al franken didn't even DO what he was accused of doing and he saw what his party would suffer if he stayed in office. he graciously backed out, even though he SHOULD have had an investiation (which he requested repeatedly and never got) and been exonerated. he didn't even have assurance his replacement would be a democrat, yet he did what he had to do. northam's position is clearer: he does not deny his bad behavior, he admits it WAS bad behavior, he makes (because he has) no excuse for it (to his credit, he doesn't claim that it's okay because he was young, which actually he wasn't), he has a good democrat waiting and ready to take the helm, and the ONLY thing standing in the way of his resignation is his concern for his own career. he has no reason not to resign; he has every reason to resign, and immediately. if franken, who was innocent, could make that sacrifice, northam should be doubly eager to make it. it must be awfully disappointing to have campaigned for him as you did, and trusted that he was the kind of man he presented himself to be. it has to be disappointing that on top of that, he won't do the right thing.

g