The photo shows a prank, albeit one with bad taste and lack of political awareness. But he was a comedian when this incident occurred. He was not an officer of the court. He was not an Asst DA. He was not a Judge. He was not a Senator. False Equivalency.

No wonder the Russian bots have not given up and are still shooting out memes and opinions, "facts" and tweets designed to separate us, confound us and weaken us. We let them do it to us during the Presidential campaign too and we are paying dearly for the blinders many of us wore.

I am sickened by the furious and rapid denouncements some of our female Dem Senators have laid on Franken and quite frankly it's worrisome. What hope do we have to win, to undo, to heal this nation if we are so easily persuaded to turn our backs on some of our best and brightest.

Remember, Franken said that although he did not necessarily agree with Tweeden's recollection of the event, he nevertheless defended her right to be believed. Nothing like Moore, or PINO trump, or Weinstein, or O'Reilly.

[doc03]

8. I aree 100%. I don't get it one of the best Senators we have and

they want to throw him under the bus for a gag photo he made as a comedian. He didn't even touch her and she went along with the gag.

[solara]

9. Most definitely

This is actually breaking my heart. How can we continue to be so damaging to ourselves when we are in such dire straits?

[dflprincess]

11. Thank you

I'm especially disappointed with Erin Murphy and Rebecca Otto throwing him under the bus. In an effort to show we're "fair" and better than the Republicans the Democrats are willing to destroy one of their best for a stupid lapse in judgement. If this were a pattern of behavior it would be different thing entirely but that does not appear to be the case. This morning CBS said it had tracked down some former staffers (all female) of Al's and the all said they had not witnessed inappropriate behavior and had been treated with respect.

[solara]

12. Exactly.

Why is it we Dems are so damn eager to throw our best and most brilliant under the bus?

The truth of this incident is going to come out and all the Dems who rushed to judgment are going to have a huge meal of crow while our party becomes just that much weaker.

It's so painful to watch