Hey, Joe, can I have a hug?

[LakeArenal]

I really need one.

[democratisphere]

5. Nice misrepresentation: "grab me from behind and kiss my neck".

[LakeArenal]

10. Talk about the "circular firing squad"!

[tymorial]

26. Biden has apologized and promised to listen. That wasnt good enough

Where before I was on the fence as to whether this was a political hit, no more. Its shameful. Sometimes I dont think Democrats are happy unless they engage in political cannibalism

[hlthe2b]

13. Heavens! It seems as though merely posting "Biden" and "hug" is enough for some to go "off'...

Almost like a DU "Rorschach Test"...

[Sunlei]

16. pot stirrer posters are like cance(R), they'll be back

[Demit]

32. Because hugging is not the only physical contact he makes with women.

Because his defenders are emphasizing the hugs and ignoring the nuzzling from behind & whispering in women's ears.

[hlthe2b]

33. Asked and answered (by Biden). For some there will never be enough mea culpas for them;

Never an apology that says the exact words, in the exact order, the exact volume, the exact number of repetitions, the exact pitch, rate, and fluency THEY want to hear, never a pledge to learn from evolving societal norms that is sufficient.

And THAT refusal to ever show the grace to acknowledge an individual might be sincere in their pledge to actually learn, evolve and change is precisely why this is backfiring now--"bigly" as the orange menace would say (and who stands to benefit the most from this compounding).

[Demit]

35. He might be sincere. Or he might continue making jokes about asking permission. Time will tell.

[LakeArenal]

37. OMG.. He whispered. Now that's new... Since I haven't heard one claim about inappropriate whispering

What new twist can be added to make this sound worse than it is...?

Imagine in a loud crowd, someone speaking into your ear... So that one might hear them...

[Demit]

40. Funny stuff! You should send your jokes to Biden, maybe he'll use them.

[LakeArenal]

41. Funnier than you forsure. Look how many appreciate my humor.

As well as a big, whispery hug from Joe.

You aren’t going to get anyone at this post. At this point, everyone has moved on.... To a different support Joe thread.

[WeekiWater]

39. Does he assault them?

Harass them? Stalk them? Touch their privates?

[democratisphere]

36. You forgot "grab", which Biden does not do.

[stonecutter357]

8. lol fail !

[femmocrat]

2. Me too, please.

And I would hug him back, because I’m pretty sure he could use one too!

[LakeArenal]

11. Yep.

[MineralMan]

3. For every person who would reject a hug by Biden,

there are a hundred who would love one.

That's the true takeaway from all this. Going after Joe Biden for being overly huggy is not a good way to hurt his chances, frankly.

[dalton99a]

4. +1. It was a clumsy attempt to smear a good man

[marylandblue]

18. The intent is not just to smear him but distract him.

As long as we are talking about hugging, we are not talking about something more important. If it goes on long enough, people will think his whole campaign is "Let's all hug total strangers, it's never creepy."

[PatSeg]

23. I don't think so either

He was the wrong person to accuse of being inappropriate, as his defenders have come out talking about what a good, decent man he is and reinforcing all his positive qualities. You can't buy that kind of publicity. I think it is backfiring on his accusers and if they did it for political reasons, it will stick to them more than to Joe.

[Polly Hennessey]

6. A hug from Joe would

really matter because it would be genuine. 🥰

[mainstreetonce]

7. That would be a great slogan

for tee shirts

[Funtatlaguy]

12. "Joes hugs are awesome"

[Sunlei]

9. Love You Joe Biden! please stay undecided for as long as possible, D party needs you!

[Stuart G]

14. Jackpot....!!!!!!!!! Just 4 Words....Jackpot....!!!!! ..... "D party needs you!"

[doompatrol39]

15. Wow. This whole thing lately on here just reminds me of....

Republicans who double down on any criticism, just to "piss off the libtards and snowflakes".

