Joe Biden accused of sexual assault

[_EAllusion]

I think of the Al Franken situation. He was one of the stronger Democrats in the Senate in terms of public communication ability and political sharpness. He was pushed out because, initial allegation aside, a decent body of evidence developed that he had a history of groping women inappropriately. This happened at the height of MeToo, and while him stepping down is plenty defensible on the merits, there was a lot of focus in the public discourse about Democrats needing to be consistent in holding their own to their professed standards. He might've been able to ride it out if not for the crescendo of coverage along those lines.

At the same time that was happening, there were numerous examples of Republican figures doing much worse things with much stronger evidence against them that didn't go down and the stories were either wiped from memory or exist in a barely thought about limbo. That includes the current Republican President of the United States. There's a ton of evidence that the President is a serial sexual predator and it's very much a back of the mind story. Yet there wasn't and still isn't a rash of media hypocrisy stories against Republicans pushing them to do something. Why not? That can only be the case if everyone accepts, implicitly, that a politician having credible evidence against them of sexual assault is fine in the eyes of institutional Republicans. It's not hypocrisy if you're Ok with it. Culturally, mainstream journalism seems to take that as the implicit position of Republicans, and it's hard to disagree, but there's then no corresponding outrage that the implicit position of Republicans is that credible evidence of sexual assault against politicians should not be career threatening. That seems like a major oversight not to routinely point out one of the major political parties holds that view. And we sure as hell shouldn't pretend to believe them when they cynically try to act otherwise if and only if a non-Republican is involved.

[_moksha]

The GOP, however, has sunken to full-blown, can't do anything else but full hypocrisy mode. They don't attempt to mislead credibly; they'd rather go with outrageous, obvious lies to see what their base will swallow. They tell the truth only on accident.

The GOP has two superpowers:
1. Their top leader possesses the power of super pathological lying.
2. The membership possesses the power of super gullibility.

I think of the Al Franken situation. He was one of the stronger Democrats in the Senate in terms of public communication ability and political sharpness

Senator Franken would have given some great commentary during that Ukraine hearing. What a shame that Trump committed treason and got off scot-free, while the Democrats shot themselves in the foot once again.

[_Icarus]

Biden was on Morning Joe this morning addressing this for the first time

[_Dr Exiled]

The problem for partisans is that they basically set themselves up for this kind of thing. It's a sort of... cult-like devotion that undermines responsible governing. Cultists get caught up in the person, insane virtuosity, being blind to their own ____ all the while targeting enemies with endless accusations of failing to living up to the cultists' standards. One of the things I enjoy about the threads on Midgley or Peterson's plagiarism is how it underscores their complete and utter devotion to their dogmatism while being completely and utterly devoid of introspection, personal responsibility, and awareness of their own behavior. Their behavior is replicated within the political sphere where we've seen it on full display with the GOP AND within the DNC regarding 'social justice'. While I make a personal allowance that one cult is bigger than the other, I recognize that my own biases 'diminuizes' the DNC's shenanigans while 'engrandizes' the GOP's behavior. That's hard to admit, because the GOP is so clearly insane, but if I'm being honest the DNC is just a centrist version of the GOP, in my opinion. There are endless examples of the DNC being in bed with corporate interests that work against the environment, the worker, so and so forth. I'll give you an example locally.

Here in Salt Lake City, much like everywhere else, we're experiencing a boom in apartment building to meet the demands for housing. We have a pretty 'progressive' culture in Salt Lake City proper, and as such elected our second female Mayor in a row. Cool. Woman power. Well, this woman Mayor, who is admittedly savvy, competent, intelligent, and connected isn't immune from low-key working the system to her advantage. Her and her husband (which she had an affair with {while travelling on the taxpayer dime - it was a big local scandal} before they got together, which now puts her in the moral camp of many-a-GOP'er) created a THREE-DEEP shell company to hide the fact that they were securing taxpayer monies for an apartment complex they're planning to build in Salt Lake City. The media won't cover it even though there is CLEAR evidence they're working the system, their connections, and their influence to secure property, loans, and changing zoning to do this thing. So that's that, right? NOPE. The 'community activist' who has extensively documented this, who has tried to get the Tribune to cover it, who has been trying to expose this corruption was, I kid you not, attacked by an unknown assailant just ONE WEEK after he posted his evidence on YouTube. The story goes on, but it suffices to say that corruption isn't limited to the GOP, nor is wonky behavior.

