Friday, November 17, 2017

Why did Al apologize?

Evidence is emerging that the charges against Franken were a set-up from the beginning.

See here.

And here.

And here.

And here.

If Franken was smeared, why did he apologize? He had to. Leeann Tweeden could have said "Al Franken turned me into a newt" and Franken would have had no choice but to say: "I'm extremely sorry for turning Leeann into a newt. In recent times, we've all learned a great lesson about male privilege and non-consensual animal transformation."

Liberals fell into a trap: They stupidly locked themselves into the position that women are always right. The blind acceptance of the Believe Women movement prevented all but the bravest from arguing (as I did) that some women -- for example, Juanita Broaddrick, Kathleen Willey and Paula Jones -- are as untrustworthy as any man. As a moment's thought will tell you, this situation invites all sorts of Roger Stonian mischief.

That's why I've been wary of the Believe Women movement from the beginning, even though I felt certain that Weinstein was a genuine creep. These cultural fads and manias always start and end the same way: At first, a genuine problem takes hold of the public imagination -- and within a few weeks, the whole thing turns into Goody Proctor is a witch. From Salem to Satanic panic, it's a very American tradition.

Added note: You can't accuse me of having double standards for liberals. I also wrote an unpopular piece arguing against the veracity of Roy Moore accuser Beverly Young Nelson. (Again: It's physically impossible to lock someone in a car that uses manual locks.)

Added note 2: Why did the Trumpers embrace a crusade against sexual abuse when Trump himself is guilty of sexual abuse? For the same reason the swiftboaters attacked John Kerry's war record. Republicans never shrink from accusing opponents of a sin of which they themselves are guilty.

Of course Leann's credibility suffers from the fact that she is a Trump supporter and a Hannity associate. It's perfectly fair to make that statement, and a hearty fuck you to anyone who argues otherwise. Get this into your head: We are facing a vast, right-wing conspiracy. Yes, I dare call it that. The conspirators are a ruthless bunch, willing to tell any lie. They are not human. Do not believe them even when they tell you that the sky is blue and the grass is green.

As I've said before: James O'Keefe could not have smeared Acorn without a female co-conspirator. Bring that up the next time someone tries to sell you on the idea that all women are incapable of lying.

Added note 3: Many Americans can't name a single Supreme Court Justice. This amusing piece by Ohio State Supreme Court Justice Bill O'Neill reveals that he has slept with some 50 women over the years -- to which I say: Good on you, Bill. In one stroke, he has become more memorable than most of the US Supreme Court Justices.

Naturally, some feminists are castigating O'Neill as an awful, awful Penismonster. To the more extreme feminists, any heterosexual male who likes sex is a rapist. On the other hand, any woman who has slept with more than 50 men is simply expressing her personhood, and she should feel free to name in public any of the men she has been with, whenever and wherever she chooses (but she may still need counseling because she does not yet understand that gay is the way).

Looking back and doing the math, my score is eight and done. And I count myself pretty damned lucky, considering my ugliness and poverty and unconventional attitudes toward hygiene and sartorial elegance. All of those women were (and are) brilliant and fascinating and just plain wonderful. I'm very grateful they came into my life, even the ones who somehow managed to be even weirder than me.

You may now accuse me of being just another awful, awful Penismonster: "He's an abuser! A rapist! Just like Bill Clinton! Him fuck! Him bad! BAD MAN! BAD MAN!"

23 comments:

joseph said...

O'Neill is on the Ohio Supreme Court.

Joseph Cannon said...

I caught it before you posted. Thanks though.

Anonymous said...


If Al Franken resigns, feminist author argues, women would be worse off — not better
http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2017/11/17/if-al-franken-resigns-feminist-author-argues-women-would-be-worse-off-not-better/

meanwhile...
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/360992-conflicting-reports-surface-on-kushners-knowledge-of-wikileaks

Alessandro Machi said...

If the sloppy kiss never happened, then it would also take having the picture of Tweeden being groped having been photoshopped with her eyes closed when maybe they were open, or are some saying that Franken was photoshopped into the picture?

AS for lovers, women are supposedly not as good at math and some may be surprised to realize they have slept with a few dozen men in their lifetime even if every relationship where they slept with someone lasted at least 3 to 6 months.

Once one hits 40, those who never married or had a long term affair could suddenly have a couple dozen lovers. So shaming anyone for having 50 lovers is silly if that person never married and is now in their 50's or older.

