“How dare anyone grab my breasts like this and think it’s funny?”- Leeann Tweeden

The day “the Franken photo” was made public, my heart broke. I had followed Mr. Franken’s political career, and was aware of the tremendous amount of good he had done, and to reconcile the two was beyond my scope. My immediate feeling was, “This terrible event can’t easily be explained or forgiven.”

However, I confess that I grew confused about “the photo” which was the beginning of the end for Franken, and decided to consider the photo itself rather than the politics of either party, and attempt to focus entirely on the forensic aspect.

First and foremost, there appear to be shadows under all Franken’s (visible) fingers, indicating a gap or distance rather than contact. (Am I mistaken?) I agree Franken’s “joke” is in extremely poor taste regardless of which instance may indeed be the case. Still, I suspect most people will agree one scenario is far less deserving of the ensuing result than the other. True, there could be further contact not captured in photos, but knowing that moment was being photographed (made obvious by Franken’s goofy grin directed at the camera), certainly being as still as possible to prevent any blurring would seem to be the goal. This would be made even more difficult by the moving aircraft (and fatigue), and doing so while obviously not utilizing the more stabilizing position of full-contact seems an impractical choice for a clearer photo from someone who had spent so many years in front of a camera professionally. (I suspect we can mostly agree that at least in this instance the repulsive “joke” was the goal rather than sexual assault.)

Also, being male may add to my forensics questions, and possibly others can assist. Apparently Ms. Tweeden had no knowledge of this event while it took place. No doubt fatigue was an issue for all participants in this USO tour, and things that may seem funny or appropriate while rested may feel very different when severely fatigued. (Particularly fatigue so extreme that Ms. Tweeden seems to have slept through the event in the photo, and in fact she may not be any more aware of the full truth of the contact than any of us. Certainly that’s true if we are all (including Ms. Tweeden) using this same source photo to make all determinations in the matter.) As a male, I have no experience of the feasibility of sleeping while one’s breasts are being “grabbed”. (Not touched or grazed or caressed or held, but grabbed, in Ms. Tweeden own terminology.) At least in this photo there seems to be no grabbing, or other obvious contact.

In actuality, all this may be moot. Numerous other instances of inappropriate behavior arose soon after involving too many other women to be ignored. And if the question of why Mr. Franken gave in so easily to Ms. Tweeden’s claims without investigation should arise, the shear volume of seemingly legitimate claims involving other women may be the answer.

Thank you. (Seeking answers, not conflict.)