November 27, 2018

"As Franken and his wife, Franni Bryson, made the rounds, thanking supporters in the philanthropists’ San Francisco home at the February 2018 event, the conversation broke off into another subject: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand."

"The New York Democrat had, in their opinion, pulled the rug out from under Franken, a Minnesota Democrat beloved by the group, forcing him out without any real vetting of the allegations facing him. 'It was said not in front of Al to impress him; it was said privately in a corner. A group of us were standing there talking about it. He was one of our best weapons against this administration, his presence on these committees. [Gillibrand] did the damage that Republicans could not do themselves,' one of the attendees told POLITICO. 'There were other people at this event who were saying the same thing. They said, Absolutely, I will never do anything for her.' Today, nearly a year after Gillibrand led the charge in calling for Franken’s resignation, the anger is fresh on the minds of major donors across the country. More than a dozen prominent West Coast, New York and national donors and bundlers — many of them women — said they would never again donate to or fundraise for Gillibrand or would do so only if she ended up as the Democratic presidential nominee.... 'I thought she was duplicitous,' [a major Manhattan-based donor] said. 'Once the whole thing happened with Al Franken, it was confirmed 1 billion percent that she’s not to be trusted. I think that she hurt the Democratic Party. I think that she hurt the Senate. I think that what she did for women in politics was dreadful.'"

From "Franken scandal haunts Gillibrand’s 2020 chances" (Politico).

65 comments:

Biotrekker said...

LMAO

Kevin said...

Democrats in power > stop sexually harassing women

Democrats in power > hatred of Gillibrand, should she secure nomination

Henry said...

These are the people that bankrolled Hillary.

Kevin said...

If Trump were the Dem nominee, all these people would be funding and voting for him.

AllenS said...

The same people that love them some BJ Clinton and his famous cigar.

Paco Wové said...

Angry bunch, those Democrats. Always some enemy to hate.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

Democrat party mobsters.

Bob Boyd said...

Normally I'd say Franken shouldn't have been forced out by the party. Whether his offense warranted removal from the Senate should have been left to Minnesota voters.
But Franken didn't leave the decision of whether he should serve in the first place up to the voters, did he? So poetic justice.
As for the grudge holding entitlement exhibited by these Prog swells, it's entirely typical. It's also empty bluster and posing. Like Franken, they'll do what they're told by the party when the time comes out of fear that the talk will turn against them.

tim in vermont said...

I know that she's not to be trusted after flipping on a dime off of her moderate Democratic "principles" that befit her rural Upstate New York district when tapped by Schumer, basically for her looks and gender. Bella Abzugs need no longer aapply.

Chuck said...

Those Democrats sound like Trumpists talking about McCain, Graham, Corker and Flake.

[Although it seems like an insult, however incidental, to compare those worthy Republicans to Franken.]

It’s funny to me that Franken’s name comes up today. Because very early this morning before reading this post, I was thinking about Trump’s old insult aimed at McCain, that McCain was not a hero insofar as Trump prefers “people who weren’t captured.” It was of course a crude, witless delivery by Trump. But it wasn’t even Trump’s own line. Trump stole it from an Al Franken routine.

Amadeus 48 said...

These people are "philanthropists"? I think not. Dem Party operatives, yes.

gilbar said...

Sounds like it's time for a proper leftwing girl to say:
"Al can grope ME while i'm sleeping Any Time He Wants, 'cause he's pro-abortion!"

iowan2 said...

Those Democrats sound like Trumpists talking about McCain, Graham, Corker and Flake.

McCain, Graham, Corker and Flake, were not accused of forcing themselves on women. They all don't like the fact that President Trump is advancing the agenda they claim to support, but have failed to implement. So the comparison you attempted and failed miserably at, is that, neither the Republicans or the Dems mentioned have a substantive problem with their peers they target for destruction. Gillibrand for upholding a standard of behavior that the Dems claim they demand of all. President Trump for advancing the Republican Party Platform.