I personally think Franken did the grope as a joke gone wrong and probably did stick his tongue down her throat hoping he would get lucky. Nobody has asked if either was married at the time, isn't that biggest issue of all?

Women grope men's privates at parties on occasion to cut through the small talk, but was Tweeden or Franken married at the time of their encounters?

Alessandro Machi said...

Joseph, I thought I wrote a rather convincing article on how Bill Clinton actually treated Monica Lewinsky better than the FBI, Kenneth Starr, and the Republican 12 and therefore maybe it's time to no longer use the Lewinsky affair to somehow prove he took advantage of her. Lewinsky actually initiated the affair so I am not sure why you would even mention Clinton, assuming you saw my article.

Susan said...

Joseph, I read your blog every day and love your thoughts and information always. However, I must take issue with you as you state someone can open manual locks on an older car. Having survived being that sixteen year old girl in a car with a trusted person who was a "grown-ass man", I can emphatically say that if this monster has his left arm around a smallish girl's right shoulder and his hands on her throat, then no, she cannot open that manually-locked door. This I say from memories from over 50 years ago and yes, I remember this like it was yesterday! I watched Beverly Young Nelson's story and thought at the time "This is me too." Watch the entire interview as the clips on the news did not tell the entire story.

Joseph Cannon said...

Susan, first, I'm sorry if that happened to you. Second, I still have a hard time visualizing it. I know that sounds cruel and pigheaded, but honestly, from a purely practical standpoint, I don't see what stops a 16 year-old child (not a small child) from moving her right hand to the lock knob, which is only INCHES away. Even if there were two assailants (one in the front seat, one in back) trying to hold her in place, she can still move her right hand a few inches.

I will of course grant that it can be very difficult to think clearly.

Look, I don't know how to prove the point other than to conduct an experiment. And I'm not about to do that, personally. Perhaps some reader will...? Just make sure that everyone involved in the experiment does so with a full understand of what's going on!

I saw Beverly speak a couple of times. Her tears reminded me of the women I interviewed in the 1990s who bawled their eyes out as they described the Satanic ceremonies to which they had been taken. If that sounds cynical -- well, my experience talking to such people taught me to be cynical.

Anonymous said...

Al Franken apologized because he's a wuss. He didn't do anything wrong. He's a comedian. He made a funny. She's wearing body armour. He didn't grab her boobs. He apologized because like the Democratic Party as a whole he is pussy-whipped... Can I say that in 2017 even if it is true? The typical knee jerk reaction of Democrats is to go haywire and mob maul their own guy destroying him leaving the Republican opponent unscathed and still standing. Like the stereotypical "histrionic" response of women in all those movies of the 40s and 50s when they get into trouble and forego all logic and just go batshit while the stereotypical male steps in to save the day and sets her straight...... Thought that was all in the past... Maybe not..... No logical thought about what Al Franken actually did or didn't do, just a spasmic histrionic response from a large swathe of Democrats demanding he go fuck himself and die. Maybe it's the Russians stirring shit up? I don't know, I think it's just Democrats acting stupid. Is Roy Moore in the news anymore? I don't think so. Airwaves full of Democrats self-flagellating.

As Yoda once said "This is why you fail Muthafuckas!"

Alessandro Machi said...

Also depends on where the car was parked. If the car door ended up next to a bush then the door could not be opened, if the car was parked on an uneven road where gravity would push the door shut, that too would be enough to prevent the door from being opened. I haven't followed which car was used but in the 70's electric locks were being used and I could see a pretentious assistant DA wanting the electric lock version, the deluxe version of a car that might have been offered as an add on, no?

Tom said...

Looks the line being taken by the NY Times is that Franken should resign.

Pipsqueak guy, Peter Cook?, on MSNBC yesterday explaining how the questions posed by the (in fact long disproved) accusations by women against Bill Clinton could be right or not. And Michelle Goldberg op-ed Saturday morning.

If they weren't the last paper in the country "worth reading" I'd cancel.

in re: car doors.
I still remember Chevy doors not opening if the lock was held down.

Unknown said...

Since it’s Rush Limbaugh that makes the same argument that automatic door locks weren’t on 1977 cars, I’m inclined to agree with Susan. https://70news.wordpress.com/2017/11/15/rush-limbaugh-roy-moore-accusers-beverly-young-nelson-locked-in-car-in-1977-cars-child-lock-started-eighties/

OTE admin said...

