Transcript for GOP senator applauds #MeToo in emotional speech on sexual assault

Rise to say in public today what I've been discussing with many individual Nebraska this over the last seventeen days. About the meat to movement. The important me to movement. About a nation that is accelerating our descent into tribalism. And about our continuing decline. Here in the senate as a deliberative body. Or as a Nebraska woman put it of little more bluntly to me two nights ago a palace happening in my country. The Supreme Court confirmation vote. Isn't agree and choice about whether we love our daughters or whether we trust our sons that is not the choice before us. This is the consent decision about one person for one seat that although I've said many complimentary things about judge Brett Cavanaugh and his distinguished record of twelve years of service on the DC Circuit Court. I will say that I urge the president back in June and early July to make a different choice before he announced this nomination. Hires him to nominate a different individual I urge the president to nominate a woman. Part of my argument then was that the very important me to movement was also very new. And that the senate is not at all wall prepared to handle potential allegations of sexual harassment. An assault that might have come forward with the absent knowing a particular nominee. I believe that we have a widespread. Legacy of sexual assault in this country. I believe we don't have much of a shared sexual ethic right now and we haven't for quite some time and I think that horrible stuff has happened and continues to happen. I've wept with the victims of sexual assault. And I believe the advocacy groups dated at between 15 and 13 of American women have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives. I've had two dear dear friends who've been raped and it is an act from the pit of pop. People. Men and women are created. In the image of god and Margo day we say christianity. Sexuality is a deep and precious gift. It is an intimacy. Is a one that's that is to be shared and given never taken. Sex is big. Not small and you don't get a decided for someone else. The meat to movement of the complicated movement but it has been very good thing that far too often many girls and women have been told that their meat. They've been told this in word and indeed but their parts to be consumed. Rather than God's children to be cherished and respected and partner. My view. Is that the need to movement is gonna make some mistakes. It's gonna have some excesses but overall it's been an important and needed development a whole lot of brave women of stepped forward. And they've exposed their abusers have been some of the most powerful man in Hollywood and media in corporate America and elsewhere. He's woman did this it unthinkable professional and personal risk they deserve our respect. They also deserve not to have their progress co opted by the cynics who run this town. Their stories are not fodder for fundraising emails. The need to movement doesn't belong to the left or to the right heat. The need to movement belongs to the women who found in it an inspiration to step forward and confront the people who hurt them. I have two daughters. And god forbid in the event that something ever happened to one of them. I want them to feel like they can come forward knowing that their accusations would be taken seriously. That they wouldn't be dismissed or vilified for speaking up that they wouldn't be ashamed blank. We all know that the president cannot lead us through this time. We know that is disposition only unable to restrain his impulse to divide us. His mockery of doctor Ford last night in Mississippi was wrong. But it doesn't really surprise anyone it's who years. Similarly it was wrong last week when he said that quote. If the attack on doctor Ford was as bad as she says charges would have been immediately filed with local law enforcement authorities on quote. It was wrong when people insinuate. That a woman bears blame for her sexual assault because she was strong. This reinforces the stereo types that have caused millions of women to a better to bury their experiences of abuse and assault for decades. This kind of repugnant nonsense creates excuses for abusers. Just because a woman drinks or even if she drinks too much does not make her body or her sexuality any less her own. And I don't want anyone telling those poisonous lies to my daughter's. And also the son. And in the event that god forbid he's ever accused of a crime I hope he's presumed innocent and that is permitted to exercise his right to defend himself. I think they're all whole lot of parents out there who think the same thing that I don't just think this and know this because I've been answering the phone in my office this week. I've taken a calls from Nebraska moms who say just that's. We want this not because of our politics. We want this because we believe that girls and boys women and and daughters and sons. Are created with dignity and war. This is not about choosing between believing our daughters and protecting our sons. That choice is false. You know my constituents back and Nebraska told me this weekend they think this is now about. They think it's about us. They think it's about all of us in this town being addicted to the circus. They don't think very many of us are interest and in truth. They think we're and student and just didn't political instrumentality. They think there were insisted exploiting differences and divisions in America because he's worried dictated. To short term power in a city that doesn't isn't worthy and much respect.

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