and then there's this from Lindsey Graham.....

[a kennedy]

Indeed, some lawmakers seemed to suggest Franken really didn't realize he was doing anything wrong at the time. "If you're doing something you thought was (wrong), you wouldn't take a photo of it," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/11/16/analysis-when-comes-al-franken-assault-allegations-congress-appears-united/871701001/

[PJMcK]

1. I hate it when I agree with Lindsey (n/t)

[raccoon]

22. He's one of my two Republican senators.

Once in a while, he does say something that makes very good sense.

[uponit7771]

2. Isn't there two people who were there claiming the photo was staged and she was faking sleep?

There's something wrong with this whole bit after Stone preempted this whole thing.

[brewens]

7. It could be she was fun and flirtatious all throughout the road trip and really liked Al.

It wouldn't be the first time a woman was also right in the middle of clowning around with sexual innuendo. I had a woman that was our blood mobile lead on the bus one time joking around about how her husband loves it that, "I'm so tight!" I'm pretty quick and gave her kind of a puzzled look and said, "they all seem tight to me!" That cracked her up! She was my supervisor on blood drives some days depending on the scheduling. We were buddies and knew each other were cool about that kind of thing. It's not always wrong. Sometimes it's adults having fun. Something like that could easily be the real context of that pic with Al. Al would just need to know he had witnesses willing to back him up if that were the case. His straight forward apology may have been the best way to play it to get something out right away.

[blueinredohio]

3. That's what I said you don't ham it up for the camera if you're trying to assault someone

[marylandblue]

4. Trump might, but normal people don't

[marble falls]

17. Haven't you seen footage of the gang rape from Stubenville a few years back?

Not equating Franken to that in any way shape or form, I think Franken has been pilloried enough and I cannot wait until it comes out conclusively that she was in on the photograph.

But assaulters do take photos and do act gleeful over their victimizations. And they do document it.

[C_U_L8R]

5. It's obviously a posed shot

And I don't believe for a second that she was sleeping... plus she's wearing freaking Kevlar. Maybe it was a tasteless joke and who knows about the kiss. How many stage kisses get a little tongue? Hmm.

[George II]

12. Many women that accuse men of assault are honest, sincere, and....

....their stories are true.

This story about the kiss smells. She claims that (not exact quote) "just before we went on stage we were alone"? Those USO shows have lots of people setting up, running lights, arranging wardrobes, and just milling around backstage, especially just minutes before the show started or their segment started.

It's virtually impossible for any two people to be "alone" at that time.

[cannabis_flower]

21. You know..

there is something that really can prevent someone putting their tongue in your mouth. They're called teeth. I have used them a number of times to prevent that.

[treestar]

6. Ever seen them trying to hang it onto Biden?

Over things that happened in public and were on video? Really desperate.

[patricia92243]

8. In the picture, his left hand shows he is not actually touching the breast. I assume

it is the same for the right hand.

Inappropriate but not illegal.

[nocalflea]

9. Graham's pretty canny. But,

I expect adult behavior from adults. This reminded me of a middle school type of thing.

[YessirAtsaFact]

14. He was a comedian at the time

I’m sure the USO tour was frightening, boring and exhausting.

People do stupid stuff, like staging a tasteless photo, in situations like that just to get a laugh and to relieve the tension.

[Corgigal]

10. and then give it to the "victim"

Hey, while you were asleep.....

[Cryptoad]

13. But did he grab her putty??????

[NastyRiffraff]

15. I guess it would have been okay if he had

After all, the president* did it

[dawg]

16. And when you're a star, they let you do it.

[saidsimplesimon]

18. Senator Graham

is saying "Much ado about nothing". I agree.

[RedSpartan]

19. Lindsey and Al are friends, and I agree with Lindsey.

Honestly, the guy drives me nuts half the time and the other half I find myself, if not agreeing, at least understanding where he's coming from. He's not a tea partier or Trumper; I think he's at heart actually a decent, fairly moderate Republican (at least for a guy from South Carolina). Not much use for him into today's GOP, sadly.

[nocalflea]

20. Yep. Me too.

And Graham isn't having any part of this game.