On Friday, the set of “Morning Joe” led what will likely become a growing conversation around the country — what to do with all these men behaving badley? With the latest allegations now coming against Sen. Al Franken, show regulars wondered where it would all end, and how society should deal with repentant transgressors.
“I think now we’re into the next step which is, we want women to speak out so me men that we’re going to speak out and they will not behave that way,” said Republican strategist Susan Del Percio. “Then following that — after probably after a generation of fear, honestly — is that we see that they simply do not behave like that because they know it’s not acceptable.”
Del Percio’s grim prediction of a “generation of fear” was prompted by questioning from co-host Mika Brzezinski, who seemed to take a more sympathetic line.
“What’s the goal? We have a friend of the show who is no longer on his show because of his behavior, which he admits and he apologizes for. Al Franken apologizes,” said Brzezinski. “I’m not being ideological. I’m not siding with anybody. I believe the women, but what are we doing with these apologies?”
“Who’s the judge the jury and the cops in all these cases? Because right now, if the story is big enough and flies enough, the career is over,” she added.
The atmosphere on set revealed what has been a bubbling conversation in offices, newsrooms and Hollywood studios — which at least one anonymous Hollywood executive compares to the “terror” of the French revolution.
“There is fear even of acknowledging the fear,” wrote Guardian reporter Rory Carroll of the climate in Hollywood.
“Several industry figures compared the climate to a witch-hunt, another called it Robespierre-style terror, but they declined to be named lest they be seen as insufficiently sympathetic to victims.”