Let me begin today by stating what SHOULD be the obvious. Sexual harassment or sexual abuse inflicted by one human being upon another is wrong. Period! Full stop!!
I say “SHOULD be obvious” because clearly that is not the case in the world of US politics. In politics everything, even the most reprehensible behavior is relative. Relative to power, position and the part one plays in moving a partisan agenda forward.
Minnesota Democratic Senator Al Franken is the latest politician to be found guilty of engaging in inappropriate and untoward sexual behavior. Los Angeles radio anchor Leeann Tweeden stated Thursday that Franken forcibly kissed and groped her without her consent in 2006 while the two were appearing on a USO tour.
Franken has acknowledged that the incident occurred and apologized to Tweeden for his behavior. He has called on congress to initiate an ethics investigation into the incident and promised to co-operate. Members of congress on both sides of the aisle, including fellow Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, have condemned Franken’s behavior. Ms. Tweeden has accepted Franken’s apology.
The Franken incident stands in stark contrast to the events surrounding the Republican candidate for the Alabama senate seat; Roy Moore. Roy Moore has been accused of inappropriate sexual conduct by nine unrelated women. Many of women were underage at the time the reported incidents occurred. One young women was 14 years of age.
It has been nine days since the first report hit the airwaves and as I write this Moore had refused to comment directly about the accusations. Moore’s only response is an admission that he dated younger women “with their parents’ consent” and that the whole firestorm is a witch hunt orchestrated by both Democrats and Mitch McConnell to deny Alabama voters their say in who shall represent them in Washington. Moore has declined to resign from the race.
Unlike the Franken incident where condemnation from both sides of the aisle was swift; it took Republicans members of congress days to muster the courage to speak out against Roy Moore’s abhorrent behavior. Even at this writing most Republicans in congress have remained silent.
Locally, the news outlets who interviewed Alabama Republican voters found that they are not swayed by the accusations of sexual misconduct. They say that even if the accusations are true they are steadfast in their support of Roy Moore. “I’d rather vote for Roy Moore than a Democrat.” Said one Alabama voter. “Even if the accusations are true.”
Which brings us to the leader of the Republican Party…President Donald J. Trump.
Nine days into the Roy Moore controversy our usually opinionated president has refused to comment on whether or not he feels that Moore should resign from the race. While his silence on Moore has been deafening the president was back to his usual un-disciplined bombastic self when the Al Franken news broke. Within minutes Trump was on twitter blasting Franken for his bad behavior and his hypocritical support for women’s issues.
Which brings up the subject of the president’s own behavior. Why has Trump been so quick to lash out at Franken but silent as a church mouse about Moore’s conduct with underage girls?
Al Franken’s political opponents have called on him to resign over a single public accusation of sexual misconduct.
Roy Moore’s political opponents have called on him to resign over nine public accusations of sexual misconduct.
Seventeen women have publically accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct. Donald Trump has publically admitted that he engaged in multiple acts of sexual misconduct.
Why does Donald Trump continue to hold the office of President of the United States?
Sexual harassment or abuse inflicted by one human being upon another is wrong. Period! Full stop!!
Except in the world of US politics…
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