WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR STABBING JOE BIDEN IN THE BACK NEEDS TO STOP

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     Who is behind the conspiracy to try to destroy the reputation of former Vice President Joe Biden? Is it Donald Trump?  Is it someone in the Trump orbit?  Or is it someone connected to a Democrat who doesn't want Mr. Biden to run for president? He has not yet made any official announcement, but it's awfully strange for people to be making accusations against Vice President Biden right now.  The timing is too coincidental for my taste.  All of a sudden, just as the 2020 presidential campaign gets underway for Trump and fourteen confirmed Democratic candidates, four women claim that years ago they felt "uncomfortable" because of Vice President Biden's "hug" or other innocent form of affection...none of which had any sinister intention attached to it.

     I have to wonder...is Donald Trump getting back at Joe Biden for Mr. Biden's remarks on October 13th, 2016?  Vice President Biden called Trump's lewd comments on that now infamous Access Hollywood video, the "textbook definition of sexual assault." Mr. Biden was campaigning for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at a rally in Nevada when he also said Trump's remarks were "not inconsistent with the way in which he's abused power all along."  Let us remember that Trump told television host Billy Bush in the Access Hollywood video..."I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her.  You know, I'm automatically attracted to beautiful.  I just start kissing them.  It's like a magnet.  Just kiss.  I don't even wait.  And when you're a star they let you do it.  You can do anything."  Bush replied with a chuckle... "Whatever you want."  And Trump uttered the line that nobody should forget.  "Grab 'em by the p*ssy.  You can do anything."  The video was recorded in September 2005, but wasn't released until an unidentified source gave a copy of the tape to reporter David Fahrenthold of The Washington Post on October 7th, 2016, about a month before the election between Trump and former Secretary of State Clinton. Fahrenthold subsequently shared the recording with NBC News, and as the old saying goes...the rest is history.

     In a video statement on Wednesday afternoon, April 3rd, 2019, Vice President Biden pledged to make changes about himself.  The Delaware Democrat also hinted some more about tossing his hat into the ring as a 2020 candidate for president of the United States.  "Folks, in the coming month, I expect to be talking to you about a whole lot of issues, and I'll always be direct with you.  But today, I want to talk about gestures of support and encouragement that I've made to women and some men that've made them uncomfortable, and I've always tried in my career 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 and say 'you can do this.'  Whether they're women, men, young, old, it's the way I've always been.  It's the way I've tried to show I care about them and I'm listening.  And over the years, knowing what I've been through, the things that I've faced, I found that scores, if not hundreds of people have come up to me, and reached out for solace and comfort, something, something, anything that may help them get through the tragedy they're going through.  And so it's just who I am.  And I've never thought of politics as cold and antiseptic.  I've always thought about connecting with people.  As I said, shaking hands, hands on the shoulder, a hug, encouragement.  And now, it's all about taking selfies together.  Social norms have begun to change. They've shifted, and the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset, and I get it.  I get it.  I hear what they're saying.  I understand it, and I'll be much more mindful.  That's my responsibility.  My responsibility and I'll meet it.  But I'll always believe governing, quite frankly, life, for that matter, is about connecting, about connecting with people.  That won't change.  But I will be more mindful and respectful of people's personal space.  And that's a good thing.  That's a good thing.  I worked my whole life to empower women.  I worked my whole life to prevent abuse.  So the idea that I can't adjust to the fact that personal space is important, more important that it's ever been, is just not thinkable.  I will.  I will." 

     Kudos to Vice President Biden and I applaud him for his words of sincerity, and I believe him that he will make those changes in his life to abide by the social norms of today.  It is a shame, however, that America has become a nation where a gesture of genuine affection towards another person is misconstrued as inappropriate behavior.

     What was not inappropriate behavior was the vivid description of the sleazy sexcapades, which Donald Trump admitted to in the Access Hollywood video.  In addition, Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least 23 women since the 1970s, according to published reports. And yet he won the Republican nomination and then the electoral vote to become president of the United States.  Trump has denied all of those accusations.  

