Vitter Confronted On Voting Against Amendment 2588

Sen. Al Franken was the sponsor of Amendment 2588, of the Defense Department bill. The amendment would allow female defense contractor employees, that were sexually assaulted, to take their cases to civil courts. Companies such as Halliburton and KBR would be forbidden from doing business with the military, if they continued to force sexually assaulted women into arbitration. Jamie Leigh Jones is the inspiration for the Franken amendment.

David Vitter and 29 other Republicans voted against Amendment 2588. A woman, at a townhall meeting, asked Vitter how could he vote against the Franken amendment. The woman tells Vitter she is a rape victim. Vitter briefly talks to her without answering the question. A true profile in courage.

WOMAN: It meant everything to me that I was able to put the person who attacked me [behind bars]. And what allowed me to do that was our judicial process. I showed up in court every day to make sure that happen
VITTER: And I'm absolutely supportive of any case like that being prosecuted criminally to the full extent of the law.

WOMAN: But there are rape victims who are being kept silent.

WOMAN: But how can you support [a law] that tells a rape victim that she does not have the right to defend herself?

VITTER: Ma'am The language in question did not say that in any way shape or form.

WOMAN: But it is unconstitutional to have a law that says a woman does not have a right to defend herself.

VITTER: You realize Mr. Obama was against that amendment that his administration was against that amendment

WOMAN: But I'm not asking Obama. I'm asking you.

VITTER: Do you think he's in favor in rape?

WOMAN: I'm asking you Senator. What if it was your daughter who was raped? Would you tell her to be quiet and take it? Would you tell your daughter to be silent?

Does Vitter think this woman cares if President Obama agrees with him? Vitter looks at the world through partisan lenses. He can't vote without his party leaders telling him what to do. Vitter already has an image problem with women. Voting against the Franken amendment was political suicide.

Obama has been sending mix signals on the Franken amendment. If Obama doesn't support the amendment he deserves to get shit from women. Vitter's argues that if Democrat supports his wrongheaded position then it's okay if he is wrong. No, that just means two people are on the wrong side of the issue. We see which side the White House is on.