Biden on 'awkward kiss' allegation: 'Not once — never — did I believe I acted inappropriately'
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Former Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday addressed an allegation that he inappropriately kissed a Nevada candidate for statewide office in 2014, saying in a statement that "not once — never — did I believe I acted inappropriately."
“In my many years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort," Biden said. "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," he said. "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."
In a New York magazine piece published Friday, Lucy Flores, the 2014 Democratic nominee for Nevada lieutenant governor, said that before a campaign event where Biden was set to campaign for her and other Democratic candidates, the then-vice president approached her from behind, placed his hands on her shoulders, smelled her hair, and gave her an uncomfortable kiss on the back of the head.
"I felt him get closer to me from behind," Flores wrote. "He leaned further in and inhaled my hair. I was mortified. I thought to myself, 'I didn’t wash my hair today and the vice-president of the United States is smelling it. And also, what in the actual f---? Why is the vice-president of the United States smelling my hair?' He proceeded to plant a big slow kiss on the back of my head. My brain couldn’t process what was happening. I was embarrassed. I was shocked. I was confused."
NBC News has not independently verified Flores' allegations with people she says she told at the time. NBC News also has not yet seen correspondence Flores showed to The Daily Beast that the news site reported "gives credence to Flores’ claim to the extent that it shows it was an incident she talked about before going public this Friday."
The allegation comes as Biden weighs whether to enter the 2020 presidential race. Already, 2020 Democratic presidential candidates Julian Castro, the former Housing and Urban Development secretary, and Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts senator, have said they believe Flores.
Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who also is running for the Democratic presidential nomination and whom Flores endorsed during his 2016 presidential bid, said Sunday on CBS’s "Face the Nation" that he had no reason not to believe Flores' allegation.
"And I think what this speaks to is the need to fundamentally change the culture of this country and to create environments where women feel comfortable and feel safe," Sanders said. "And that’s something, we’ve got to do.”
When asked about the allegation on NBC's "Meet the Press," Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said, "Certainly one allegation is not disqualifying, but it should be taken seriously."
Coming to Biden's defense was Henry Munoz, the co-founder of Latino Victory Project and an organizer of the 2014 campaign rally in question. Munoz said that he has "thoroughly reviewed photographic documentation from the event, and spoken to nearly every principle in attendance, as well as staff associated with the event. To the best of our recollection, at no time were Lucy Flores and Vice President Biden alone."
Munoz said Flores is "a good friend" and Biden is so close to him that he "presided over my own marriage. Munoz said he firmly believes that "women need to be supported and heard and that there is a reckoning in our culture that is long overdue."
"These are both individuals that I love and respect, and who have been supported by and who have supported the organization I co-founded to lift Latinx candidates," he said. "Yet at no time were these two leaders alone together and I, and the organization I cofounded and those in attendance, do not believe that circumstances support allegations that such an event took place.”
Flores said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" that she was "shocked" by Biden's alleged behavior and said she believes it is "disqualifying" to his possible presidential bid.
Flores, who said she is a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., told CNN, "Never do I claim that" the incident she described "rises to the level of sexual assault."
Rather, it was “completely inappropriate” and shouldn't happen in any setting.
A spokesperson for Biden said in a statement Friday that such allegations should be taken seriously but that Biden does not remember the incident.
"Neither then, nor in the years since, did he or the staff with him at the time have an inkling that Ms. Flores had been at any time uncomfortable, nor do they recall what she describes," the spokesperson said. "But Vice President Biden believes that Ms. Flores has every right to share her own recollection and reflections, and that it is a change for better in our society that she has the opportunity to do so. He respects Ms. Flores as a strong and independent voice in our politics and wishes her only the best."
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I am a Biden supporter .. would like nothing more than to have him run for President .. is he a 'creepy' at times, yeah I admit that, I have seen some moments that were like 'what the hell was he thinking'!? but does that make him a predator?
