Joe Biden "An Awkward Kiss" Allegation

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Replying to @krassenstein There are a lot of inappropriate and unwanted moments that are sexual assault. Most sexual harassment isn't sexual assault. Women have a right to bodily autonomy and shouldn't be forced to be touched regardless of how slight you think it is. You're thread is violently ignorant. 12:17 PM -31 Mar 2019

Joe Biden can be a wonderfully compassionate friend, and a stranger who makes some women uncomfortable with his unsolicited physical affection. All at the same time. There aren't sides here, just a conversation he seems willing to have, so let's have it. 9:18 AM-1 Apr 2019

Are we really pretending that Joe Biden being creepy/inappropriate with women is news? I for one am looking forward to the Creepy Uncle Joe memes throughout the campaign. 5:20 PM - 29 Mar 2019

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Overview

Joe Biden "An Awkward Kiss" Allegation is a sexual misconduct accusation made by Democratic politician Lucy Flores about Joe Biden "inappropriately" kissed the back of the head at a campaign rally in 2014. Biden has since denied the allegations.

Background

On March 29th, 2019, New York^[1] magazine published an article that by former Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor of Nevada Lucy Flores, alleging that at a campaign rally in 2014, Joe Biden had kissed the back of her head without her consent (Biden and Flores shown below, center and right). She writes:

Just before the speeches, we were ushered to the side of the stage where we were lined up by order of introduction. As I was taking deep breaths and preparing myself to make my case to the crowd, I felt two hands on my shoulders. I froze. "Why is the vice-president of the United States touching me?"

I felt him get closer to me from behind. He leaned further in and inhaled my hair. I was mortified. […] He proceeded to plant a big slow kiss on the back of my head. My brain couldn’t process what was happening. I was embarrassed. I was shocked. I was confused. There is a Spanish saying, "tragame tierra," it means, 'earth, swallow me whole.' I couldn’t move and I couldn’t say anything. I wanted nothing more than to get Biden away from me.

Developments

Biden's Response

On March 31st, 2019, Biden released a statement on the allegations. He wrote:^[2]

In my many years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort. And not once – never – did I believe I acted inappropriately. If it is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully. But it was never my intention.

I may not recall these moments the same way, and I may be surprised at what I hear. But we have arrived at an important time when women feel they can and should relate their experiences, and men should pay attention. And I will.

"In my many years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort. And not once never - did I believe I acted inappropriately. If it is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully. But it was never my intention. I may not recall these moments the same way, and I may be surprised at what I hear. But we have arrived at an important time when women feel they can and should relate their experiences, and men should pay attention. And I will. I will also remain the strongest advocate I can be for the rights of women. I will fight to build on the work l've done in my career to end violence against women and ensure women are treated with the equality they deserve. I will continue to surround myself with trusted women advisers who challenge me to see different perspectives than my own. And I will continue to speak out on these vitally-important issues where there is much more progress to be made and crucial fights that must be waged and won."

Following the statement, Flores responded to his statement on the news interview show State of the Union.^[3] She said, "I'm glad that [Joe Biden] is clarifying his intentions. Frankly, my point was never about his intentions, and they shouldn't be about his intentions. It should be about the women on the receiving end of that behavior."

Government Response

Several government officials reacted publicly to the allegations. Senator Elizabeth Warren said, "I read the op-ed last night. I believe Lucy Flores and Joe Biden needs to give an answer" (shown below).

Sen. Elizabeth Warren: "I read the op-ed last night. I believe Lucy Flores and Joe Biden needs to give an answer."Question: "Should he not run as a result?"Sen. Warren: "That's for Joe Biden to decide." https://t.co/79rputXazI pic.twitter.com/QqMEb96YxE

— The Hill (@thehill) April 1, 2019

On the news interview series Face the Nation, Senator Bernie Sanders said, "I have no reason not to believe Lucy [Flores]. I think what this speaks to is the need to fundamentally change the culture of this country. And create environments where women feels comfortable and feel safe and that's something that we have got to do.

.BernieSanders</a> says he has no reason not to believe <a href="https://twitter.com/LucyFlores?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">LucyFlores's allegations of inappropriate touching against former Vice President Biden. “I think what this speaks to is the need to fundamentally change the culture of this country.” pic.twitter.com/35lfX5AqyB

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) March 31, 2019

Online Response

On the day the article was released, Flores tweeted ^[4] a link with the comment, "This was an incredibly difficult thing to do, but something that felt necessary. It took awhile before I found the words and the support that made me feel like this was finally a story I could tell." The post received more than 11,000 retweets, 25,000 likes and 4,500 comments (shown below, left).

