19 Comments

When are men who witness or learn in the good ole boy network about abuse of women in the work place going to speak up in defense of the women? Why aren't more men offering their testimony in support of women? Just as Trump proclaimed that he can "grab them...." and "they let me do it because I am a star," there is an element of men letting powerful men do it because they believe men will be men. This is a battle that women should not have to fight by themselves. I just do not believe that no other man knew what Cuomo was doing. By their silence, they condone the abuse.

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Republican men (and women) just adore the men who are accused of sexual harassment. They think these men are ‘sexy’ and doing what real men do. Their adoration is based on the hope that they’ll get away with it, too (men) or that someone will ‘harass them’ (women). Hence, they never apologize.

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As hellacious as this experience is for Cuomo, the 'punishment' he will face from his wife and daughters surely is the most painful of all...

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I don't believe he's currently married. He and Kerry Kennedy were divorced in 2005. However, they do indeed have three daughters.

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And Al Franken—they crucified him for comedy pics. Meanwhile, the Repugs kill people (“everyone has to die sometime,” said Marjorie Taylor Green) with their dereliction of duty, lies & disinformation; they steal, they don’t pay their taxes, they whore around with teenagers.

Did any of those women immediately confront Cuomo? Nope. WHY NOT??? Don’t give me crap about fear of losing the job; the dishonesty goes both ways. Set your limits and move on from there.

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As in "there are good people on both sides"? Why blame the women?

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As a longtime feminist, and a rather radical one who can talk a good line about systemic sexism, intersectionality, and the rest of it, I still don't understand these Democratic guys who carry on as if (1) no one's going to find out about it, and (2) if it does get out they can finesse the consequences and come out on top. It's been, what, at least two full generations since public figures had seriously private lives. Social media wasn't invented yesterday: we've had time to adjust, and anyone whose power depends in part on their public reputation should have adjusted fastest of all. The #MeToo movement called such widespread attention to sexual harassment, and in general Democrats and those who vote Democratic tend to take this stuff much more seriously than Republicans. And yet Eliot, Eric, and now Andrew carried on regardless. The arrogance of privilege explains a lot, but given what was at stake -- not only reputation but considerable power -- why didn't their left brains kick in to weigh the risks and say "Uh, no -- bad idea"? There seems to be some degree of compulsive behavior involved here, overriding the rational warnings. All my adult life I've heard some people, including some women, argue that men are helpless in the face of their sexual desires. I think this is total BS. If it isn't -- well, men who have no control over their sexual desires shouldn't hold public office.

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You expect some sort of logic...try arguing against racism with a Trumpster.

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No, I don't "expect some sort of logic". I do seek to understand the actions of others, esp. people who are, at least to some extent, on "my side". I'll happily talk about (e.g.) dogs, horses, the weather with Trump supporters, but racism? Talking about racism or sexism with white liberal or progressive men is challenging enough, and I value my time.

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NB: I deleted the original and then re-posted because I needed to add a couple of missing words. ;-)

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All Cuomo had to do was declare a switch to the Republican Party...easy peasy!

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I don't know a single woman who has not experienced some form of this in the workplace. It's especially terrifying for those who are very young and just getting started in their careers. The power directed at them, the intimidation and the constant fear are immeasurable. And it has no bounds...these men do not care if the woman is married, in a relationship, or single. They are merely prey. That this seems so prevalent and excusable in one political party is somewhat in keeping with their "morality" - it's all about me, me, me.

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In my 30 years as a university professor (and considered quite attractive as a younger, single woman) I never even once experienced sexual harassment. To this day I have no idea what I did I didn’t do that produced that result.

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Yes exactly right. Where is the outrage from the Republicans (like my congressperson) about what Trump has done? He has done much worse.

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They don't care, must be fake news, remember?

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When did abuse and harassment became ONLY a political matter? If you're a Democrat, you’re vilified. Republican, not only vindicated but elected to the Presidency or appointed to the Supreme Court. What a country! Scum is scum no matter what side of the aisle it springs from.

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The self-defeating moral over-zealousness of the Dems never ceases to amaze me. They destroyed Al Frankenstein over basically nothing. And now Cuomo, over what sounds like very little compared to what GOP men routinely do with no consequences. With one voice the party should have roared: “Cuomo will resign when tRump goes to prison for his infinitely worse sexual behavior!” The GOP is laughing its collective ass off at the way the Dems destroy their own.

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Judith, about this issue I cannot agree with your position. Harassment and abuse of women is not about political parties. To defend Cuomo, to argue that his abuse is less abusive than some other prick is an insult to women. Should women now be compelled to measure their distress in terms of the degree of the abuse compared to the abuse perpetrated by a different man. What would be the measuring scale? NONSENSE! And when does GOP laughter serve as a rational consideration?

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Auto correct made Franken into Frankenstein.🙄🥵

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