Why Joe Biden needs to personally address Tara Reade's allegations

[Mileage Psycho]

Hey @jtssrx as seen at CNN

 

 

Quote

 

Why Joe Biden needs to personally address Tara Reade's allegation

Analysis by Chris Cillizza, CNN Editor-at-large

(CNN)For weeks, allegations made by Tara Reade -- a former Senate staffer who says she was sexually assaulted by the then-Delaware senator in the early 1990s -- have been circulating in (mostly) conservative circles.

But, over the last few days, Reade's claim appears to have jumped to a new level when a call to Larry King's CNN show back in 1993 surfaced that purported to show Reade's mother asking King for advice about how to handle "problems" her daughter had while working for a prominent US senator.

"I'm wondering what a staffer would do besides go to the press in Washington?" the woman asks King. "My daughter has just left there after working for a prominent senator, and could not get through with her problems at all, and the only thing she could have done was go to the press, and she chose not to do it out of respect for him."

The woman does not mention Reade's name, her own name or that of Biden. Reade has told CNN that she is certain it is her mother's voice -- and some of the details of the call (it was from San Luis Obispo, California, where her mother lived at the time) seem to suggest it was indeed Reade's mother, who died a few years ago.

Biden himself has not said anything publicly about these latest allegations, and his press team referred CNN back to a previous statement by deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield: "Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: it is untrue. This absolutely did not happen."

It's not clear whether or not Biden's personal silence is being rethought amid the ongoing Reade controversy. But here's what is clear: It should be. Here's why.

We are living in a world rocked -- and hopefully changed for the better -- by the #MeToo movement in which a series of very prominent men have been forced to face the consequences of behavior that has run from the criminal to the simply boorish. Titans of media, entertainment and politics have all been brought low once society made a pledge to believe women when they make accusations of sexual harassment (or worse).

Yes, President Donald Trump appears -- at least to date -- to be an exception to that rule. While he has faced more than a dozen credible allegations of sexual harassment, he has denied them all -- and has not been run out of office (or noticeably impacted politically). But that fact alone, which is often cited by Democrats resistant to Biden speaking directly to Reade's allegations, is not enough to justify further silence from the de facto Democratic presidential nominee.

Remember these words from Biden himself following his sweeping victories in the March 10 primaries:

"This election is the one that has character on the ballot. The character of the candidates, the character of the nation is on the ballot...

"...We need presidential leadership that's honest, trusted, truthful and steady. If I'm given the honor of becoming your president, I promise you I'll strive to give the nation that leadership every day."

Biden should heed those words. Because with them he wasn't promising to live up to the standards set by Trump but rather to reach far beyond those standards. At the core of Biden's messaging in this campaign is the need to bring respect and dignity back into the White House and the country, to rid America off the cynicism and hypocrisy of Trump's presidency, to expunge the idea that the President doesn't have to follow the rules.

So there's that. But there is also history here when it comes to Biden.

Just more than a year ago, former Nevada lieutenant governor nominee Lucy Flores (D) said that at a campaign rally in 2014, Biden kissed her hair -- an act that made her feel "uneasy, gross, and confused." Biden issued a personal statement shortly after the allegations surfaced, which said this:

"In my many years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort. And not once -- never -- did I believe I acted inappropriately. If it is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully. But it was never my intention.

"I may not recall these moments the same way, and I may be surprised at what I hear. But we have arrived at an important time when women feel they can and should relate their experiences, (and) men should pay attention. And I will.

"I will also remain the strongest advocate I can be for the rights of women. I will fight to build on the work I've done in my career to end violence against women and ensure women are treated with the equality they deserve. I will continue to surround myself with trusted women advisers who challenge me to see different perspectives than my own. And I will continue to speak out on these vitally-important issues where there is much more progress to be made and crucial fights that must be waged and won."

Flores, in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, expressed her dissatisfaction with that answer from Biden. "If he is saying that he never believed that that was inappropriate, then frankly I think that's a little bit of a disconnect," she told Tapper. "I want him to change his behavior, and I want him to acknowledge that it was wrong." She said that Biden did not reach out to her personally to talk about the allegation.

In the days following the back and forth between Biden and Flores, The New York Times did a deep dive into Biden's past. The piece bore the headline "Biden's Tactile Politics Threaten His Return in the #MeToo Era" and read (in part):

"Joseph R. Biden Jr. came up in politics as an old-school backslapper whose greatest strength was his ability to connect. He doled out handshakes and hugs to friends and strangers alike, and his tendency to lavish his affections on women and girls was so central to his persona that it became fodder for late-night television jokes.

