“60 Minutes” Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi did a feature story on NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand tonight (video and transcript here) which christened her the “#MeToo Senator.”
There was some basic bio stuff — pics of her as a girl, visit to her childhood home, chat with her mom, how she came to be a Senator — but most of the story was about how she was ready when the #MeToo movement arose last year. Because she had been working on sexual harassment/violence issues for years.
Gillibrand was the first Senator to call for Al Franken to resign after multiple allegations of unwanted sexual touching, and Alfonsi pressed her about that:
Sharyn Alfonsi: But you're a lawyer. You believe in due process. Why not allow--
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: He's entitled to as much due process as he wants. He doesn't ever have to resign. That's his choice.
Sharyn Alfonsi: But it-- it feels so--
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: And my choice is to speak out.
Sharyn Alfonsi: But it feels like, to be accused right now, is to be convicted.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: That's not right. That's not true. One of my colleagues recently was accused of something. Not only did he call the police, but there'll be an investigation.
Sharyn Alfonsi: But-- what is the harm in-- in waiting and letting all of the facts come out and-- to-- going into an investigation? Where is the harm in that?
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: Where's my moral compass if I can't speak out just because I like someone? Just because they're my friend? It's okay to be a harasser as long as you're my friend? That is not okay.
It’s no wonder Gillibrand’s national profile has risen around this issue. She’s not only been working on it (mostly on ways to stop the military and colleges from covering up and blaming the victim), but she also can effectively articulate it.
Watch and read the whole thing. There’s a lot more in there about a very possible Democratic presidential or vice presidential nominee in 2020.
My favorite:
We are here to help people. We are here to put others first, to live a day in their shoes, to understand what their life is like and try to make it better.
We certainly need more of that “moral compass” in Washington.