Tarlov: There Should Be a GOP Candidate on the Ala. Ballot Who’s Not Been Accused of Child Molestation

WALLACE: Well, Jessica, let me ask about that. Should this just be left in the case, particularly of Alabama because Judge Moore faces a special election in a couple of weeks?

Leave it to them?

JESSICA TARLOV, SENIOR RESEARCH DIRECTOR, BUSTLE.COM: Well, I think, obviously, upholding our democracy is the most important issue at play here. But I do think, especially considering what’s going on in the last couple of years, the allegations in the political world and the media and entertainment world and what an important topic sexual harassment is for America generally that people like Mitch McConnell, people like Cory Gardner need to stand up and take a stand on something like this and to say this is unacceptable behavior, and we don’t want it here with us. And there’s no place for it in Washington.

So, I’m torn about it. Obviously, the voters will get their chance to vote for Roy Moore if they want, but there should be a candidate on the ballot on the Republican side who has not been accused of child molestation.

WALLACE: Let me ask you, because this is obviously a difficult conversation, but it’s an important conversation. On the other hand, I wonder to some degree, are we mixing up misdemeanors and felonies? You got the case of Al Franken who allegedly forcibly kissed this woman and groped her, which is clearly piggish behavior. On the other hand, it’s different from the allegations against Roy Moore, who, as you pointed out, allegedly was having sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl.

Should they all be career enders?

TARLOV: I don’t think so personally. I think that having that nuanced discussion is what we really need to do at this point. There was a good piece that came out in The New York post about this that said, you know, Harvey Weinstein’s picture should not be next to Al Franken’s picture. You know, Roy Moore’s picture should not be next to the guy from Amazon, for instance. This —

WALLACE: But you’ve got to know, some people are going to say, well, you know, maybe you’re protecting —

TARLOV: No, I’m not — it’s not because of political affiliation, I know that we will get to talk about the importance of revisiting Bill Clinton and what happened in the ‘90s and Democrats are certainly taking that up right now. But we need to be clear about the strength of these allegations and how important they are and what Roy Moore did versus what an Al Franken did.