Two more women accuse Biden of inappropriate touching

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Two additional women came forward Tuesday to say former Vice President Joe Biden touched them in ways that made them uncomfortable.

The women, Caitlyn Caruso and D. J. Hill, each recounted their experiences to The New York Times.

Caruso, 22, told the Times that Biden rested his hand on her thigh even as she attempted to show her discomfort by squirming in her seat during a sexual assault event at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Caruso, who was 19 at the time, added that Biden hugged her "just a little bit too long."

She told the newspaper that the interaction was uncomfortable because she had just discussed a time she was sexually assaulted and expected Biden to be aware of physical boundaries.

“It doesn’t even really cross your mind that such a person would dare perpetuate harm like that,” she told the paper. “These are supposed to be people you can trust.”

Hill, 59, told the Times that while taking a photograph with Biden in 2012, the then-vice president placed his hand on her shoulder and began moving it down her back, something she said made her "very uncomfortable."

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/437069-two-more-women-accuse-biden-of-inappropriate-touching



Maybe Joe needs to lighten up a little but I don't see his behavior to be wrong other than some people don't like to be touched. Nothing about this seems disqualifying.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Is this just turning into some kind of fifteen-minutes-of-fame gig

over incidents that happened years ago but this would be a "convenient" time to bring them up?

[highplainsdem]

4. Apparently.

[trueblue2007]

46. i agree with you. 15 minutes of fame are really important it appears.

[fleabiscuit]

7. Really?

[Autumn]

8. Keeping the hope alive?

[highplainsdem]

3. Agree. There's nothing disqualifying about this, and IMO both women are overreacting.

Anyone wanting to get a photo taken with a politician should NOT be surprised by a hand on the shoulder, or back. The purpose of such photos is usually to show solidarity and support, and to document a friendly meeting. I suppose people opposed to personal contact could order that everyone stand so many inches apart. arms held stiffly at their sides, but that would look pathetic, wouldn't it?

I'm particular sorry the rape survivor, Caitlyn Caruso, reacted as she did. Again, this is a situation where she should have told Biden it made her uncomfortable to be touched. Instead, she waits years to publicly criticize him and even accuse him of "perpetuating harm," which is nonsense.

[Gato malo]

15. The thigh

You didn't mention the new allegation that he put his hand on a girl's thigh.

[highplainsdem]

23. I'm not sure he did. I googled the woman, Caitlyn Caruso, and she's been an outspoken political

activist for years, since before that event. Hardly the sort of person I'd expect NOT to speak up immediately if offended.

This is how she reacted when not given as much time as she wanted at a rally:

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/fault-lines-at-the-national-womens-march-in-las-vegas

Cancela took her seat in the audience. A short time later, Caitlyn Caruso, a youth activist, appeared onstage with three fellow-speakers, looking less than moved. “It’s the allotting of three minutes for four young folk,” she said, speaking out against the organizers, who had apparently given less time to lesser-known speakers, “and threatening to cut a black trans activist from the program if they talk over. We need to start listening to youth voices,” she told the crowd. “After all, your liberation is tied to ours, and you need to start acting like it!”

NOT the shy, shrinking type who'd be too intimidated to say anything.

Honestly, I don't know what happened. Possibly Biden's hand touched her thigh for a second. Her claim that he hugged for just a bit too long is so damn subjective.

But my take, based on what else I've read about her, is that if he had done anything truly offensive, she'd have confronted him then.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

27. That's a repulsive attitude.

So now you get to judge when and why this woman did or didn't speak her truth? That's some bullshit. Keep taking away people's agency. Seems like a solid liberal approach.

[highplainsdem]

31. No, what's repulsive is attacking a good, decent man over an alleged incident that happened years

earlier.

If you'd read the OP at all carefully, you'd have seen that Caruso is suggesting all she could do was squirm to try to communicate her discomfort to Biden.

I didn't have to look long to discover she's had no trouble for years making it clear when she's unhappy about something, including when she's unhappy with figures of authority like the organizers of that rally.

And btw, do you really think it's at all likely that Biden could have gotten away with inappropriate behavior at this type of event, surrounded by people who'd be sensitive to such things?

[Vinnie From Indy]

5. I am still a Biden fan!

[trueblue2007]

47. . I am still a Biden fan! . I am still a Biden fan! . I am still a Biden fan!

[Vinnie From Indy]

54. Ok Rainman!

[BlueStater]

6. So is Kirsten Gillibrand going to demand he not run now?

[Trumpocalypse]

37. Actually no

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/gillibrand-not-calling-on-biden-to-stay-out-of-race-he-has-to-address-allegations-with-the-voters/

[BlueStater]

41. Gillibrand Not Calling on Biden to Stay Out of Race: He Has to Address Allegations 'With the Voters'

Funny how she didn't think the voters of Minnesota deserved a say in who got to be their senator.

[Trumpocalypse]

44. She and over 35 other Senators

including Warren, Harris, Booker and Sanders.

[JudyM]

9. "... some people don't like to be touched"?

If this is true it is beyond a respectable boundary:
“Biden rested his hand on her thigh even as she attempted to show her discomfort by squirming in her seat during a sexual assault event “ after she’d described a sexual assault?! The best I can say about that action is that it’s completely tone-deaf.
Even if you are very familiar with a woman, don’t put your hand on her thigh at a time like that, and do notice if she’s squirming. I totally relate to this, as can many other women.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

28. I would NEVER put my hand on a random woman's thigh.

NEVER. How is that something people don't get? And defend, apparently, too.