Dont forget that the Republicans you listed, attacked the President. President Trump just responded to incoming fire. Fault the man for defending himself, it's your right to hold any double standard you care to.

AllenS said...

Agree with iowan2 100%.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

'Absolutely, I will never do anything for her.' [Or they] would do so only if she ended up as the Democratic presidential nominee.

Then the vow isn't really so "absolute" after all, if by chance the hated woman gets nominated. Sure, why not? When has this exact scenario ever played out to Democrat's detriment?

AustinRoth said...

I am hearing, “How dare she treat a Democrat like he was a Republican!”

William said...

Franken's behavior was disreputable rather than despicable. And there was a kind of bill of attainder quality to passing judgment on him. At the time he committed the offense, it wasn't quite as disreputable as when it was publicized. I would have left it to the voters of his state to pass judgment on his actions. And, of course, it wasn't Gillebrand, but Franken himself who decided that he needed to resign.

tcrosse said...

Sen. Franken fought against the NBC-Comcast deal. I wonder if there was fallout from that.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

I'm still struggling with the fact there are are people, real flesh and blood people, who will say out loud, "Al Franken was my favorite senator." And these are people with jobs and families and enough money to waste some on politics. So being engaged and aware and having money to give and yet, Al freaking Franken? Al Franken!

He was a joke, an overgrown adolescent whose poor decision making skills led him to force himself on women, and yet these hip idiots are willing to overlook that behavior, for what? I don't get it. An unfunny comedian in the that's not funny era, and a boorish asshole of a man to boot. Their favorite! This dichotomy is almost as rich as the Gillibrand conumndrum: she's horrible and we hate her but if she's nominated we will give her money.

This is what Trump is up against, people who think Al Franken is effective and apt.

Curious George said...

Chuck. Ten pounds of douche in a eight pound bag.

Ralph L said...

I haven't trusted her since she stole Princess Caroline's seat.

Lucid-Ideas said...

When she chucked her lot in with Emma Sulkowicz (aka matress girl), I think it was pretty much over for a lot of people, right and left.

Tina Trent said...

I read one of Al Franken's biographical comedy books years ago. The prejudiced stunts he pulled attaching Christians for laughs while taking his son on college tours would have gotten him banned from public office, had he done them to anyone other than Christians, of course.

To his son's credit, the younger Franken was appalled by his father's behavior.

When people recount virtually actionable behaviors they have committed because they're proud of it, there's surely more to follow. Franken was so drunk and lecherous on air during his Air America days that they needed sidekicks to literally prop him up.

William said...

Should Gillibrand be held responsible about Franken's bad decision about his bad behavior? Sure, why not.

Comanche Voter said...

Franken as "a best weapon"? Well if your weapons are limited to limp spears and dull blockheads, I guess he could be your best weapon. These folks are delusional.

Darkisland said...

I really don't give a shit about the real rightness and wrongness of what Franken did. By Demmie rules, he was wrong and must go. Not only must he go, he must never be allowed to raise his head in polite company again.

Fuck him. Make the demmies play by the rules they want to make us play by.

John Henry

Darkisland said...

Private citizen (at the time) Trump speaks a truism "When you are a celebrity women let you grab them by their pussy" (BJ Clinton and Monica are exhibit A for doubters) and everyone gets their bowels in an uproar.

Franken actually mimes groping a woman and it is OK. Perhaps, had she been awake, she would have let Al Franken grab her by the tits or the pussy. Him being a demi-celebrity and all.

Or, perhaps, he was not a big enough celebrity or she was not that type of woman. In any event, she did not and could not let him grab her, being asleep and all.

Fuck Al.

John Henry

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Still waiting for the collective left to fire the Clintons.

Birkel said...

"...collective Left.." is - maybe - redundant.

:-)

MayBee said...

Kirsten Gillibrand should be a joke for many reasons. I'm glad some Democrat donors are smart enough to see that.

MayBee said...

Would Democrats really nominate someone whose entire basis of fame is taking away due process rights? Say what you will about many of the Democrats' social justice leanings, but this is really among the worst of them. It has nothing to do with justice- it is anti-justice.