"But the political ground has shifted under Mr. Biden, and his tactile style of retail politicking is no longer a laughing matter in the era of #MeToo. Now, as he considers a run for president, Mr. Biden is struggling to prevent a strength from turning into a crippling liability; on Tuesday alone, two more women told The New York Times that the former vice president's touches made them uncomfortable."

Biden's campaign provided the Times with "quotations from about two dozen women — including former aides, current and former members of Congress, and news media personalities including Mika Brzezinski — vouching for the former vice president" as a way to push back against the story.

Given both his pledge to do better than Trump -- in every aspect of being president -- and accusations of improper touching that have surfaced in the past, the allegations by Reade are not the sort of thing Biden can or should be allowed to deny via a senior female campaign staffer. Reade's allegation needs to be directly addressed by the candidate himself. And Biden needs to answer several questions including: a) Does he remember Reade at all? b) Did they ever interact? c) Had he ever heard of this allegation from her prior to a few weeks ago?

These are questions are fair to be asked of any candidate for president -- given the allegation -- and that Biden, if he is doing more than talking the talk about restoring a higher standard in the White House, needs to answer.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/27/politics/biden-tara-reade-senate/index.html

 

 

[jtssrx]

7 minutes ago, Mileage Psycho said:

Hey @jtssrx as seen at CNN

 

 

 

Hey Vince I’ve asked you three times now do you think this is being covered the same way The kavanaugh accusations were or even Roy Moore? 
 

for once can you answer a question. 

[Mileage Psycho]

42 minutes ago, jtssrx said:

Hey Vince I’ve asked you three times now do you think this is being covered the same way The kavanaugh accusations were or even Roy Moore? 
 

for once can you answer a question. 

It's in the news JT, it's been reported at CCN for quite awhile already, I know that doesn't jive with your conspiracy blogs, and that's OK

Biden should go full Trump and say look at the face on that.

[Snake]

6 minutes ago, Mileage Psycho said:

It's in the news JT, it's been reported at CCN for quite awhile already, I know that doesn't jive with your conspiracy blogs, and that's OK

Biden should go full Trump and say look at the face on that.

Then it shouldn't be too tough to find their first mention of her.... Link?

[Snake]

She was pretty easy to look at back in the day.

Say Vin, do you think she is hot enough to finger fuck against a wall?

Edited April 28, 2020 by Snake

[Wildboer]

It only took months of the real left demanding they address the issue for the to sidestep it in an online article almost none of their viewers will ever see

[spin_dry]

Biden has no recollection. 

[AKIQPilot]

Just now, spin_dry said:

Biden has no recollection. 

Exactly. He shouldn't say a word. No reason to.  I dont think anyone cares about this. It was 30 years ago. 

[spin_dry]

1 minute ago, AKIQPilot said:

Exactly. He shouldn't say a word. No reason to.  I dont think anyone cares about this. It was 30 years ago. 

No. I mean he has no recollection. 
 

 

[Snake]

 

[spin_dry]

Just now, Snake said:

 

You’re really invested in this. Wow. 

[Carlos Danger]

I think my problem with this is that it is a distraction from other questions about Biden that seem to be getting a good leaving alone from the press. The deal with Biden and his son in China would run 24/7 on CNN if it were one of Trump's kids.

[Carlos Danger]

1 hour ago, Snake said:

She was pretty easy to look at back in the day.

Say Vin, do you think she is hot enough to finger fuck against a wall?

Biden goes back to the days when Ted Kennedy and Chris Dodd used to make waitress sandwiches. Of course Biden did what this girl says he did because if he didn't he would have been the only politician in Washington that wasn't forcing himself on unsuspecting young women. 

[Anler]

CNN? Well that shit is fake.

[Guest]

I just thought of somethin'.

Obviously, Biden is in some stage of dementia.

Why hasn't someone called for Biden to be examined by a neurologist? 

We should write the Washington Post, and demand that Biden be examined. 

Put this thing to rest, once and for all.   

[jtssrx]

10 hours ago, Mileage Psycho said:

It's in the news JT, it's been reported at CCN for quite awhile already, I know that doesn't jive with your conspiracy blogs, and that's OK

Biden should go full Trump and say look at the face on that.

Okay so you won’t answer or better yet your answer is fucking stupid. If you think the coverage is the same you’re a dishonest fuck!! I’m adding you to the blocked list. Bye bye dipshit

[AKIQPilot]

12 minutes ago, jtssrx said:

Okay so you won’t answer or better yet your answer is fucking stupid. If you think the coverage is the same you’re a dishonest fuck!! I’m adding you to the blocked list. Bye bye dipshit

When you block someone do their posts become invisible to you?  Im just wondering, not sure how it works actually. 