Supporters of Flores contend that Biden's behavior has been in question for years, bringing up the Creepy Joe Biden meme from 2015. Twitter^[5] user @NumbersMunhcer tweeted, "Are we really pretending that Joe Biden being creepy/inappropriate with women is news? I for one am looking forward to the Creepy Uncle Joe memes throughout the campaign." The tweet received more than 500 retweets and 1,300 likes in three days (shown below, center)

Some came to Biden's defense. Twitter^[6] user @jess_mc tweeted, "Joe Biden can be a wonderfully compassionate friend, and a stranger who makes some women uncomfortable with his unsolicited physical affection. All at the same time. There aren’t sides here, just a conversation he seems willing to have, so let’s have it" (shown below, right).

Lucy Flores @LucyFlores This was an incredibly difficult thing to do, but something that felt necessary. It took awhile before I found the words and the support that made me feel like this was finally a story I could tell. An Awkward Kiss Changed How I Saw Joe Biden The former vice-president has a history of invading women's personal space. thecut.com 3:52 PM -29 Mar 2019

On March 31st, liberal activist Brian Krassenstein tweeted^[7] a thread defending Biden. He wrote, "I’m making this thread knowing full well that it may piss some people off. I don’t care. Every day there are thousands of sex assaults in the US. Every day thousands of women are traumatized. Kissing someone on the cheek (or head) as a greeting, is a greeting, not sex assault." The inital tweet received more than 2,000 retweets and 10,000 likes in 24 hours (shown below).

Brian Krassenstein @krassenstein Mar 31 I'm making this thread knowing full well that it may piss some people off. I don't care. Every day there are thousands of sex assaults in the US. Every day thousands of women are traumatized. Kissing someone on the cheek (or head) as a greeting, is a greeting, not sex assault 3.7K t2.2K 11K Brian Krassenstein @krassenstein Mar 31 If a man does this, and a woman feels uncomfortable, this is very unfortunate, and she should speak up if she feels comfortable doing so. If Biden kissed this woman's head and she felt uncomfortable, Biden is in the wrong, but to compare this action to anything close to sex 305 t219 2.2K Brian Krassenstein @krassenstein Mar 31 assault is to minimize actual sex assault and the entire #metoo movement. Once again, I'm not defending Biden's actions, but I am defending his right to not be grouped into a category of disgusting individuals who think their power, strength and masculinity affords them. 147 t225 24K Brian Krassenstein @krassenstein Mar 31 the right to force themselves on a woman in a sexual way Does this mean that every man who takes a woman on a first date and ends the evening with a kiss on the cheek, should be grouped into a category of "creepy men," simply because he misread the woman's level of interest?

Brian Krassenstein @krassenstein Mar 31 Should a man who greets a woman a friendly hug and a kiss on her cheek be attacked and shamed, even if this is his standard way of greeting all women colleagues, friends, and acquaintances he meets? Brian Krassenstein @krassenstein Mar 31 If we go down this path, it will be hard to turn back? Women of course need to speak out when they feel a man acted inappropriately, but if a 73-year-old grandpa greets a woman with a kiss on her head, we also can't relegate him to a pile of garbage human beings who don't... 142 t 157 1.5K Brian Krassenstein @krassenstein Mar 31 respect women In some cultures it's completely normal to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek, and in fact they will be offended if you don't. For the record, I don't kiss women on their heads when I meet them, 154 t209 1.9K Brian Krassenstein @krassenstein Follow nor smell their hair and Biden isn't my first choice for the nomination right now

Some reacted negatively to Krassenstein's comments. Twitter^[8] user @TheWayWithAnoa tweeted, "There are a lot of inappropriate and unwanted moments that are sexual assault. Most sexual harassment isn’t sexual assault. Women have a right to bodily autonomy and shouldn’t be forced to be touched regardless of how slight you think it is. You’re thread is violently ignorant" (shown below).

The news of Flores' accusation became a topic of conversation on the conservative subreddit /r/The_Donald, where several threads received more than 3,000 points in three days.^[9]^[10]^[11]