One reason I was skeptical of this claim was that Reade had been interviewed about Biden's office behavior two years previously and had said he frequently hugged her and made her feel “uncomfortable” -- an allegation against Biden other women have made -- but she made no mention of him essentially raping her. My skepticism increased when she was quoted as saying that she only decided to go public with the rape allegation "once he started winning primaries” -- indicating that whether it's true or not, she deliberately timed the allegation to ruin his Presidential campaign and his chances for a further political career.
Now that I've heard and transcribed Biden's MS-NBC interview, I'm a LOT closer to believing Tara Reade's allegations than I was before. Biden's appalling defensiveness over the allegations and his bizarre nit-picking over where any complaint Reade may have made might be found today don't sound to me like the statements of an innocent man. Neither do his shifting explanations of why he delayed the release of his senatorial papers by the University of Delaware until after the Presidential campaign.
At first he said that the university had asked for the delay because they're still going through the boxes and curating them. Later he said that he didn't want his political rivals to have the chance to sift through his papers and do opposition research with them. Still later he said the reason he won't release them until after the 2020 campaign is he doesn't want to compromise the confidentiality of conversations he had with President Barack Obama and with other world leaders.
Biden also said that he regards the papers he deposited with the University of Delaware as private. He said, “You wouldn’t, for example, if you worked for me or I worked for you, and you had my income-tax returns. You had my — whatever. They’re private documents. They’re not for — they don’t get put out for the public. They’re not part of the public record." With those ill-thought-out words he totally undercut every other Democrat, every Congressmember, every political activist and every attorney who has been working for the last four years to pry Donald Trump's tax returns from Trump’s fierce attempts to maintain their secrecy.
If the Democrats want ANY chance of unseating President Trump this year, they HAVE to dump Joe Biden as their nominee. They can't afford to have a nominee that has been credibly accused of sexual abuse running against an incumbent who's also been credibly accused of sexual abuse. Nor can they afford to have a nominee that made the same sort of corrupt advance to the previous President of Ukraine the current U.S. President made to the current Ukrainian President (and was impeached for): threatening to withhold U.S. taxpayer-funded and Congressionally approved aid to Ukraine unless its president did him a personal favor (in Biden's case, firing a prosecutor who was about to investigate a Ukrainian energy corporation on whose board of directors Biden's son then sat.)
Aside from exposing Joe Biden's façade of nice-guy honesty, the Reade affair has also exposed the hypocrisy of the #MeToo movement. As Mika Brzezinski points out during the interview, plenty of Democratic women who previously said (as Biden did during the Brett Kavanaugh hearings) that a woman who accuses a prominent man of sexual abuse should be given the benefit of the doubt and the burden of proof should be on the man to show it didn't happen are now singing a different tune when the accused is their party's presumptive Presidential nominee. In particular, the loathsome New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand -- who led the jihad that drove Al Franken out of the U.S. Senate over allegations of sexual misconduct far less serious than those against Biden -- has shown herself to be a total hypocrite. She should immediately resign from the U.S. Senate and apologize to Al Franken for ruining his career.
Despite the endorsements from fellow Democrats — including ones who ran against him — and the polls which at the moment show Biden two to 10 points ahead of Trump (just as the polls throughout the 2016 campaign showed Hillary Clinton with a substantial lead over Trump — the polls were wrong then and are wrong now) — Joe Biden simply cannot win a Presidential election against Donald Trump. If the Democrats persist in their intention to nominate Biden, they are condemning themselves and our country to four more years of the breathtaking lying, incompetence and corruption of the Trump administration. The Democrats need to demand that Biden step down and work out a process for holding a wide-open virtual convention that can come up with a Presidential nominee who, unlike Biden, can actually win. — Mark Gabrish Conlan
•••••
Joe Biden: Interview with Mika Brzezinski, MS-NBC, April 30, 2020
Mika Brzezinski:
O.K., let’s bring in the apparent Democratic nominee for President, former
vice-president Joe Biden. Mr. Vice-President, thank you for coming on the show
this morning. We have —
Joe Biden: Happy to
be with you.
Brzezinski: We want
to ask you this morning — Joe [Scarborough] will be with us in a moment for
questions on how you would handle this pandemic, the campaign and other news of
the day. But at the start, it’s just going to be you and me, and I want to get
right to the allegations made against you by Tara Reade. So the former Senate
aide accuses you of sexual assault.