     Vice President Biden did nothing remotely similar to Donald Trump, if anything at all, as there is no proof that Mr. Biden performed in an inappropriate manner with any of the four women who have come forward with allegations against him.  In fact, each of the women have stated that Vice President Biden's contact with them was not at all "sexual" in nature.  But at a fundraising event for congressional Republicans on Tuesday, April 2nd, Trump took the opportunity to attack Mr. Biden.  "Welcome to the world, Joe.  You having a good time, Joe?"  

     Vice President Biden has denied having any inappropriate behavior with any women and that it is never his intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable.  Mr. Biden issued the following statement on Sunday, March 31st.  "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."

     But Donald Trump is a misogynist and an admitted "Peeping Tom."  He has boasted about walking into the dressing rooms of naked contestants at the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.  PolitiFact says Trump bragged the following in a 2005 interview.  "Well, I'll tell you the funniest is that I'll go backstage before a show, and everyone's getting dressed and ready and everything else, and you know, no men are anywhere.  And I'm allowed to go in because I'm the owner of the pageant and therefore I'm inspecting it.  You know, I'm inspecting.  I want to make sure that everything is good."  We all know what Trump meant when he said he was "inspecting."  There are also allegations by four teenage girls that Trump engaged in the same "inspect(ions)" at the 1997 Miss Teen USA pageant.

     People on both sides of the aisle have come to the defense of Vice President Biden, including two senior Republican senators.  Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, early on April 3rd, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina had Mr. Biden's back by calling him "one of the most decent people I've ever met.  Maybe at times he's done some things that make people feel uncomfortable, but it matters to me that what his intent is.  I just think he's a good guy.  I think he means nothing bad by this."  Senator Graham also noted that "Joe Biden is my friend, and I know him very well, and whatever he did, it may have been inappropriate but it was not driven by malice or misconduct." 

     Senator Susan Collins of Maine echoed Senator Graham's sentiments.  "I've known Joe Biden for so many years, and he is a very friendly, affectionate individual who is a natural toucher.  Never found him to be inappropriate."

     Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware

fully supported his mentor as he talked with reporters on April 2nd.  "It is a big part of who he is, that he hugs people and connects with people and talks to people."  

     And Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California described Joe Biden on April 1st as a "warm, tactile person." 

   

     But it was MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski who went to the mat for Vice President Biden.  The Morning Joe co-anchor, on April 2nd, wholeheartedly defended Mr. Biden.  "He's a nice guy.  He's not a predator, and this is ridiculous. Let me just say it.  THIS...is ridiculous.  I think the next time I see Joe Biden and he doesn't hug me, and give me a kiss, and hold my hand while we're talking... that's not the Joe Biden I knew." And Brzezinski warns "Democrats" and others "on the left" who are criticizing Vice President Biden that they are "eating those who can beat Trump.  You're killing the very people who have been pushing women ahead" and for anyone "to go after Joe Biden for being affectionate to women of all ages, to men as well, this is ridiculous."       

     Vice President Biden did not intentionally do anything wrong, even if the unconfirmed allegations such as a "hug," "a touch on the shoulder," "a kiss on the back of the neck," or "rub(bing) noses" are true.  People need to stop being vicious. They need to stop tarnishing Joe Biden's good name and reputation for political reasons.  I always thought Americans and America were better than this. I guess not.

     And that's The Controversy for today.

     I'm Gary B. Duglin.

     "We'll talk again."

The Controversy is a publication of GBD Productions.  Founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Controversy is Gary B. Duglin.

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Photo credits: Frank Franklin II/The Associated Press (Former Vice President Joe Biden #1), Joe Biden and CNN Screenshot (Former Vice President Joe Biden #2), Shutterstock (Donald Trump), Pablo Martinez Monsivais/The Associated Press/REX/Shutterstock (Senator Lindsey Graham), Pablo Martinez Monsivais/The Associated Press (Senator Susan Collins), J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press (Senator Chris Coons), Eric Risberg/The Associated Press (Senator Dianne Feinstein) and MSNBC/NBC News (Mika Brzezinski) 

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