Shock and Denial Re Sen. Al Franken's Sexual Assault Allegations

I had just finished Al Franken's latest book, "Giant of the Senate," loved it, stifled my laughter while my husband slept, and contributed $30 to Franken's campaign when he was accused of sexual assault. I was horrified and saddened when Leeann Tweeden told her story about Sen. Al Franken's sexual assault on her. As she told it, she and Franken were on a USO tour overseas, and Franken had written a kiss scene into a skit they were to perform for the troops. He insisted on rehearsing the kiss. She didn't want to and didn't think they needed to. She argued with him ("Come on, Al. This isn't SNL!") but he kept insisting. Finally, he was alone with her and forcibly tongue-kissed her. She'd been planning to turn her head during the "rehearsal," but he came at her suddenly, put his hand behind her head, and forced her.

Afterward, she yelled at him to never do that again. He pouted and drew pictures of her with a devil's horns and tail. He was childishly vindictive throughout the rest of the trip. She took his photo of him groping (pretending to grope?) her breasts as his last retaliatory gesture, knowing she wouldn't see the photo until she was home again because she was asleep on the plane home when it happened.

Eight women have now come forward to complain of Franken's sexual assaults. A pattern of behavior has emerged. I'm not happy about his grab-and-assault pattern of behavior, but I believe those women. He "doesn't remember it that way" or just plain doesn't remember or denies the allegations. Or he didn't "intentionally" assault anyone.

What surprises me is how many Democrats are finding excuses, ways to minimize and deny his assaults. Even the New Yorker called him "a jerk" as opposed to a predator. A man whose intellect I respect preferred the term "sexual touching" to sexual assault. A whole tableful of union guys were indignant that Sen. Franken was forced to resign. Men and women at the Facebook website "We the People" are posting framed photos of Sen. Franken and predicting he'll hook up with Bernie Sanders and save us all. Actually, Sen. Bernie Sanders was one of the many senators who insisted that Al Franken resign.

I am shocked at how widespread the minimization and denial is. I know denial isn't just a river in Egypt, but I really wish that Democrats would be, could be different from the Republicans who support U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, the accused pedophile.

Is it just about tribalism? Is there no moral compass that transcends what party we belong to? Is it about letting time pass? Maybe people need time to assimilate the fact that one of our heroes, a man who could have presumed to run for president, had these allegations not occurred, has feet of clay. He is, in fact, a sexual predator. So was Bill Clinton, so is Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), and so are the liberals who have yet to be discovered.

Tom Ashbrook of National Public Radio (NPR) has been suspended for unspecified reasons. An investigation is underway. I've been telling my husband for at least a week that he was next. Never mind who else I think is next. I'm waiting to see if I'm right.