Admitting that he’ll be more “mindful of personal space” in the future, 76-year-old former Vice President Joe Biden hinted that he’s close to jumping into the 2020 presidential race, already facing controversy over at least four women complaining about his past inappropriate behavior. While not apologizing or admitting he did anything wrong, Biden said he would change with the times, showing more sensitivity to women in the age of the #MeToo movement. At least four women came forward telling stories about Joe violating their personal space, ranging from rubbing noses to fondling, sniffing hair and planting a kiss on the back of a woman’s head. “Social norms have begun to change; they’ve shifted, and the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset—and I get it,” Biden said. Biden mistakenly thinks that social norms have changed overnight, when, in fact, they never tolerated unwanted touching.
Former Nevada Atty. Gen. candidate Lucy Flores recounted an incident with Biden at a 2014 campaign rally in Las Vegas where Binden sniffed-and-fondled her hair before kissing the back of her head. There’s never been any time in the past where it’s OK to violate a woman’s space to the point it makes her uncomfortable. “I get it. I hear what they’re saying; I understand it, and I’ll be much more mindful, that’s my responsibility . . .” Biden said, hinting about a presidential run. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) advised Biden today to “pretend he has a cold,” meaning to keep his distance from women. Pelosi said Biden’s past actions were not “disqualifying,” but the 76-year-old former VP needs to show restraint when it comes to pressing flesh on the campaign trail. Biden suggested that his desire to connect with people led him to assume that it was OK express affection toward women.
Two more women came forward with different stories about Biden’s touch-feely behavior. Twenty-two-year-old Cailtlyn Caruso said Biden made her feel uncomfortable when he put his hand on her thigh as she “squirmed” at a sexual abuse conference at UNLV in Las Vegas. He put his hand on my thigh “just a little bit too long,” said Caruso, then a 19-year-old. Biden says times have changed from the good old days when he could touch any part of a woman’s body he liked. My responsibility, and I’ll meet it. I’ll always believe that governing, quite frankly, life for that matter, is about connecting. That won’t change, but I will be more mindful and respectful of people’s personal space, and that’s a good thing—that ‘s a good thing . . “ Biden said, trying to explain his past behavior. But trying to explain it way continues the denial that his past behavior was inappropriate.
Another woman, D.J. Lee, 59, said she attended a fundraiser in Minneapolis in 2012 where Biden put his and on her shoulder, then moved it down her back while her husband watched. Lee said it made her feel “very uncomfortable.” “I worked my whole life to empower women. I’ve worked my whole life to prevent abuse, so the idea that I can’t adjust to the fact that personal space is more important than it’s ever been is just unthinkable. I will. I will,” said Biden. Yet Biden’s inappropriate touching-and-unsolicited affection has gone on for years, when the norms before were exactly the same as today. Suggesting that things were different two years, five years or 10 years ago is preposterous. There’s never been a time when inappropriate-touching-and-unsolicited affection was acceptable. Biden’s kidding himself that things have changed so much today in the age of #MeeToo.
Biden’s video hoped to put to rest growing concerns about his inappropriate-touching-and-unsolicited affection. Patti Solis Doyle, speaking to CBS Radio April 1, said Biden was a product of a bygone generation, meaning that overt acts of affection were more tolerated. Solis Doyle cited no other old school politician that violated women’s personal space. “In the coming month I expect to be talking about a whole lot of issues,” hinting about his presidential bid. But with more women coming forward with stories about Biden’s touch-feely behavior, he may not get to other issues. Biden wants people to think that he’s just trying to “connect” with folks in an authentic way, despite hearing the discomfort caused by his unsolicited acts of affection. Whether Biden thinks his demonstrative style works or not, his lack of boundaries raises questions about his cravings for affection.
If more women share their stories about Biden’s unsolicited acts of affection, it’s going to make it difficult for Joe to present his ideas about domestic and foreign policy. Name-recognition has put Biden at the top of Democratic presidential polls for now, spurring the former vice president to toss his hat in the ring. While he ran in 1988 and 2008, Democrats think that avalanche of bad publicity has made Trump a one-term president. Democrats hoped they could run against President Donald Trump’s alleged track record of sexist behavior. But with Joe showing his own inappropriate behavior, it takes the moral high ground away from Democrats. Telling Joe to think of himself that “he has a cold,” Pelosi put Joe on notice to keep his hands off campaign workers and constituents. More women coming forward puts Biden on the defensive, making his presidential run less tenable.
