They are absolutely right, though there will no doubt be a round of whataboutism if the allegations are borne out. Democrats will point out that Donald Trump was elected and survived in office despite being accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women.
For Democrats, there will likely be conflicting impulses when it comes to how quickly and decisively to move. As the #MeToo era dawned, many began to regret having stood by then-President Bill Clinton when he was found to have had an illicit affair with an intern. Gillibrand said the “appropriate response” would have been to demand his resignation. On the other hand, the general consensus among Democrats is that they acted too precipitously against Franken.
The right thing to do is simple: Look at the evidence, not the politics. If there is a scant upside to all of this, it might be that it suggests that women themselves no longer believe that such behavior by powerful men should be tolerated. What is depressing, however, is that the message has not gotten through to too many of the men themselves.
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