It may be just who Joe is and it may not be sexual but it’s not Joe who gets to decide that. If the women are uncomfortable then they are.
And they are and we don’t need this.
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When was the last time he gave a male public official a kiss on the head? Or gave the husband of a cabinet official a shoulder massage?
He doesn’t do it to “everyone”. He does that stuff to women And women have been saying its inappropriate for decades, and Biden has ignored them.
And THAT is the problem.
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Study the expression on Stephanie Carter’s face in that photo above. Does she look like she’s enjoying that “affection”? This is a must-win election and we need every woman’s vote we can get.
I’m an older white guy, and even I get this! I was also raised to be affectionate, and I’ll gladly hug a friend, male or female. I don’t touch and nuzzle other people’s wives in inappropriate situations like that photo, and I never do that to a stranger.
See, it’s not just Joe’s tendency to be handsy. It’s his assumption that it’s okay because he’s a famous, powerful white male. He thinks that gives him permission. Between that and “Pence is a nice guy,” it just shows how out of touch he is, and how clueless he is about privilege.
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Biden has always been hyper-tactile, with everyone. With men, too, as you say, including Obama. Also with kids. There are a lot of video clips doing the rounds now on social media of him fondling people, with horrified accusations of pedophilia, etc, when of course he’s just one of those guys who likes to be physically affectionate, although admittedly he’s on the extreme of that spectrum. In many countries it’s absolutely normal to grab kids and sort of harass them for being cute. But Biden isn’t running in those countries, he’s running in a very puritanical culture in which a lot of liberal women have absolutely run out of patience with presumptuous men and really want to see a woman in charge, with very good reason. So Biden has to understand that this problem will only get bigger and will be a massive distraction and embarrassment. His current popularity will take a hit, and he runs the danger of becoming an icon of what’s wrong with the country, not what’s right about it. I think his time has probably come and gone.
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Quick question. Who do you think the Democrats should nominate?
Respectfully, keep your unicorn purity, we are in a fight for our lives.
I am not remotely saying Biden is pure or entirely blameless or that he should even be the candidate, but trashing the man who at this point has the best chance of beating Trump is foolish and reckless. Focus your ire on the pervert POTUS.
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I don’t know, I’m from Kentucky and it’s just not weird for men or women to behave like this with each other. While I readily admit that Joe is over the top with it, and he obviously isn’t from the South, but I just feel this is more complicated than that. I hear what you’re saying, but I’m just not as firm on it as you are.
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Maybe she was assaulted earlier in life by someone else? Maybe a family member?
Or It could be a cultural thing, too. People from Irish, German, Spanish, Greek, etc. backgrounds expect a physical welcoming. If my brother-in-laws suddenly stopped giving me bear hugs when we meet, I’d think there was something wrong. It gives me comfort and reestablishes a bond where I know they will always be there for me through thick and thin whether it’s a medical emergency, car accident, career setback or financial problem.
People who close themselves off too rigidly are losing that emotional security that gets you through life without going crazy with anxiety and worry. I don’t need pills when I have friendly, asexual hugs from others I trust.
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Even if so, it’s the opinion of the “biker chick” that matters.
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Putin actually lifted up a boys shirt and kissed him on the stomach:
Donald Trump, 2005: “ When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”
Biden exhibits the same attitude that Trump does, just not to the same extreme.
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When old Joe he says “If it is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully,” I’m hearing “If anyone was offended, I apologize.”
The other is Anita Hill. He treated the terrible behavior she described at Thomas’ hand in the most cavalier way possible. He talked and talked at her, didn’t object when Hatch read from The Exorcist suggesting Hill had read a part about finding a hair in a glass of gin.
Biden set the tone in 1991 hearing for the cavalier, piggish, disrespectful behavior we witnessed from the drunkard Kav, evasive answers,bemoaning how badly he was being treated but stopping short of calling it a high tech lynching.
He has said recently he owes her an apology. Hills says she’s never received one.
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I certainly don’t think he thinks he can get away with it because he is white. Powerful, famous, male, ego…yes.
I am fine with Flores’ take on this, and it should make people feel uncomfortable. If this causes Joe to back out of running, I am for it but fear the PC backlash and D’s attacking each other…so I wish he would stop running for other reasons. BUT, if this gets him to bow out sooner I guess I will take the trade-off and hope the appearance of D on D infighting recedes way into the background.
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It will or it won’t. We’ll soon see. I’m kind of leaning toward the belief that this isn’t the problem with the larger Democratic Party that many think it will be. I also think that if he manages to win the nomination despite these accusations then he’ll be an even tougher to beat in the general. We’ll see.
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Totally agree. “That’s just Joe” isn’t a totally satisfactory response in this day and age. But I have no reason to believe that it was not “just Joe” showing affection, and not sexual aggression. And compared to the MF-in-Chief, this is really, truly false equivalency at its worst. We do have to separate the huggers and kissers from those who truly are predators. And frankly, as we move forward, we have to recognise (not accept, but recognise) that standards were different then, because no effective boundaries had ever been set up to protect (primarily women) from undesired contact. But bottom line, whatever direction we move in, whatever way we find to establish boundaries and treat respect…this strikes me as a smear. Joe is not my choice of candidates. I really cannot forgive him for Anita Hill. But I hate to see him “Frankened.”
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If you look at all the pictures like this - I just saw one with Eva Longoria - the women look way less than thrilled with Joe. He’s always whispering some shit into their hair and god knows what he’s saying.
I just find it not presidential but problematic.
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i understand what you’re saying, but if that’s my old lady he’s grabbing , I think my opinion matters also. Just saying.
I have a friend who’s very extroverted and handsy. She loves to hug, hold hands, sit close to people, dance with them, touch them on the arm as she talks to them or delivers a punchline. She adores children and is very physically affectionate with them, in a motherly way.
I can see a lot of the same behavior with Biden. Maybe he intentionally takes advantage of his position, or maybe he’s just like my friend. At this point it doesn’t matter. He makes women and children uncomfortable. He’s got a few other skeletons in the closet too, as anyone with experience would.
The Dems have plenty of qualified candidates. We don’t need to spend the next 18 months defending his baggage.
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Putin is more than likely blowing fart noises on the kids tummy.
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A point worth noting here is that he never would have done that to a male colleague. That’s not camaraderie, it’s condescension.
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