And please, to our viewers, please excuse the graphic nature
of this, but I want to make sure that there is no question about what we’re
talking about. She says, Mr. Vice-President, that in 1993 you pinned her
against the wall and reached under her clothing and penetrated her with her
fingers. Would you please go on the record with the American people: did you
sexually assault Tara Reade?
Biden: No, it is not
true. I’m saying unequivocally. It never, never happened. And it didn’t. It
never happened.
Brzezinski:
Do you remember her? Do you remember any —
any types of complaints she might have made?
Biden: I don’t
remember any type of complaint she may have made. It was 27 years ago. And I
don’t remember — nor does anybody else that I’m aware of. And the fact is I
don’t remember. I don’t remember any complaint having been made.
Brzezinski:
Have your or your campaign — have you
reached out to her?
Biden: No, I had not
reached out to her. It was 27 years ago. This never happened, and when she
first made the claim we made it clear that it never happened. And that’s — it’s
as simple as that.
Brzezinski: In the
past 30 minutes or so you’ve released a statement on Medium, and
among other things, you write this: “There’s only one place a complaint of this
kind could be: the National Archives. I am requesting that the Secretary of the
Senate ask the Archives to identify any record of the complaint she alleges she
filed. If there was any such complaint, the record will be there.” Are you
preparing us for a complaint that might
be revealed in some way? Are you confident that there is nothing?
Biden: I’m confident
there is nothing. No one ever brought it to the attention of me 27 years ago —
this is any assertion at all. No one that I’m aware of in my campaign — excuse
me, my Senate office at the time — is aware of any such request, or of any such
complaint. And so I — I — I’m not worried about it at all. If there is a
complaint, that’s where it would be. That’s where it would be filed. And if
it’s there, put it out. But I have never seen it. No one has, that I’m aware
of.
Brzezinski: The New
York Times has investigated this exhaustively. They didn’t find any
of your former staff members who were able to corroborate the details of this
allegation. She did file a police report a few weeks ago with the D.C. police.
But since you want to set the record straight, why limit this only to Tara
Reade? Why not release any complaints
that may have been made against you during your Senate career?
Biden: I’m prepared
to do that. To the best of my knowledge, there have been no
complaints made up against me in terms of my Senate career, in terms of my
office or anything about how it’s been run. Look, this is an open book. There’s
nothing for me to hide. Nothing at all.
Brzezinski: You were
unequivocal, Mr. Vice-President, back in 2018 during the [Brett] Kavanaugh
controversy and hearings, and you said that women should be believed. You said
this: “For a woman to come forward in the glaring lights that focus nationally,
you’ve got to start off with the presumption that at least the essence of what
she is talking about is real, whether or not she forgets the facts; whether or
not it’s been made worse or better over time.”
She’s going to be going on national television on Sunday.
Tara Reade is coming forward in the glaring lights. To use your words, should
we not start off with the presumption that the essence of what she’s talking
about is real? She says you sexually assaulted her.
Biden: Look, from
the very beginning I’ve said that [unintelligible] women means taking women’s
claims seriously when she steps forward, and then vet it. Look into it. That’s
true in this case as well. Women have a right to be heard, and the press should
rigorously investigate the claims they make. I’ll always uphold that principle.
But in the end, in every case, the truth is what matters. And in this case, the
truth is the claims are false.
Brzezinski: Is it
possible that these claims are held in an NDA [non-disclosure agreement]? Do
you have any NDA’s that have been signed by women who were employed by you?
Biden: I have no —
there is no NDA signed, and no one’s ever signed — I’ve never asked anybody to
sign an NDA. There are no NDA’s, period, in my case. None.
Brzezinski: Your
Senate documents at the University of Delaware were supposed to go public, and
then they were re-sealed. The access was changed. I know that you’re saying any
HR complaints could be in the National Archives. But why not reveal your Senate
documents that are being held in Delaware? I know there are 1,800-plus boxes.
But if she believes and she alleges that the complaints may be hidden there,
why not strive for complete transparency? Why was the access to those documents
sealed up when they were supposed to be revealed?
Biden: Well, they were
supposed to be revealed. I gave [them to] the University. The University says
it’s going to take them time to go through all the boxes. They said they
wouldn’t be — that wouldn’t be before 2020 before that occurred, or 2021, I
can’t remember the year they said. But look, a record like this can only be
[in] one place. It would be at the N- — it would not be at the University
of Delaware. My archives do not contain personal files.
