Biden Promises to Be ‘More Mindful’ About Respecting Personal Space
Former Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday responded to accusations about him inappropriately touching women by releasing a video in which he says he will be more mindful in the future of people’s personal space.
In the two-minute video, which he released via Twitter, a relaxed and soft-spoken Biden hinted at his yet-to-be announced presidential bid, saying “in the coming month, I expect to be talking about of whole lot of issues,” promising to “always be direct with you.”
Biden then switched gears by saying “today I want to talk about gestures of support and encouragement.”
Last week, a former Nevada legislator, Lucy Flores, said Biden had made her uncomfortable by gripping her shoulders, smelling her hair and kissing her on the back of her head as she was preparing to go on stage at a 2014 campaign rally for her lieutenant governor bid.
Since then, another woman has said Biden grabbed her face and rubbed noses with her during a 2009 congressional staff event.
In his first public remarks about the accusations, Biden explained that over the course of his career, he’d “always tried to make a human connection.
“That’s my responsibility, I think. I shake hands. I hug people. I grab men and women by the shoulders,” he said. “It’s always been my way of showing I care about them and I’m listening.”
But Biden went on to acknowledge that the times have changed since he entered politics.
“Social norms are changing. I understand that, and I’ve heard what these women are saying,” Biden said. “Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. That’s my responsibility and I will meet it.”
Biden is expected to announce a 2020 Democratic presidential bid in coming weeks.
