A sexual assault allegation is raising former US vice president Joe Biden’s first big challenge as the Democrats’ US presidential nominee.
Biden’s campaign has denied the allegation from his former Senate staffer Tara Reade, who has said that Biden assaulted her in the basement of a Capitol Hill office building in the 1990s.
The story garnered fresh attention this week after two of Reade’s associates said that she had previously told them about elements of her allegations. Biden has said nothing about the allegation.
Photo: AP
Like many Americans, he has spent the past several weeks at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Biden has participated in a handful of local and national interviews, during which he was not asked about the allegation, but he has not held a press briefing for the broader press corps that covers him since April 2, before multiple news organizations reported Reade’s story.
The public appearances he has made, such as fundraisers or events alongside prominent Democrats, have been controlled.
Some Democrats say that approach is not working, and are urging a more forceful response.
“The campaign has issued statements, but he hasn’t issued any statements in his own voice,” former US Democratic National Committee chairwoman Donna Brazile said. “It’s not helping, it’s just damaging — not only to the person who has come forward, but it’s also damaging the candidate.”
“These accusations have not been found to be credible, so it’s in the Biden campaign’s interest to nip this in the bud directly and do it quickly,” said Lis Smith, who worked as a top strategist on former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign.
Women are a core constituency for Democrats, and Biden has a mixed history.
Although he cosponsored the Violence Against Women Act as a senator, he also came under criticism for his handling of Anita Hill’s Senate testimony in the 1990s.
Just before he launched his 2020 campaign, several women accused him of unwanted touching, behavior for which he has apologized.
Biden has pledged to pick a woman as a running mate, and the allegation has left those thought to be in contention in a tough spot.
“Women deserve to be heard, and I believe they need to be listened to, but I also believe that those allegations have to be investigated by credible sources,” former Georgia Democratic governor candidate Stacey Abrams said.
“The New York Times did a deep investigation and they found that the accusation was not credible,” she added. “I believe Joe Biden.”
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