Al Franken has been married to wife Franni Bryson for 42 years. Both are 66 years old. They have two children.

I am 62 years old, female, and never married, and I can say that having 50 lovers during the course of a lifetime is an outlier. It boggles the mind anybody would have that many. Most never-marrieds don't have near that many lovers in the course of a lifetime. Real life intervenes. Relationships take up a lot of time and energy, even casual ones.

Joseph Cannon said...

Statists Rus, I don't follow Rush, so I was unaware that anyone else had made that point about the locks. Having THAT guy for company in this controversy makes me feel queasy. But logic is logic. I'm sorry, but we all must judge according to our own experience. In my experience, it's just not very difficult to reach for the lock knob on the passenger side and to pull it up. The lock knob was only inches away from Beverly's right hand, whereas Moore would have had to reach pretty far to put his hand on it. If he kept his hand on it throughout the encounter, he could not have done the other things described.

I suppose it is possible that a panicked girl might not have been thinking straight. It is also possible but unlikely that something blocked the door as Alessandro suggests. I say "unlikely" because one would think that Beverly might mention that detail.

Frankly, I think the most damaging accusations against Moore were 1. The original WP piece involving a woman who was then fourteen, and 2. The very credible reporting that shopping mall security was told to watch out for the guy. Beverly may be a ringer, intended to decredibilize the others.

I'm concerned about the involvement of Allred. She fell also for the "Katie Johnson" story -- another ringer, in my opinion. Something weird may be going on with Allred, but I don't have any theories as to what that "something" might be.

Anon -- first, I wish you would take on a nick of some sort. Second:

"He apologized because like the Democratic Party as a whole he is pussy-whipped... Can I say that in 2017 even if it is true?"

I don't use that language, and I'm fairly profane and blunt-spoken.

I think that the truth is that Franken was trapped by the Believe Women movement, which has taught all liberals that only an awful person would ever question anything said by any female. This movement began well, addressing genuine issues, and then it devolved into yet another replay of the Salem Witch hysteria.

Actually, I woke up this morning thinking about Salem, particularly about the "visionary girls" whose accusations created the furor. Their behavior calls to mind other alleged paranormal cases. When you read about those girls, you'll be reminded of "possession" stories, and of the adolescents at the heart of poltergeist stories. Naturally, I'd like to find a single scientific explanation for the behavior displayed in all such occurrences.

In the case of the visionary girls of Salem, the standard science-y explanation is that the whole thing stemmed from a case of ergot poisoning. Bread gone bad. Ergot causes hallucinations, and has caused problems elsewhere.

Here's the problem: EVERYBODY eats bread. So why were these girls the only ones affected?

That's the poser I was thinking about when I woke up this morning.

Honestly, it always seemed to me that the visionary girls were almost "getting off" -- in a sexual sense -- from their delusions of persecution. And the men in authority who enabled them also seemed to have a sublimated sexual subtext to their actions.

I read my first book about Salem ("The Devil in Massachusetts;" can't recall the author) when I was a young. That work had quite an impact on me. It taught me to be skeptical whenever these waves of panic and moral outrage hit a society.

iwarmonger0 said...

Power locks were available as an extra starting in 1956. It is entirely possible Moore had power locks. And I do not think she is lying about what happened. I do think the accusations against Franken are bull and being hampered by a spineless Democratic party who have decided that ALL rape cases are true regardless of facts. Clinton was investigated TO DEATH back in the 90's. His alleged rape cases are NOT credible for multiple reasons. We are dangerously close to another Salem Witch Trial which as a New Englander, I know a lot about. Every sexual assault case should be looked at, but not believed with no facts behind it. People like Jeffrey Tambor, Ryan Seacrest, Sly Stallone and George Takei have all been accused lately with little to no evidence to support any of the allegations. Russia bots are helping to further these fake stories. Trust nothing you read anymore. Most of it is lies, thus the reason as reality can no longer be known, our fates are sealed and we are doomed.

Joseph Cannon said...

iwar, as I've said before, Beverly has already established that no power locks were involved. "He reached around and locked the door..." Her exact words, if I recall correctly. Power locks are locked from driver's side; no reaching necessary.

Come on. The people who want to believe I'm wrong keep bringing up the same objections which I keep knocking down. The game is getting tiresome. Look, I know that you were affected by Beverly's tears: That's a natural human reaction. We all get upset when we see a woman weeping. As person (a female person) once told me, a woman's tears are more powerful than the H-bomb.