Whether it's posing with their guns just because they can, or wearing "Trump can grab my pussy" shirts or whatever else.

If people want to disagree on what the parameters of personal space or comfort levels or appropriate behavior from superiors in the work place is, or have those discussions that's fine. But so many of the posts on here lately about this issue have that relentless spite to them that I expect from Republicans but not from Democrats. "I'm fine with it, so what's YOUR problem?!?!"

Classy.

[Sunlei]

17. good name, fits your posting style!

Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois said, “One thing I know about Joe Biden: He’s a man of his word. If he says he’ll do better then he’ll do better.” She added, “And I do believe that if the women felt that he was inappropriate we have to respect how they felt about it.”

[samnsara]

19. Joe can hug me ANYTIME!!!

[orleans]

20. he has always been a demonstrative person

he tries to convey a message through a touch:
i'm with you, i care about you, you can do this, i'm glad to meet you/know you, etc.

i believe he is a sincere, warm, open person. a genuine person who strives to connect with others which includes through the sense of touch.

i've never been a "touchy feely" kind of person and while i, too, have experienced a sense of feeling uncomfortable or awkward when given hugs or when someone has put their arm around me, i have always understood the positive or encouraging nature & meaning behind it and where it was coming from.

i was also one of those people who used to gesture and touch someone's arm during a conversation. i did it to demonstrate to them that we were making a connection, or that i empathized, or to offer a bit of encouragement. (i guess i was okay with a little touch but just uneasy with a one or two arm hug.)

i had a partner who was extremely bothered/jealous by the fact that i reached out and touched other people during conversations. i literally began putting my hands under my thighs to keep from doing that. that was in the early 1980s.

it appears some people would never have survived the 60s & 70s with all the touchiness that went on.

[LakeArenal]

22. Nice post. Thanks.

I feel the same.

Plus, I think to not expect hugs at a public event of celebration, or support, or remembrance, or all three, is unusual.

It’s sad to think teachers can’t hug kids anymore or ruffle their hair or pat their back.

Joe had a bunch of criticism for saying social norms have changed. But it’s true they have. It’s sad to me.

I think now how Princess Di used to physically touch people. Everyone thought it was beautiful then.

Times have indeed changed.

[Doreen]

25. About princess Di.

She is a woman and most of society expects women to be touchy feely because we are supposed to be maternal. It is ALWAYS the male politicians who are being accused.

Please remind me which female politicians have gotten mercilessly attacked for touching.

[LakeArenal]

31. !!

[hlthe2b]

29. One of the very saddest things from Trump's child separation is that their "care-takers"

are absolutely the opposite of providing care. They do not touch, they do not comfort, they do NOTHING to help these psychically damaged children.

How I wish they had caring people WHO WOULD use benign touch to comfort them to help them cope.
To have a grandfatherly figure like Biden reach out and hug them, put a shoulder on their arm, tell them he understands and most importantly show that he CARES--how much of a difference might that make. That human connection is invaluable.

[pdsimdars]

21. I like the point Barbara Boxer made. . . do we want all men to be like Mike Pence?

Who won't go in a room with a woman unless the door is left open.
Can't have it both ways. Either you have people who care for each other or are afraid to.

[PatSeg]

24. Oh yes

Boxer was great on Chris Hayes. I love her remarks about younger politicians who just rolled out of bed and ended up in the Democratic party, "I'm everything you want, because I was born yesterday".

[FloridaBlues]

27. Love her statement!

[PatSeg]

30. She is sharp as ever

and I appreciate her reaction to what she perceived as naive ageism. Much of what she said was in response to Michelle Goldberg.

[Gothmog]

28. I would like one also

[IluvPitties]

34. I want a hug from Joe. He is a very caring person.

[BlueFlorida]

38. Such a sagacious OP

Some people want to transform a comforting hug into something scandalous!

[aidbo]

42. This gets right to the heart of the matter. Consent.