I wrote about Al Franken.
I don't think I could vote for him.
I'm an American citizen, a Minnesotan, and I have one vote. When I look at the ballot in 2020, I won't use it to support Al Franken. Not now. Possibly not ever.
But the GOP can shut the hell up until they clean their house:
Despite living in a glass house built by men accused of sexual harassment and assault, Republicans are eager to throw stones. They want to talkHillary Clinton and Harvey Weinstein, the accusations against Bill Clinton, and now Franken.
The hypocrisy is staggering. Right now, there's a president, a Supreme Court justice (Clarence Thomas) and the GOP candidate for Alabama senator who face or have faced credible allegations of vile actions. The victims in these narratives were all vulnerable by reason of age, job, race or other forms of status. These men allegedly exploited their power to abuse and have never been held to account. The GOP doesn't seem to care, so long as they get their votes.
Howard Kurtz, on Fox News, questioned any call to talk about Trump because after the allegations came out, "We had an election ... and he won." Alabama Republicans have effectively acknowledged that even if Roy Moore's accusers are believable, getting Moore's vote on GOP policies is worth electing another predator. As for Clarence Thomas, the only person being held accountable for his alleged abusive actions seems to be Joe Biden, who as a senator presided over Thomas' confirmation hearings. When even Donald Trump, of all people, dared to tweet about Franken's misconduct, I found myself shaking with anger at the President's smug audacity.
In the face of the GOP resistance to taking responsibility for electing known predators, it's easy to want to circle the wagons around Franken. What Franken is accused of doing is not nearly as destructive as the allegations against Moore or Trump. What's more, being principled on Franken won't shame GOP members into changing their ways. Anyone who watched the "Access Hollywood" tape and supported Trump is likely beyond such shame.