To make this claim at this time is political maneuvering, a way to stop the former Vice Presidents possible bid for President before he even announces .. where was Ms. Flores in 2016 when Biden was considering a run?
My opinion is not very popular, a fact I embrace .. I am all for women being empowered .. I am still trying to figure out what has taken so many so long .. but there has to be a limit at some point how much weigh some claims carry. Biden has been in the public eye for years, one can research his history in detail .. now, when the (D) field is wide open someone comes along to try and block Biden from running? Sorry, but I find this ridiculous ..
Bernie, whom Ms Flores supports, believes her, as does Warren .. would not both of these candidates campaigns suffer in the polls if Biden was to enter the race?
Biden / Buttigieg 2020....
"To make this claim at this time is political maneuvering, a way to stop the former Vice Presidents possible bid for President before he even announces .. where was Ms. Flores in 2016 when Biden was considering a run?"
Now you see what Republicans go through practically every election and SCOTUS nomination. Convienent timing, isn't it?
If they come up with a tape showing that Biden says he likes to grab them by the pussy, he will be done. That is the difference between liberals and Trumpsters.
I agree that Kavanaugh was blind sided by allegations of sexual assault .. but I am not sure if I know who else was, refresh my memory please..
There are numerous photographs of Biden touching females of all ages including young girls in a familiar way, with more than a few having uncomfortable expressions on their faces.
Trump was having a private conversation with Billy Bush that was not meant for the public. Find a photo (actually dozens of photos) of Trump laying his hands on women without their permission then maybe you'll have a comparison. The fact you don't consider him "done" already after criticizing Trump for three years for a private conversation shows the difference.
I was talking to my mother the other day and she brought that up.
She is generally Liberal but said that what happened to that woman was wrong. She wanted to keep her story under wraps but felt she needed for it to be known to certain people. My mother thought that what they did to the woman, outing her and her story was a breach of trust and used for the wrong purpose.
She said they more or less exploited her and it should never have happened.
Sorry to derail a little there.
Well, there you go. it was JUST testosterone locker room talk, which is perfectly fine in private and completely unrevealing of anyone's ACTUAL character.
Right?
Do I really need a Sarc tag???
"but I am not sure if I know who else was, refresh my memory please.."
Clarence Thomas was accused on the eve of his confirmation with no actual evidence against him. Trump was accused at the last hour by several women who no evidence, including one woman who claims he assaulted her in the first class section of an airplane, although no one could be found to back up her story even though Trump was well known even then. Herman Cain was accused during the 2012 primaried when he was leading.
I agree with your mother .. Dr. Ford was used, she was the political football in this case . I place it on the heads of Feinstein and the lawyers that were hired for Dr. Ford - they forced her into the spotlight..
I do not have issues with off topic .. some topics have multiple layers and need to be discussed...
"Well, there you go. it was JUST testosterone locker room talk"
So you consider a conversation where no women were in the room to be worse than a powerful man placing his hands on women in public with no compunctions since he knows full well being a Democrat no one will call him out on it? What does it say about the character of Democrats allowing this behavior for years and then because Kamala Harris or Kristen Gillenbrand or some other woman is running that Biden finally gets called out?
Biden has been "called out" many times in the past.
Other women have run for president, vice president, governors and senators and reps...........
is there something new in the air about KH or KG?
Certainly nothing new about Joe...
I concur that Thomas was blind sided .. Trump and Cain blind sided, not so much .. Herman Cain did not have a chance of getting the nomination or becoming president .. Trump became President with the release of the Access Hollywood tape .. even with the numerous women that came forward making sexual assault accusations against him
I will defend Trump as not being a racist .. but a sexual aggressor .. not so much... I am not convinced
"Other women have run for president, vice president, governors and senators and reps..........."
There's only been one election where a woman had a real shot at being nominated by a major party and that was 2016. If Biden had run then you can bet a similar story would've come out. The only reason Hillary didn't find something to hit Bernie with along the same lines was because she knew the DNC had her back.