Mary Beth said...

1 billion percent

I wonder if this person agrees with news stories that misunderstand (or pretend to) Trump's hyperbole.

Chuck said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chuck said...

iowan2 said...
"Those Democrats sound like Trumpists talking about McCain, Graham, Corker and Flake."

McCain, Graham, Corker and Flake, were not accused of forcing themselves on women.

Of course not. None of them are flaming assholes. John McCain may have been unfaithful to his first wife; and their parting may have been related to the trauma of McCain's POW experience. I won't pretend to know. None of the Republicans I mentioned have anything like the record of Trump; the divorces, the Ivana divorce deposition, the absurd Trump interviews surrounding his Marla Maples divorce, the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. No; none of the Republicans whom I mentioned are anything like Trump.

They all don't like the fact that President Trump is advancing the agenda they claim to support, but have failed to implement.

No; they all voted with Trump's agenda more than 95% of the time. Their problem with Trump was not a policy "agenda" problem. The problem is that Trump is such a reckless idiot, regularly saying idiotic things. The problem is personal to Trump.

So the comparison you attempted and failed miserably at, is that, neither the Republicans or the Dems mentioned have a substantive problem with their peers they target for destruction. Gillibrand for upholding a standard of behavior that the Dems claim they demand of all. President Trump for advancing the Republican Party Platform.

Does anybody understand what you just wrote? Do you understand what you just wrote? What I am saying is that the Franken fans who support an asshole like Al Franken (and who are willing to trash Senator Gillibrnd in the process) are just like the Trumpists who support an asshole like Donald Trump (and willing to trash Senators Graham, Corker, Flake and the late John McCain).

I am pro-principle. I am pro-Republican. I am pro-ideology.

I am anti-asshole. I am anti-personality cult. Whether it is Donald Trump, or Donald Trump's favorite humor source, Al Franken. I sure don't like Al Franken; he's someone with whom I disagree on everything, and who is an asshole to boot. But I don't like Trump either; he's someone with whom I don't always disagree, but who is a colossal asshole.

Dont forget that the Republicans you listed, attacked the President. President Trump just responded to incoming fire. Fault the man for defending himself, it's your right to hold any double standard you care to.

I am not going to fault anyone, ever, for speaking the truth that Donald Trump is an asshole. But in fact, I really don't so much recall anyone attacking Trump as saying that they disagree with something Trump said, or that Trump put out on Twitter. Donald Trump is the all-time champion of making every single substantive or policy dispute into a war of words based on personal affairs.

J. Farmer said...

So much for the special place in hell for women who don't support other women.

dustbunny said...

They’re so disgusted by her they will only support her for President. In the age of nothing is funny that’s a decent joke

Bill Peschel said...

"No; they all voted with Trump's agenda more than 95% of the time."

Like when they voted to kill Obamacare, until it was time to take a vote that actually mattered, and then they scampered like rats? Wasn't it McCain's vote, unprincipled and borne out of anger, that saved Obamacare?

Like when they campaigned during 2012 to enforce immigration laws, after which they won House and immediately -- like the next day -- said they weren't going to?

This is why they got Trump, and hard.

CJinPA said...

Most of the objections to Gillibrand were coldly tactical: She harmed The Movement. Similar to the approach many of these same donors took to Bill Clinton's sexual harassment and assault allegations. They tolerated his behavior because it was good for The Movement.

FIDO said...

Those Democrats sound like Trumpists talking about McCain, Graham, Corker and Flake.

How is it a bad thing to criticize someone for graphically and visually violating a core party principle?

And this is projection. KG couldn't do it alone. People joined her voice or stood aside in silence, not speaking a word in his defense, while he was dragged in on a hurdle and eviserated, much like Althouse did w Kavanaugh.

So unlike Althouse, they knew a political mistake was being made by holding their own accountable for actual sins. They learned that lesson. They won't ever hold a Democrat man accountable for rapes, underage prostitution or assault on any women ever again.

