I think it’s ridiculous that we would litigate this stuff through the media. The only facts I know are the ones the media sends my way, and to be honest the number of male bylines on Franken stories alleging groping make me skeptical that they understand the difference between “degradingly photographed as the butt of…

Yes, the status quo and I have teamed up to defeat hyperbole and embellishment. It’s thankless work, but there you go.

In what universe is “proceed to the Ethics Committee” a free pass?

He deserves to go to the Ethics Committee. We need to stop doing trial-by-media bullshit.

You’re not bewildered, you’re pretending not to get it to protect someone on your political side. Be less obvious about it next time.

Maybe it’s not assault, maybe the intent wasn’t pervy, but something still went wrong enough to make her feel that uncomfortable about it.

That photo appears to show him touching her breasts while she is asleep. It’s gross.

Franken: Kisses a woman in a scripted scene though it’s unknown if she ever told him she didn’t want to do the kiss.

This is well thought-out and hits on some of the areas I’ve been skating around. You’re right about discussing the blocking of a kiss, you’re right about the non-actor bit, you’re right about the tongue (though I actually wonder how much of that was “this is funny” and how much of that was him getting impatient with…

I am really tired of the “he wasn’t ACTUALLY touching her in the photo” defense. It doesn’t matter.

As others have said, writers put stuff like this into scripts for their own sake. He didn’t listen as she begged off.

The woman claims she made it clear she didn’t want him to kiss her and he forced his tongue in her mouth. It it’s true, it’s assault.

They’re all wrong, stop trying to engage in a race to the bottom.

This wasn’t a production, it was a hokey skit. SNL doesn’t force guests to kiss if they don’t want it. Why should the USO?

It seems clear from her story that she wanted to avoid the kiss, and that he pushed her beyond what is normally expected and what she indicated she was comfortable with.

I genuinely don’t understand both the “forcibly kissed” and “groped” parts of the Franken story. The photo is goddamn stupid, but doesn’t show contact so isn’t groping - fucking insulting and demeaning, yes, but not sexual assault.

Franken: scripts a kiss, rehearses the kiss, scene partner objects to extent of kiss

Agreed. I love Al, but these actions are unacceptable. Sexual Assault is Sexual Assault.

He deserves this shaming. After all she had to be shamed for his shots and giggles, it’s only fair.

However, we also have to remember the photo isn’t the worst part of the story. Her account of what happened in the rehearsal is far more disturbing to me, and if she voted differently than I did, it doesn’t change whether I believe her.