[jtssrx]

Just now, AKIQPilot said:

When you block someone do their posts become invisible to you?  Im just wondering, not sure how it works actually. 

Yep you don’t get notifications and the posts have a message attached that says you’ve chosen to ignore this person

[AKIQPilot]

3 minutes ago, jtssrx said:

Yep you don’t get notifications and the posts have a message attached that says you’ve chosen to ignore this person

Got ya. So block and ignore are pretty similar. 

[Highmark]

These are no wins for some.....because he's a liberal he should just deny it and it won't be questioned.   Silence is worse.   

If he were to say what he said about Lucy Flores he looks guilty....can't even remotely do that when you are talking about shoving your fingers in someone.

"In my many years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort. And not once -- never -- did I believe I acted inappropriately. If it is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully. But it was never my intention.

 

[Mileage Psycho]

10 hours ago, Snake said:

She was pretty easy to look at back in the day.

Say Vin, do you think she is hot enough to finger fuck against a wall?

NYT Interview story April 12  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/12/us/politics/joe-biden-tara-reade-sexual-assault-complaint.html

WAPO Interview story April 12 investigation 3 previous weeks https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sexual-assault-allegation-by-former-biden-senate-aide-emerges-in-campaign-draws-denial/2020/04/12/bc070d66-7067-11ea-b148-e4ce3fbd85b5_story.html

CNN April 17 https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/17/politics/joe-biden-allegations/index.html

Joe should have directed his attorney to deliver $130,000.00 to her, but we know that doesn't always work out.

My main point with is that it isn't going matter just like all the allegations against Trump didn't matter in 2016, we're in a different era of politics with two old men running for office who came up through a time where treating women like objects was just done as a matter of fact, I didn't agree with back then and I certainly don't now, but at the end of the day with its polar nature voter are going to vote for their horse allegations of being a creep be damned.

Here's a way out there scenario, Joe steps down and the dems put up Gavin Newsom and lock up the woman vote.

 

[AKIQPilot]

1 minute ago, Mileage Psycho said:

NYT Interview story April 12  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/12/us/politics/joe-biden-tara-reade-sexual-assault-complaint.html

WAPO Interview story April 12 investigation 3 previous weeks https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sexual-assault-allegation-by-former-biden-senate-aide-emerges-in-campaign-draws-denial/2020/04/12/bc070d66-7067-11ea-b148-e4ce3fbd85b5_story.html

CNN April 17 https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/17/politics/joe-biden-allegations/index.html

Joe should have directed his attorney to deliver $130,000.00 to her, but we know that doesn't always work out.

My main point with is that it isn't going matter just like all the allegations against Trump didn't matter in 2016, we're in a different era of politics with two old men running for office who came up through a time where treating women like objects was just done as a matter of fact, I didn't agree with back then and I certainly don't now, but at the end of the day with its polar nature voter are going to vote for their horse allegations of being a creep be damned.

Here's a way out there scenario, Joe steps down and the dems put up Gavin Newsom and lock up the woman vote.

 

Is that the way the process works?  The nominee can step down and the DNC can put in whoever they want to replace him?

[Zambroski]

At this point, the Dems could stick Jesus Christ on the ballot and still lose. And based on who they stuck up on stage to beat trump, I wouldn’t be surprised if they left Jesus a ton of voice mails.  They say, damn our Muslim golden children...THIS IS FOR THE WIN!!!!

[Mileage Psycho]

 

2 minutes ago, AKIQPilot said:

Is that the way the process works?  The nominee can step down and the DNC can put in whoever they want to replace him?

Yes Biden and the rest of the Dem candiates would have the delegates they won in the primary, the delegates then would vote for candidates, old school as in it's the way the parties chose there candidate.

The last convention where there was any wrangling was in1960, JFK won the primary....but LBJ who didn't primary had many delegates and actually had 409 delegate votes vs JFK's 806 votes, in any event overall Kennedy had a 52% majority on the first ballot thus securing the win. Following that there was a lot of politicking and cigar smoke filled rooms about VP, JFK did not like LBJ and wanted Stu Symington as his VP, but the Dems needed Texas.......and we know the rest of the story.

Brokered conventions were pretty neat in that party delegates who were elected official back home would actually fight, argue, and have ballots to decide who was going to be the best horse to go up against the others horse, IOW it was political pros making the picks.

 

 

[ManOnManOral]

He would address them, however he cannot recall what he ate for lunch, or if he even did eat lunch, let alone remember anything from 30 years ago.