A little girl said Franken ripped off the Empresses clothes and so they want to kill the girl rather than judge the Fool.

We made our Uncomfortable Truth Teller President.

Which tells you everything you need to know about the parties.

Original Mike said...

Blogger Chuck said...”I am anti-asshole.“

Yes, folks, he really said that.

Chuck said...

Bill Peschel said...
"No; they all voted with Trump's agenda more than 95% of the time."

Like when they voted to kill Obamacare, until it was time to take a vote that actually mattered, and then they scampered like rats? Wasn't it McCain's vote, unprincipled and borne out of anger, that saved Obamacare?

Like when they campaigned during 2012 to enforce immigration laws, after which they won House and immediately -- like the next day -- said they weren't going to?

This is why they got Trump, and hard.


No, Bill; that is wrong but what is so scary to me is that you make it sound sort of correct, and I believe that about 98% of Trump supporters -- not all of them stupid -- agree with you.

No; McCain's historic "thumbs down" vote was not a vote on repealing or replacing the ACA. McCain's vote was on a spending bill (decided on a simple majority vote as a procedural matter, because you can get away with that only for spending bills in the Senate). A spending bill that would have done quite a lot to vandalize "Obamacare" but would not have repealed the ACA and certainly would not have replaced it. McCain was, understandably and justifiably in my view, uncomfortable with that sort of budgetary vandalism that fell so far short of Trump's grand promises to "repeal and replace Obamacare." Trump has never had a clue, about how to "replace" or even reform, Obamacare.

cf said...

I am glad to see Gillibrand getting punished, even if it is for the wrong reason.

EVERY American should be rejecting her for not defending due process.

But as we saw we Kavanaugh, ALL of the Democrats, especially the women, are fine bulldozing over hard-won structure that ensures the most justice.

Shame on the current Woman's Movement, give me men in office any day compared to these power-drunk bitches.

Qwinn said...

The repeal bill was good enough for every other Republican, including many Republicans that Chuck claims to like and admire. Just not McCain. And Chuck. And Democrats. Funny, that.

JohnAnnArbor said...

In other words, it's OK when they do it. Cover it up and....move on.

Patrick said...

You would need a heart of stone to not laugh your ass off at both of them.

Al was too afraid to stand up to the mob.

John henry said...

Wouldn't being anti-asshole mean that one is full of shit?

The shit having nowhere to escape?

Or maybe that is the reason for so many unhinged notes? The shit escapes through his fingertips to the internet.

John Henry

mccullough said...

Franken is a pussy. A quitter. Can’t blame Gillibrand that Franken is a pussy. She knew he was a whiny wimp who would fold. And he did.

rehajm said...

I'm so jaded on this. #MeToo was the long game enacted to stop GOP SCOTUS nominations. A few faux outrages aimed at political allies just to 'prove' lefties aren't being hypocritical on the subject. Never mind the Clintons, just stop...anyways. Now that it's over time to rehab the allies who took one for the team. Franken today, Harvey tomorrow. GIllibrand if we need to but she will be just fine cause she's a woman.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

Chuck@11:09AM "... Trump's grand promise to repeal and replace Obamacare". The ACA was passed by budgetary vandalism, legislative sleight of hand, and good old fashioned lies in 2010. The republican party opposed its implementation and ran on repealing it for 3 election cycles before Donald Trump even announced his presidential candidacy. Donald Trump has been attacked and opposed by republican cucks and corruptocrats like John McCain, Jeff Flake, Bob Corker, Paul Ryan, Rand Paul, and many others, and none of those attacks were over policy. Repeal and Replace was republican party can't and posturing. Donald Trump provided the GOP the cover and momentum to actually enact what they had spent 6 years promising its voters, but rat bastard McCain torpedoed the effort. That skinny repeal was the best the GOP with all its pathetic Chuck-like cucks could muster. The failure was McConnell's, the villain McCain, and the lying scumbags Democrat party members, you asshole.

Chuck said...


Qwinn said...
The repeal bill was good enough for every other Republican, including many Republicans that Chuck claims to like and admire. Just not McCain. And Chuck. And Democrats. Funny, that.