But I've had some very hard experience in this area. As you may know, I once tried to research a book about SRA claims, which I initially took very seriously. That imbroglio hardened my attitude. When a woman turns on the waterworks, I turn skeptic. I've encountered women who looked and sounded exactly like Beverly when they described how their parents forced them to take part in evil rituals.

The visionary girls at Salem were pretty weepy as well.

Anonymous said...

Joseph, It is pretty easy to doubt a woman who says she was physically blocked from exiting a car, when she is being groped and restrained, the guy locks the door on passenger side- but you have to be in that physical & emotional situation to know the truth.

The fact is it was a very long time ago -she may not remember or be revealing it all in exact detail, for that reason alone. BUT-- she was not the first to speak about his sexual abuse.
She came out after 3 others were approached by the Washington Post, when they were in their town and heard rumors about these incidents. I don't know if you are familiar with small town talk, but if a national reporter is digging around as they probably were- it is not uncommon for whispers about past sins to make their way to reporters. They interviewed 30 people to verify these stories, though.
One of these incidents is supported by other people the young girl confided in at the time. Mooew sexually pursued a 14 year old girl, knowing full well she was only 14. This incident shaped the woman she became, and that is the saddest part in all of this. To me -that is far worse than what he did with Nelson, because it wasn't a one time offense. He did this over a course of time, which impacted her life far worse. Moore knowingly committed a crime -punishable by up to 10 years in jail. He was the DA and so he knew the law, undoubtedly. He screwed with a young girl psychologically and this changed the path of her life.

Here's the original article (note-Breitbart is trying to poke holes in her story, because the Washington Post said she spoke to him on her phone in her bedroom. The phone could reach into her bedroom, but it was not "her phone" it was the house phone. Easy mistake to make, but if you want to doubt it, there you are). https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/woman-says-roy-moore-initiated-sexual-encounter-when-she-was-14-he-was-32/2017/11/09/1f495878-c293-11e7-afe9-4f60b5a6c4a0_story.html?utm_term=.5cf724e912fe

Anonymous said...

Jesus Christ, Jospeh and Mary... In the 70s and 80s you do know that some cars had push down locks at the passengers right shoulder? If the lock was at her shoulder and he was power grabbing for a kiss it is tough to crane your hand around to your right shoulder to open a lock.

IMTMFS

Anonymous said...

Oh Snap! #TrumpSexPredator hashtag starting to trend on Twitter. Someone lock up the nuke codes so Humper Dump doesn't start a nuclear distraction!

Anonymous said...

It appears the #TrumpSexPredator hashtag seems to have picked up steam right about the same time Trump attacked Al Franken over the boob grab photos? LOL. Karma at work folks. Or maybe Darwin's law.

Anonymous said...

Al Franken's accuser looking to be a Roger Stone fraud... Videos of those USO tours now coming out showing Ms. Tweeden slapping Robin Williams and other dudes on ass and joyfully dry humping guys. She's not as offended as she pretends to be. Did Al set her up like he did Jeffy boy by calling for an investigation? Silly Rightwingers, Tricks are for Kidz. LOL

IMTMFS

Marc McKenzie said...

You may now accuse me of being just another awful, awful Penismonster: "He's an abuser! A rapist! Just like Bill Clinton! Him fuck! Him bad! BAD MAN! BAD MAN!"

Nope, not doing that, Joseph. I may disagree with you on some things, but I am glad that a) you have this site and b) that you are raising questions. The fact that Roger Stone's got a few fingerprints on this has set off my warning bells. You did warn us that the "#MeToo" movement could be weaponized and also screwed up by the GOP and the Right. I will admit here and now that you were right to give us that warning.

And yes, there is a vast Right-wing conspiracy. Hillary spoke out about it in the 1990s and she was hammered by the media and some on the Left. She was right then, and she was right about Trump.

Gus said...

Well, I STILL think you are wrong about the car door lock issue. I think, considering the difference in size and the fact he was grabbing and holding her, she would have had great difficulty opening that door lock. Also, it's just possible she is not remembering ever detail perfectly.

That said, I agree with everything else you write here.

Anonymous said...

And so it begins. Here we go...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5090399/Bill-Clinton-accused-sexual-assault-four-women.html

http://dailycaller.com/2017/11/19/exclusive-bill-clinton-still-silent-about-flights-on-pedophiles-sex-plane/