Joe Biden Jokes About Inappropriately Touching Women  Again
WASHINGTON – At his first public issue since a host of women have accused him of inappropriate touching, sometime Vice President Joe Biden cracked 2 jokes about the allegations, leading to a 2d round of criticism — including from at to the lowest degree one of his accusers.
Within the beginning minute of Biden's speech at the International Brotherhood of Electric Workers on Friday, he told the crowd, "I just desire yous to know, I had permission to hug Lonnie," mentioning Lonnie Stephenson, the IBEW president, who just introduced him.
The reference to the host allegations led to a burst of laughter in the room. "I don't know, man," said Biden, who is considering a 2020 bid for president.
As Biden connected his speech, which revolved unions, resolving political divisions and President Donald Trump's politics, Biden again referenced the allegations.
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Biden spotted several children in the room and invited four of them on stage. Afterwards introducing himself, Biden joked as he draped his arm around a male child that "he gave me permission to touch him."
Throughout his 40-minute speech, Biden mentioned Trump by name. He said the president opposes the core values and behavior of the nation in the way he treats people.
"What in the hell is happening?" Biden asked. "Our children are listening."
At least seven women have come forward with allegations nearly the onetime vice president'southward touching and kissing, saying that his behavior fabricated them feel uncomfortable. On Wednesday, Biden posted a video on his Twitter business relationship where he apologized, promised to change and attempted to explain his close contact was about making a connexion and not intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable.
The string of accusations started when Lucy Flores, a one-time member of the Nevada Legislature, defendant Biden of "demeaning and disrespectful" beliefs when he kissed the back of her head.
In a column for New York Mag, Flores detailed a backstage encounter with Biden during an consequence in 2014 in Nevada where he spoke to aid boost voter turnout for Democrats.
"I felt him go closer to me from behind. He leaned further in and inhaled my pilus. I was mortified," Flores wrote. "He proceeded to constitute a big slow kiss on the back of my head. My encephalon couldn't procedure what was happening. I was embarrassed. I was shocked. I was confused."
Afterward Biden'due south jokes on Friday, Flores blasted Biden and said his comments degrade the issue of consent.
"It's clear @JoeBiden hasn't reflected at all on how his inappropriate and unsolicited touching fabricated women feel uncomfortable," she wrote on Twitter. "To make lite of something as serious as consent degrades the conversation women everywhere are courageously trying to take."
Others on social media piled one.
"Do we really demand any more than proof that #JoeBiden is a misogynistic creep?" one woman posted on Twitter. "What happened to 'I will listen respectfully'? Mocking accusers and making low-cal of the accusations doesn't seem like respectfully listening..."
Speaking to reporters later, Biden was asked about his jokes most the allegations and his possible 2020 run.
"It wasn't my intent to brand light of anyone'southward discomfort," Biden told reporters. "I realize it's my responsibility to not invade the space of anyone who is uncomfortable in this regard."
Biden said he hoped "it wasn't taken that style" and said he understands personal infinite and the need for personal consent.
The allegations against Biden come up amid #MeToo, a movement started nearly a decade ago that went viral in 2017 as women in Hollywood and across the country shared stories of sexual harassment and assault.
It's led to the resignation or downfall of more than 100 entertainers, executives and politicians, including Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer and Kevin Spacey. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., announced his resignation in 2017 later accusations of sexual misconduct.
Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., also stepped downwardly, too as Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., who resigned amid reports he discussed with female staffers the possibility they could be surrogates for his and his wife's baby.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly croaky jokes about the allegations circumvoluted Biden. On Thursday, he posted doctored footage of Biden'southward amends video where a second Biden was edited into the footage to show him fondling himself.
"People got a kicking out of it," Trump said Fri of the doctored video he'd tweeted. "He's going through a situation. Yous've got to sort of smile a little bit."
More than a dozen women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct over the years, including viii women who defendant him of forcibly kissing them.
Trump denied the allegations. In an "Admission Hollywood" record that surfaced during the final weeks of the presidential campaign in 2016, Trump made lewd comments and bragged about groping women. The president said that was "locker-room banter."
Contributing: Ledyard King and Maureen Groppe
Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/04/05/joe-biden-jokes-allegations-touching-ibew-event/3378281002/
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