Wrong; Collins, Murkowski and McCain all voted it down. McCain was just the last vote. And if those three hadn't voted that way, there might have been others, who didn't want to divide off primary voters (or lose general election voters if they went the other way) if those three hadn't taken that position.

Now, you might say that Collins and Murkowski are "just like"/"just as bad as" McCain and that's okay. I just wanted to stick my finger in your eye over something where you're wrong and I'm right.

Earnest Prole said...

Gillibrand began her political career interning for New York Republican Senator Alfonse D’Amato.

Chuck said...

Michael Fitzgerald said...
Chuck@11:09AM "... Trump's grand promise to repeal and replace Obamacare". The ACA was passed by budgetary vandalism, legislative sleight of hand, and good old fashioned lies in 2010. The republican party opposed its implementation and ran on repealing it for 3 election cycles before Donald Trump even announced his presidential candidacy. Donald Trump has been attacked and opposed by republican cucks and corruptocrats like John McCain, Jeff Flake, Bob Corker, Paul Ryan, Rand Paul, and many others, and none of those attacks were over policy. Repeal and Replace was republican party can't and posturing. Donald Trump provided the GOP the cover and momentum to actually enact what they had spent 6 years promising its voters, but rat bastard McCain torpedoed the effort. That skinny repeal was the best the GOP with all its pathetic Chuck-like cucks could muster. The failure was McConnell's, the villain McCain, and the lying scumbags Democrat party members, you asshole.


You dumb fuck; it will take 60 votes in the Senate to fully repeal and replace the ACA.

You probably don't like that fact. But it is still a fact. I don't like the way that the ACA was negotiated, brought for a vote, or implemented. I'm no Democrat. I am not going to defend the Act.

But the fact that worthless shit heads like you (and Rush, and Hannity, etc.) keep on berating Leader McConnell, and running down Republican leadership doesn't help our cause. McConnell has forgotten more about the Senate than you will ever know. Remember also; the guy who you look up to is the witless dunderhead who said, "Nobody knew health care could be so complicated."

cacimbo said...

Another #metoo boomerang.

mccullough said...

It would take 51 votes to repeal the filibuster. McConnell and the GOP majority repealed it for votes on SCOTUS nominations.

They could do it for legislation as well.

People understand this. The GOP doesn’t have the collective will to do this. They are phonies. Frauds. Guys like Mitt Romney.

Can’t wait for Soros’ Angels to spit on Romney and watch him take it like the pussy he is. Maybe Flake will give Mitt his handkerchief.



mccullough said...

Mitch McConnell married a wealthy woman like Paul Ryan. These guys are kept men like Chuck.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Chuck said... McCain was, understandably and justifiably in my view, uncomfortable with that sort of budgetary vandalism that fell so far short of Trump's grand promises to "repeal and replace Obamacare." Trump has never had a clue, about how to "replace" or even reform, Obamacare.

The fact that someone would try to spin the reason for McCain's vote as "done because the bill in question wasn't good enough to meet Trump's promise" is really something. Honestly, I chuckled--the balls to type that and click "publish!" Remarkable.

The problem with trying to argue, even implicitly, that "repeal and replace" is a Trump initiative is that most of us can remember waaaaaay back to the dark days before Trump, Chuck. We can easily pull up dozens of articles wherein Boehner & McConnell pledge their undying commitment to repeal and replace--articles that nowhere mention that joke of a buffoon Trump who seems to honestly think he should run for President. Before the election in 2012 McConnell said "If I’m the leader of the majority next year, I commit to the American people that the repeal of ‘Obamacare’ will be Job One … That includes pursuing reconciliation." Job one, Chuck! How'd that job go? In 2014 McConnell again talks up what the Repubs will do just as soon as they have the votes to do it. Donate now!