My archive contains documents — and when I say “personal
files” I mean “personnel files.” They don’t contain any personnel files. They
are public records: my speeches, my papers, my position papers. And if that
document existed, it would be stored in the National Archives, as are documents
from the office she claims she filed her complaint with are stored. That’s
where they are stored. The Senate controls those archives, so I’m asking the
Secretary of the Senate today to identify if any such document exists. If it
does, then make it public.
Brzezinski: Right.
But there are claims and concerns and reports in Business Insider,
and she claims that possibly a complaint, or some sort of record of this, might
be at the University of Delaware. So, for complete transparency, why not push
for the release of any documents with
Tara Reade’s name on them, whether it’s at the University of Delaware or the
National Archives?
Biden: First of all,
let’s get this straight. There are no personnel documents. You can’t do that.
You wouldn’t, for example, if you worked for me or I worked for you, and you
had my income-tax returns. You had my — whatever. They’re private documents.
They’re not for — they don’t get put out for the public. They’re not part of
the public record. That, in fact, that any Senator or Vice-President or
President has in their documents.
If — look, there’s one place that she can file the
complaint. And the complaint — and that office at the time was — all those
records from that office are in the [National] Archives. And they’re controlled
by the Senate. That’s where personnel documents would be if they exist. That’s
where the complaint would be if it exists.
Brzezinski: Given
the fact that you have said in the past that if a woman goes under the lights
and talks about something like this, we have to consider that the essence of
this is real, is the essence of what she is saying real? Why do you think she’s
doing this?
Biden: I’m not going
to question her motive. I’m not going to get into that at all. I don’t know why
she’s saying this. I don’t know why, after 27 years, all of a sudden this gets
raised. I don’t understand it. But I’m not going to go in and question her motive.
I’m not going to attack her. She has a right to say whatever she wants to say.
But I have a right to say, “Look at the facts. Check it out. Find out whether
any of it — any of what she says is asserted is true.”
And based on the investigations that have taken place so
far, to the best of my knowledge, by two major papers — they interviewed dozens
of my staff members, not just senior staff but staff members, I’m told. At
least that’s what they said. And nobody — I mean, this was not the atmosphere
in my office at all. No one has ever
said anything like this.
Brzezinski: But, Mr.
Vice-President, as it pertained to Dr. Ford [Brett Kavanaugh’s accuser],
everyone wanted — high-level Democrats said she should be believed, that they
believed it happened. You said if someone like Dr. Ford were to
come out, the essence of what she is saying has to be believed, has to be real.
But why, why, why? Why is it real for Dr. Ford but not for Tara Reade?
Biden: There —
because the facts are — look. She — I’m not suggesting she had no right to come
forward. And I never — I’m not saying that any woman. They should come forward. They should be heard. And then it
should be investigated. It should be investigated. And if there’s anything that
makes it — that is consistent with what’s being said, and she makes the case,
or the case is made, then it should be believed.
But only the truth matters. The truth matters. It’s —
period. I’ve fought my entire life to change, to change the whole notion of the
law and cultural, sexual, around the culture on sexual assault. And I fought to
protect and strengthen the process for survivors. I believe that we’ve come a
long way, and we’ve got a long way to go, in this system before we are in fact
in a position that there’s a fair and unbiased view.
But at the end of the day, it has to be looked at. These
claims are not true. There’s no corroboration — I mean, they’re not true. I
don’t know what else I can say to you.
Brzezinski: Mr.
Vice-President, well, I’m going to try to ask in many different ways. Stacey
Abrams said during the Kavanaugh hearings, “I believe women. I believe
survivors of assault should be supported, and their voices heard.” Kirsten
Gillibrand tweeted, “We believe women. Do we give them the opportunity to tell
their story? We must be a country that says yes every time.” They
now both support you. Nancy Pelosi falls into this category, too, as well as
many other leaders in the Democratic Party. Are women to be believed — are
women to be believed unless it pertains
to you?
Biden: Look, women
are to be believed and given the benefit of the doubt when they come forward
and say something that is — that they say happened to them. They should start
off with the presumption that they’re telling the truth. Then you have to look
at the circumstances and the facts. And the facts in this case do not exist.
They never happened. And there are so many inconsistencies in what has been
said in this case. So yes, look at the facts, and I assure you that it did not
happen. Period. Period.
Brzezinski: But why
is it different now? Do you regret what you said during the Kavanaugh hearings?