Just because Joes antics had been reported before doesn't mean liberals really cared.
Clarence Thomas, Bob Packwood.
I think this is going too far too. Too much political party naivete. President Donald Trump soon seeking to be twice-over president, won with a doctrine of flaunting and objectifying women. That a fellow democrat could not go to Mr. Biden two years ago (he was out of office) and let him know how she felt before outing him in public— heavens, she could have telephoned the man!
Women, while I surely respect your rights and privileges from abuse; some women need to 'buck up' and consider when an odd, maybe even inappropriate touch, is in bad taste, exceptionally bad taste, or a federal offense. Learn the differences. Learn what is "erotica" and what is just sentimentality in the moment. For instance, if this was a display of open sensuality - where was the follow-up ?
Learn how to process what is real and damaging touching; Or, else the "me-too" movement will need to fold up and blow away from becoming 'spent.'
Watching grown women and men I have come to respect on national networks and in halls of power trying to equate this alleged Biden incident with the seriousness of say, an Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas or breast-fondling or 'stolen; kiss on the lips is a big disappointment to me.
Media, politicians, and democrats, remember what really matters in 2019-2020 and
this BS out!
I am in the midst of writing about this whole affair. This is nothing more than trying to get ahead of Biden for president since Flores has thrown her hat in with Sanders.
As an independent, it never stops to amaze me how the parties will tear themselves apart over personal agendas. Disgusting what she is trying to do.
Agreed, it is frustrating to think that personal agenda 'my candidate must win at all cost' is still in fashion after the whole H. debacle in 2016 .. she just had to be the nominee...
Sad to see this happening to Biden ...
It amazes me that they will hurt each other for their own selfish personal gain.
I guess Sanders will have to switch parties again. I didn't know she was aligned with him.
If true, I am starting to blame Sanders for a lot of this. Just like the last election, Sanders harmed the Dem chances.
Here is a campaign add she made for Bernie
Seems that she is a Bernie supporter and this is starting to sound like a load of nonsense from her. Personal agenda or trying to get him out of the race. Take your choice.
It's all tribalism and/or political posturing. People don't really worry about this stuff that much. We could probably put her our heads together and solve real problems, actually improve some lives. Unfortunately, political power is all important, so people are tripping over each other tried to be more outraged than the other guy. I always say if you're waiting for the perfect person to run for office, you're going to be waiting forever.
I see this as partisan politics working again at the slimiest level.
Why people pay any attention to something like this is troubling. It basically means that each side does not even have to work to come up with something to damage a candidate on the other side. If this is the level of the bar nowadays what decent person would want to run for office (or appointment for that matter) and be trashed for seemingly innocent (grandfatherly) actions?
And I never was a Biden fan so let's get that on the table.
: ) TiG .. duly noted ..
I am a supporter for the calm I think he can bring to the nation .. he has knowledge, yet brings NO extreme agenda or desire to alter the America - I get it that things are not working for everyone, yet it is a fantasy to believe any political system can create the utopia being sought by so many ...
I worry this nation may implode without some moderation and compromise in order to accomplish what is needed to be done.. with years of dysfunction .. there is a lot to get done...
I hear that. Biden would indeed be a grandfatherly kind of a leader. He would be a good way to recover (heal) from a Trump presidency. Although he never struck me as presidential material, I necessarily have lowered my standards (sorry to say). That said, I do not believe any PotUS can assume office and fix the divide in our nation. But we need to start the process.
Yeah, it almost does not matter who the leader is because our partisan / political machinery is in control. The mechanical beast (the system) is running the show and it will take quite a bit of effort to slowly drain the beast of power and set a better course for our nation. Utopia is of course unrealistic and somewhat silly and I think most people just want a system that is at least not dysfunctional. Something that is making productive headway and leaders who are not making the USA citizens look like morons and tarnishing the reputation of the USA even more in the world.