So. Back to Biden. We really have to be careful to avoid becoming 'Mormons' again when it comes to anything. Mormonism teaches you from a young age to go all in when you believe in something. It teaches you to turn a blind eye to your own moral failings, your own responsibilities, and to institutional wrongdoing because 'the bigger picture' is greater than you so, you know, shut the ____ up and fall in line. This is why, especially at the national level, we're always faced with the choice of picking the lesser of two evils. I'll vote for Biden because he's clearly the lesser of two evils. But let's not kid ourselves. There's some real ____ behavior that's not being covered, and the media is, in fact, complicit.

- Doc

I couldn't agree with you more. Issues should take precedence over game show clowns and creepy uncles, unfortunately our two choices. If we had more viable parties, more choice, perhaps candidates would actually listen to the population instead of the monopolists that control both parties now.

[_moksha]

The 'community activist' who has extensively documented this, who has tried to get the Tribune to cover it, ...

- Doc

Did the Salt Lake Weekly cover the story? I remember they were the only ones with the guts to run the Salt Lake Olympics Bribery Scandal. None of the other Utah media would touch it because a General Authority was on the Olympic bid committee.

Even worse, former State Senator Greg Hughes is running for the Utah Governorship. Talk about corruption in politics. Like New York awarding a $69 million dollar contract to a phone technician based on a recommendation from the White House (the guy had texted Trump that he could build ventilators). Of course, the ventilators never showed up because he was a mobile phone technician, but he was clever enough to make an empty boast to Trump!!! Excessively stupid Presidents fall for that kind of stuff.

[_cinepro]

I think of the Al Franken situation. He was one of the stronger Democrats in the Senate in terms of public communication ability and political sharpness. He was pushed out because, initial allegation aside, a decent body of evidence developed that he had a history of groping women inappropriately. This happened at the height of MeToo, and while him stepping down is plenty defensible on the merits, there was a lot of focus in the public discourse about Democrats needing to be consistent in holding their own to their professed standards. He might've been able to ride it out if not for the crescendo of coverage along those lines.

Not sure if you saw this article, but it's a good update on where Franken is at now:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019 ... al-franken

His most recent book is good too. It's definitely an interesting read (or listen - the audiobook is excellent) with the knowledge of his imminent demise in the Senate.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Boy, this was hard to read:

“Patrick Leahy, the veteran Democrat from Vermont, said that his decision to seek Franken’s resignation without first getting all the facts was “one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made” in forty-five years in the Senate.

Heidi Heitkamp, the former senator from North Dakota, told me, “If there’s one decision I’ve made that I would take back, it’s the decision to call for his resignation. It was made in the heat of the moment, without concern for exactly what this was.”

Tammy Duckworth, the junior Democratic senator from Illinois, told me that the Senate Ethics Committee “should have been allowed to move forward.” She said it was important to acknowledge the trauma that Franken’s accusers had gone through, but added, “We needed more facts. That due process didn’t happen is not good for our democracy.”

Angus King, the Independent senator from Maine, said that he’d “regretted it ever since” he joined the call for Franken’s resignation. “There’s no excuse for sexual assault,” he said. “But Al deserved more of a process. I don’t denigrate the allegations, but this was the political equivalent of capital punishment.”

Senator Jeff Merkley, of Oregon, told me, “This was a rush to judgment that didn’t allow any of us to fully explore what this was about. I took the judgment of my peers rather than independently examining the circumstances. In my heart, I’ve not felt right about it.”

Bill Nelson, the former Florida senator, said, “I realized almost right away I’d made a mistake. I felt terrible. I should have stood up for due process to render what it’s supposed to—the truth.”

Tom Udall, the senior Democratic senator from New Mexico, said, “I made a mistake. I started having second thoughts shortly after he stepped down. He had the right to be heard by an independent investigative body. I’ve heard from people around my state, and around the country, saying that they think he got railroaded. It doesn’t seem fair. I’m a lawyer. I really believe in due process.”

Holy damned crap. How easily did these people do away with any notion of innocent until proven guilty just to be politically correct? It actually turns my stomach on the level of what Trump is doing right now. My Lord.

- Doc

[_cinepro]

When you look at two candidates for a job position, and they are the only two available,

It should be duly noted that Biden isn't the nominee yet.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Drip drip drip...

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/wo ... r-breasts/

I estimate a half dozen more of these are on the way before the DNC convention convenes. Super interested to see if this affects his delegate count.

- Doc

[_moksha]

I estimate a half dozen more of these are on the way before the DNC convention convenes. Super interested to see if this affects his delegate count.

- Doc

Republicans want a candidate with bonafide harassments. Democrats want a spotless candidate. Forget that. Bring back smart and honest Buttigieg. Pair him with Kamala Harris who would kick the stuffing out of Pence in a VP debate.