Repubs got a quasi-repeal to Obama's desk in 2015. That was an accomplishment. Obama vetoed it in early 2016 and then a main 2016 campaign narrative was "vote for the Repubs--we just need the votes and a Repub. President and we'll finally get this done!" Well...guess who gets elected? We get both chambers, Chuck! It's finally gonna happen. We've got a populist president with zero experience just itching to sign some grand bill so he can brag about what a big victory he (and he alone) was able to deliver. That's an outstanding opportunity for a smart operator like McConnell to get his plan passed--he won't get a lot of solid rhetorical support/bully pulpit help from the President but by mid '17 Trump's gonna sign whatever gets to his desk and call it total victory. All you've got to do is get it to his desk!

The House passes the AHCA. It's not super popular but Trump says it's good and would sign it. Ok. The Senate pulls out the BCRA. Whomp whomp! After years--YEARS!--of promises and work this is what they offer, and there is almost no buy-in on that! You can blame the Freedom Caucus if you really want to but the fact that McConnell served up a bill no one likes and then shows himself completely unprepared to defend it from the inevitable Media attacks (and poor CBO scoring) has got to be on him. They mishandle the internal communication (failing to get agreement on strategy and key points of possible compromise, leading a few Senators feeling undercut/betrayed) and can't get the bill taken up before the summer break.

There's furious internal Repub debate (Cruz puts forward a couple of big amendments). Finally Sen. Lee says he won't support the current bill so the BRCA's dead. McConnell didn't get enough support for it before rolling out and it dies, Chuck. He was able to get a bill through for Obama's veto in 2015 (a bill that also would have stopped federal funding for Planned Parenthood!) but now when it would actually get signed into law he can't deliver. McConnell switches and says that instead they'll vote on a straight repeal. Pence has to break the tie to have that one taken up. That repeal only then fails. The next day McConnell indicates support for the skinny repeal--to be passed & taken up in conference with the House bill. The news for the day is about McConnell's brilliance! He had this fall back plan working the whole time, see, and although it was an ugly fight at last the Republicans are going to deliver...and then McCain (and Collins & Murkowski, never forget) kill that, dead. McConnell fails.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Anyway all of this is silly insofar as it's premised on your inaccurate summary of what McCain did. The bill he killed with his oh-so-dramatic thumbs down 2AM histrionics would not have been the final version of the law, Chuck, and I'm pretty sure you know that. The skinny bill would have gone to the conference committee for further negotiation (to match up/align with the House-passed version) before being rewritten and again approved by both chambers. Killing the last bill wasn't just some single vote against that particular bill, it was a vote to kill the whole repeal process. That's what McCain did; that's what McConnell failed to prevent.

Trump certainly didn't help the process in 2017 but the failure of the Senate to deliver on their long-promised repeal & replace is not Trump's fault. McConnell has been great on judges and solid in other ways, but he owns both the overpromsing and underdelivering on Obamacare repeal.

HG said...

Some of you are missing the point. It was stated above.

The Republicans in the Senate knew that there are enough people that benefit from the ACA that a repeal would mean they would be voted out of office.

The Republicans who voted against the rest of the party gave political cover to the ones who voted one way so they could say they supported the legislation, but didn't want it to actually pass.

I don't like it, you don't like it, but this is the world in which we live, not fantasyland.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

Don’t you suppose it was Al Franken’s wife who forced him to resign?

The Godfather said...

Is there a real John Henry? I agree with almost every comment you post, but the comments are under different names. Can I just sign my comments John Henry to give me some credibility?

gilbar said...

here's fun trivia questions:
including last election; how often did the existence of the ACA cause a switch in House Majority?
including last election; how many seats were lost because of the existence of the ACA?

The Godfather said...

Is it really so that Al Franken's wife is Franni Franken? Doesn't that amount to spousal abuse?

Doug said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Doug said...

So. It turns out the democrats have a John McCain of their own. Nice.

MB said...

"He was one of our best weapons against this administration".
I find this comment quite revealing of Democrats' attitude toward men.
As unpalatable as men might be, they have their uses. There are some jobs Franken is better suited for than, say, Gillibrand.
Men are a weapon you use against other men. It takes one to fight one.