Biden: What I said
during the Kavanaugh hearings was that she had a right to be heard. And the
fact that she came forward, the presumption would be she’s telling the truth
unless it’s proved she wasn’t telling the truth. Not proved, but
what’s clear from the facts surrounding it is not the truth. [Interrupting Brzezinski:] It’s just at the very — I’m sorry.
Brzezinski: As we —
go ahead.
Biden: Please —
that’s all right.
Brzezinski: As we
await the records from the National Archives, are you absolutely certain, are
you absolutely positive, there is no record of any complaint by Tara Reade
against you?
Biden: I am
absolutely positive that no one that I’m aware of ever has been made aware of
any complaint, a formal complaint, made by — or a complaint made by Tara Reade
against me at the time this allegedly happened 27 years ago, or until I
announced for President — well, I’m guessing it was in April or May of this
year. I know of no one who’s aware that any complaint was made. Nor has there —
Brzezinski: I’ve got
two more questions. The first —
Biden: O.K. Please.
That’s it.
Brzezinski: Go
ahead. The first is about the University of Delaware records. Do you agree with
the reporting that those records were supposed to be revealed to the public,
and then they were re-sealed for a longer period of time, until after you
leave, quote, “public life.” And if you agree with that, if that’s what
happened, why did that happen?
Biden: Because —
look, the fact is that there’s a lot of things that — of speeches I have made,
positions I have taken, interviews that I did overseas with people: all of
those things relating to my job. And the idea that they would all be made public,
in fact, while I was running for public office, they could be really taken out
of context. The papers are position papers.
They are documents that existed, and when I — for example,
when I go, when I met with [Russian president Vladimir] Putin, or when I met
with whomever. And all of that can be fodder for a campaign. And at this time,
I don’t know of anybody who’s done anything like that.
And so the National Archives is the only place that would be
anything to do with having personnel records. There are no personnel records in
the Biden papers at the University of Delaware.
Brzezinski: So,
personnel records aside, are you certain that there is nothing about Tara Reade
in those records, and if so —
Biden: I am
absolutely certain.
Brzezinski: Then why
not approve a search of her name in those records?
Biden: Approve a
search of her name?
Brzezinski: Yes, and
see if it reveals anything that might be related to Tara Reade in the
University of Delaware records.
Biden: There is
nothing. They wouldn’t — they’re not there. And if they — if they — I don’t
know — I don’t understand what — the point you’re trying to make. There are no
personnel records, by definition.
Brzezinski: The
point I’m trying to make is that you are approving, and actually calling for, a
search of the National Archives’ records —
Biden: Yes!
Brzezinski: — of
anything pertaining to Tara Reade. I’m asking why not do the same in the
University of Delaware records, which could raise questions because they were
supposed to be revealed to the public, and then they were sealed for a longer
period of time. Why not do it for both sets of records?
Biden: Because the
material in the University of Delaware has no personnel files. But it does have
a lot of confidential conversations that I had with people like the President
[Obama] about a particular issue, that I had with the heads of state of other
places; that that was not something that would be revealed while I was in
public office, or while I was seeking public office. It just stands to reason.
To the best of my knowledge, no one else has done that either.
Brzezinski:
I’m just talking about her name, not
anybody else, in those records. A search for that. [Long pause as she waited for Biden to answer, then
continued:] Nothing classified about the President, or anybody else.
I’m just asking why not do a search for Tara Reade’s name in the University of
Delaware records.
Biden: Look, I mean,
who does that search? [Long pause.]
Brzezinski: The
University of Delaware? Perhaps you set up a commission that can do it. I don’t
know. Whatever is the fairest way to create the most transparency.
Biden: Well, this is
— look, Mika. She says she filed a report. She has her employment records,
still. She says she refiled a report with the only office that would have a
report in the United States Senate at the time. If the report was ever filed,
it was filed there. Period.
Brzezinski: If you
could speak directly to Tara Reade about her complaints, or anything, what
would you say?
Biden: I would say this
never, ever happened. And I don’t really know what’s motivating her. I don’t
know what — I don’t know what’s behind any of it. But it’s irrelevant. It never
happened. It never happened. Period. I’m not going to start questioning her —
her motive. I’m not going to get into that. I’m not going to start — I’m not
going to go after Tara Reade for saying these things. It’s simple. What are the
facts? Do they, about any of the things she’s said — do they add up? It never
happened.
