Sen. Bennet says Biden controversy is no joke

[brooklynite]

Politico

Likely Democratic presidential contender Michael Bennet on Sunday criticized former Vice President Joe Biden for joking about the controversy swirling around his touchy, avuncular style that some women say made them uncomfortable.

"I don't think anyone should make jokes about it," the Colorado senator told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union." "This is an important time in our country's history when women are coming forward and able to say when they've been made to feel uncomfortable, whether in a sexual way or a nonsexual way. People's voices should be heard on that."

Numerous women have come forward to say Biden touched or kissed them in ways that invaded their personal spaces. Responding, Biden and his defenders have argued he's a tactile person who physically shows affection to everyone, including men, women and children.

During a speech to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers on Friday, Biden joked twice about the controversy. After hugging union President Lonnie Stephenson and a boy, Biden said each had given him permission, prompting laughter from the crowd.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

1. Glad to see Sen. Bennet gets it!! I'm sure Joe will too and stop with the jokes...

#MeToo is no laughing matter!!


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demit]

2. I guess Senator Bennet just can't take a joke, amirite?

[Demsrule86]

3. Still at it is see.

[stonecutter357]

4. lol fail !

[dlk]

5. The Part of the Conversation I Haven't Seen is the Piece About an Alpha Male Asserting Dominance in

a social situation. Some days, we're not all that far removed from the jungle.

[Demit]

7. But that's not cute, like hugs are!

It's inconvenient to talk about the coming up to women from behind, gripping their shoulders, then nuzzling their hair.

[Autumn]

9. When men in power impose themselves on women in a public setting they very often feel it

necessary to say nothing. They tend to go along with it and shut the fuck up to avoid making waves knowing that there can be repercussions and accusations just like the ones being made now.

[LuvNewcastle]

6. He and Biden are competing for the same voters,

so I expect him to be critical of Biden.

[BlueFlorida]

8. Wrong move

He will go down the way the candidate who started the smear will.

[ucrdem]

10. I'm guessing this train never leaves the station.

[shanny]

11. Maybe. Someone I respect begs to differ:

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a27057225/joe-biden-jokes-about-touching-women/

"Holy Jesus H. Christ on a morals beef, he's just never going to get it. Hell, I don't think he even knows what It is yet. This is the guy who fought for the Violence Against Women Act...and yet he can't bring himself to produce a thoroughgoing apology to Anita Hill for what happened to her when he was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and he doesn't understand that telling these jokes to a bunch of union jamokes is definitely Not The Way to appeal to those citizens who've been upset with him over the past couple of weeks. When people talk about his being a "gaffe machine," this is what they mean.

It's time for Joe Biden to decide not to run for president....The party is far distant from the one in which he once was a power. The caravan has moved on. The train as left the station."

[ucrdem]

12. Biden didn't harass Anita Hill, Clarence Thomas did.

And Hill went to work for Thomas twice. What does that say about her politics? And yes Biden has apologized repeatedly for her trouble but he didn't cause it and he helped her every way he could. So carping about Anita Hill is basically revealing a predisposition to blame Biden for something he didn't do.

[shanny]

13. whooosh

"apologized repeatedly" Never to her, personally, and his most recent public effort was, "I wish there was something I could have done...." As chairman of the committee hearings in question, there WAS something he could have done: he could have allowed the other women who were ready to testify do so.

So, yeah, there was stuff Biden didn't do.

And what do Anita Hill's politics have to do with anything? Are you blaming her for speaking out against Clarence Thomas and thereby making Joe Biden look bad? WTF?