Joe Biden Jokes About Hugging in First Speech Since Women's Complaints.

[elleng]

'Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Friday twice jokingly referred to allegations from several women that he had made them uncomfortable with his physical contact, using his first public remarks since the complaints emerged to try to push past the controversy that overtook his expected presidential campaign in the past week.

Speaking at an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers conference in Washington, the former vice president largely stuck to his long-running political themes, highlighting the importance of uniting a divided nation and restoring the “great American middle class” — save for two notable asides.

As he took the stage, he hugged Lonnie R. Stephenson, the union’s president. “I just want you to know I had permission to hug Lonnie,” he said, and the largely male crowd burst into laughter.

The joke came as Mr. Biden was fending off criticism from some Democrats, who worry that the 76-year-old is out of step with the party’s mores around gender and race. In recent days, he has struggled to address accusations from women that his hugs, kisses and other expressions of his physically intimate style of politicking were unwelcome.

Even as Mr. Biden sought to move past the allegations, they were plainly on his mind.

Several minutes into his remarks, Mr. Biden spotted children in the audience. After welcoming them to the stage, Mr. Biden wrapped his arm around a young boy. “By the way, he gave me permission to touch him,” he said, to laughter.

“Everyone knows I like kids more than people,” he added.

He used the bulk of his speech to critique economic inequality, partisanship and President Trump, offering an argument for American renewal that could form the basis of his possible presidential campaign.

“This country was not built by Wall Street bankers and hedge fund managers,” he said. “It was built by the great American middle class.”'>>>

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/05/us/politics/joe-biden-controversy.html

[highplainsdem]

1. K&R

[LongtimeAZDem]

2. I disagree that he is "out of step with the party's mores around gender and race."

Furthermore, he hasn't "struggled to address accusations"; he responded to them with candor, respect, and honesty.

The only people dissapointed are the ones that want him to grovel.

[elleng]

3. Right

[highplainsdem]

5. I disagree with that, too, but I don't think the Times is incorrect in saying that "some Demoocrats"

feel that way. (It would have been completely wrong if they'd said "many Democrats" or "most Democrats" feel that way.)

They're ones who want him to grovel, as you said. The ones who want to derail his candidacy, apparently to help other candidates.

[LongtimeAZDem]

6. Agreed, but since that was the only perspective they noted, that's just equivocating on their part

[highplainsdem]

7. True. But the NYT story seemed fairer than some early stories I've seen that just focused on

criticism of his joking about hugging.

[stonecutter357]

4. K&R good for Joe !