[Sapient Donkey]

45. The thigh thing is what stands out to me

The hugging too long and hand on back thing seem more debatable, but the resting hand on the thigh goes past what most people consider the norms. However, I would like to hear more details about the 'resting' of the hand. Was it an actual resting as in he left it there, or was a more an instance in which he grabbed her hand to console their hands rested on her thigh for a moment. While her feelings are important and should be listened to, I think we also need to get what his intent was. The possible situation I described above is totally different than if they were sitting side-by-side in a theater or table, and he creepily slid his hand onto her thigh and left it there. The latter is creepy and wrong 100% and he should be taken to task for it. The former is an issue, but it's one that can rectified by him learning from it and trying to be more cognizant his actions when with people he doesn't know well.

[Demsrule86]

50. I absolutely do not believe Biden touched her thigh. I have worked with him during two campaigns.

He would not do that.

[Blues Heron]

53. He's on camera doing it with a cop

I don't doubt this at all.

[Demsrule86]

55. Male or female? I am done with this. Joe's statement is fine...this is over.

[Demsrule86]

57. That is funny.

[Kingofalldems]

10. Steady stream. Almost as if it was planned.

[peggysue2]

24. Ya think???

And the echoes are so very strong in these accusations/complaints. As if we've been here before.

Hummmm. Let me think of another drip, drip, drip scenario.

Sorry but this is shameless. It may have fooled people the first time out. But not now. Not this time.

[Demsrule86]

25. It is shameless. Hope someone can prove a connection..

[trueblue2007]

48. Almost as if it was planned. i believe this HAS all been planned.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. Politicians should not be touching people's thighs.

[rzemanfl]

12. More thighs for the rest of us I guess.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

29. Gross

Jokes about sexual harassment aren't funny.

[rzemanfl]

40. Who said anything about sexual harassment? The post said

politicians should not be touching people's thighs-without saying anything about consent: romance/procreation, dance, figure skating, treating injuries, etc.

[Kingofalldems]

13. So you know it's true?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

14. I think as a general statement my post stands on its own pretty well.

[ucrdem]

16. Pelosi made it clear today that she is not going to Franken him

She said he needs to change his behavior and should apologize to Flores (she thought his apology wasn't sincere enough) but that what he did wasn't disqualifying. She said it in a way that made it seem she wouldn't look kindly on any dissenters. She was at a Politico event. It was on NPR this morning.

[Cha]

18. Thanks, ucr. I'm glad Nancy

isn't going the Franken route.

I don't think it should disqualify Biden.. and from my understanding.. Biden doesn't remember his interaction with Flores' like she's saying. It seems a little awkward to apologize for something you didn't experience.

[ucrdem]

20. thanks Cha, yeah it wasn't clear what more she wanted him to say

but it was pretty clear she thought he needed to back off. That's a shame. And I don't believe Flores for a minute. She might have been self-conscious about her hair she didn't wash, and that's why she remembers it, but the photos show Joe sniffing the other lady's hair and not Flores's. It seems like a screwy story and there's nothing to back it up.

[Autumn]

17. OFFS. At an event about sexual assault?

[Cha]

19. No, it's not disqualifying.. no matter how many

with their own agendas are trying to bring down Joe Biden.

[LongtimeAZDem]

21. Biden needs to learn that women are too fragile to be touched.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

30. How about women should be believed.

Maybe we actually revisit that concept.

[LongtimeAZDem]

32. I do believe them; that's the point.

[Quixote1818]

22. As I said before, I don't think he meant any harm but he was naive to be so touchy and not think

it could come back to haunt him. However, I really think a better way for these women to approach this would be to say, "I wish I had been honest with him at the time and said, please don't touch me like that it makes me feel uncomfortable." Biden is naturally a touchy, feely guy and most people probably don't mind it, so when you have someone who does, they should just come out with it right away. I bet you Biden would have appreciated their being honest with him. However, in the future as Nancy Pelosi recently said, he needs to adopt a new no touch policy unless he really knows someone extremely well.

I don't think this should derale his campaign. We are just entering a new time and men need to learn from all of this. It is also very possible these are hit jobs because like I said above, they should have told him they had an issue right away. He isn't a mind reader.

[Demsrule86]

26. This is a coordinated planned take down... hope his campaign finds out .who.

[melman]

34. You keep saying that

Do you have any proof to back it up?

[Autumn]

42. Bernie used his time machine and went back in time and hypothesized Joe to

sabotage his campaign. Bernie is behind all this. Get with it dude.

[Demsrule86]

52. Autumn tired of being attacked by you for an opinion that I have a right to express...you are my

one ignore this year. Have a nice day.

[Demsrule86]

51. Why would I ? If I had proof I would post it. I maintain that it is a planned take down by someone

And I hope they discover who...is that more clear perhaps?

[MFM008]

36. Compared to the rapist

In chief why are we even discussing this?
So joe is to touchy he needs to dial back a bit
Disqualifying against the octo-maggot?
Laughable.

[brooklynite]

43. Out of curiosity, who has said it's disqualifying?

[LongtimeAZDem]

49. Flores did, but she backtracked and said she'd vote for him if he were the nominee

[samnsara]

38. turned on morning joe this am to see what ive missed out on during my week long

..boycott...and gosh darn theres a panel on discussing this.. well saying how this is different than me too..but still...the media IS driving the narrative! Just like they did with butterymales..

[samnsara]

39. after friggen trump admitted to sexually assaulting women and he STILL got elected...

...i feel these women coming out are doing so strictly to harm joes campaign..not to achieve some kind of cathartic healing. Im standing behind him even stronger now and i wish he would get some darn bumper stickers out!