For Immediate Release
October 19, 2012
Contact:
Tim Buckley
POLITO: AS WARREN CAMPAIGNS WITH WALKING POSTER-BOY FOR MISOGYNY, SHE NEEDS TO DENOUNCE FRANKEN’S ANTI-WOMEN COMMENTS
BOSTON – As Professor Warren hits the campaign trail today with Al Franken, the controversial former comedian turned U.S. Senator, Karyn Polito, a former state representative from Shrewsbury and 2010 candidate for state treasurer, issued the following statement on his offensive anti-women remarks:
“You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep, and Professor Warren is campaigning today with Al Franken, who is a walking poster-boy for misogyny. Franken has made a career out of lewd and highly offensive statements about women, including outrageous references to rape and sexual assault. Even leading Democrat women in Minnesota have denounced Franken’s out-of-bounds comments as ‘disturbing’ and ‘highly inappropriate.’ Elizabeth Warren needs to use this occasion to make it clear to Al Franken that his comments are out of line and not funny at all."
Franken Joked About The Rape Of A 60 Minutes Reporter
Franken Joked About The Rape Of A 60 Minutes Reporter. “Meanwhile, Republicans heaped another log on the fire Thursday by unearthing a 1995 New York magazine article that mentioned Franken discussing a possible ‘Saturday Night Live’ skit involving ‘60 Minutes.’ The skit idea centered on a sedative pill bottle found in essayist Andy Rooney’s desk. According to the article, during a brainstorming session, Franken, adopting a Rooney-like voice, suggested several possible lines for the Rooney character: ‘And “I give the pills to Lesley Stahl. Then when Lesley’s passed out, I take her to the closet and rape her.”’” (Patricia Lopez, Kevin Diaz, Kevin Duchschere, “Road To DFL Nomination Gets Bumpier For Franken,” Star Tribune, [Minneapolis, MN], 6/6/08)
Franken Joked About Killing Baby Girls And Lesbians, And Made Sexual References To Former AG Janet Reno And Senator Hillary Clinton
Franken Joked About Killing Baby Girls And Lesbians, And Made Sexual References To Former AG Janet Reno And Senator Hillary Clinton. “In their letter, Brod and Wergin presented eight other examples of Franken's words, which they said ridiculed the plight of Afghan women, joked about killing baby girls and lesbians, and made sexual references to such female officials as former Attorney General Janet Reno and U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton.” (Dennis Lien, “GOP Points To More Franken Writings,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, 6/2/08)
Franken Joked About The Poor Treatment Of Afghan Women
Franken Made Light Of The Treatment Of Afghan Women Saying “Why Don't We Focus On What Afghan Women Can Do? They Can Cook, Bear Children And Pray. As I Recall, That Was Fine For Our Grandmothers.” “The event, co-hosted at the W New York Hotel by Glamour magazine and the Feminist Majority Foundation, attracted such A-list women as Meryl Streep, Laura Dern, Melissa Etheridge, Marlo Thomas, Glamour editor in chief Bonnie Fuller and Al Franken, who bombed at the podium, especially with such jokes as, ‘Why don't we focus on what Afghan women can do? They can cook, bear children and pray. As I recall, that was fine for our grandmothers.’” (Mitchell Fink and Lauren Rubin, “Liza Wants To Be A Hit, Just Not A Huge One,” Daily News, [New York], 10/20/99)
Franken Wrote A Pornographic Article For Playboy Magazine
That A Democratic Congresswoman Called “Vulgar And Sexist”
Franken Wrote A Pornographic Article For Playboy Magazine That One Democratic Congresswoman Called “Indefensible.” “Then came news about an article he wrote for Playboy magazine in 2000 titled ‘Porn-O-Rama,’ in which he joked about his desire for oral sex and how his 12-year-old son used the Internet for a sixth-grade report on bestiality. … Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., said that when the Playboy article came to light congressional candidates faced the prospect of running on the ticket with someone ‘who has pornographic writings that are indefensible.’”
A Democratic Congresswoman Called Franken’s Playboy Article “Vulgar And Sexist.” “Franken already is under attack for an article he wrote for Playboy magazine in 2000. Critics, such as U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., have called the piece, headlined ‘Porn-O-Rama,’ vulgar and sexist.” (Dennis Lien, “GOP Points To More Franken Writings,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, 6/2/08)
Democratic Women Said Franken’s Comments Were “Beyond The Boundaries,” “Most Disturbing” And “Offensive And Highly Inappropriate”
Planned Parenthood Said It Would Be “Very Difficult” To Endorse Franken Because His Remarks Had Gone “Beyond The Boundaries” For Anyone Seeking Elective Office. “In an e-mail Tuesday that went out to most DFL legislators, Connie Perpich, Planned Parenthood senior legislative director, said the group’s political arm could find it ‘very difficult’ to endorse Franken, saying the comments had gone ‘beyond the boundaries’ for anyone seeking elective office.” (Patricia Lopez, Kevin Diaz, Kevin Duchschere, “Road To DFL Nomination Gets Bumpier For Franken,” Star Tribune, [Minneapolis, MN], 6/6/08)
Democratic Senator Amy Klochuchar Said Franken’s Remarks Were “Entirely Inappropriate.”“And U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar broke a week-long silence to urge Franken to acknowledge that the piece was ‘entirely inappropriate.’” (Patricia Lopez, Kevin Diaz, Kevin Duchschere, “Road To DFL Nomination Gets Bumpier For Franken,” Star Tribune, [Minneapolis, MN], 6/6/08)
A Minnesota Democratic State Legislator Who Had Supported Franken Said “Insensitivity And Poor Taste Are Not Even Strong Enough Terms.” “‘Clearly, what is not going to work for him is just continuing to say that he knows the difference between satire and being a senator,’ said Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul, who had counted herself a strong Franken supporter. ‘He was so charming and wonderful when I saw him interacting with students. I thought, “He excites a new generation and that’s so important.” But now this thing. I just don’t know. I think he has to say, “Boy, that was a stupid thing to do.” Insensitivity and poor taste are not even strong enough terms.’” (Patricia Lopez, Kevin Diaz, Kevin Duchschere, “Road To DFL Nomination Gets Bumpier For Franken,” Star Tribune, [Minneapolis, MN], 6/6/08)
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I wonder if our friends over at the Ozone will stop by to get Al's autograph.
Too FUNNY - what a maroon
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