# Former staffer accuses Joe Biden of sexual assault **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 27, 2020, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393 "2020-03-27T03:13:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/121 "2020-03-28T16:29:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > No, that’s the goal of Putin supporters, not Bernie supporters. I don’t know why everyone keeps confusing the two. Some of them overlap. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/122 "2020-03-28T16:35:08Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > I don’t necessarily see the problem with waiting to make these claims until a point at which they have significant impact. Assuming it’s true, it seems totally reasonable to come forward at a time when the accusation would have maximum impact. … > A big problem for Biden is that his extensive behavior of being super touchy makes any accusation have a greater degree of credibility. There are hundreds or thousands of pictures of him touching different women. If any of those women came forward saying they were uncomfortable or that he did more to them off-camera, it would be basically impossible to disprove their allegations. Then why not when he was running for Veep? I mean, no one knew he’d be top candidate for prez here in 2020. Touchy is one thing. Biden is a touchy person, altho he has stopped recently- or made a good effort anyway. If someone says Biden hugged her and that made her feel uncomfortable, I will usually buy it. And one case where a woman claimed just that- but on stage she came over and hugged Joe. But she said that’s different as she initiated the hug- well, yeah… But\* this\* woman is saying Biden **raped** her. There’s a huge gap between a hugger and a rapist. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/123 "2020-03-28T16:38:43Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > A little bit about the dynamics of a presidential campaign when there’s an incumbent on the ballot. Everybody has an opinion of trump. Love him or hate him, think he’s the second coming or the anti-Christ, people’s opinion of trump is fixed and baked into the cake. So if you can’t change people’s opinion of trump the only way to move the needle is to change people’s opinion of the _other_ guy. So what are the things that people negatively think about trump? That he’s crooked. So make them think that Biden’s crooked too (Burisma). That he’s mentally unstable. So make them think that Biden has dementia. That he’s a sexual predator. So make them think that Biden is too. > > People will vote for someone with whom they disagree if they think that he is a better person. But if you can effectively smear the opposing candidate with a given percentage of the electorate, then those issues can be “factored out” on both sides of the equation and the election will be decided based on policy, where the Republicans think they can win. Fiendishly clever analysis. But this strategy must have some plausibility to it. Unfortunately, Biden has seen fit to oblige. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/124 "2020-03-28T16:40:05Z")
Automatically assuming she’s lying is the sort of thing that Trump and his supporters do. We should be better than that. It doesn’t mean anyone has to believe her, but the accusation should be taken seriously and the accuser should not be denigrated, not without strong evidence she’s lying. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/125 "2020-03-28T16:41:49Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Then why not when he was running for Veep? I mean, no one knew he’d be top candidate for prez here in 2020. Because, if you have _kompromat_, you don’t waste it on the guy who is second in command. Not all _kompromat_ gets to be used. But if you waste it on meaningless victories, you won’t have it for when it when it is meaningful. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/126 "2020-03-28T16:43:28Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Automatically assuming she’s lying is the sort of thing that Trump and his supporters do. We should be better than that. It doesn’t mean anyone has to believe her, but the accusation should be taken seriously and the accuser should not be denigrated, not without strong evidence she’s lying. Skepticism is not an assumption of lying. There is reason to be skeptical here. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/127 "2020-03-28T16:44:38Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Automatically assuming she’s lying is the sort of thing that Trump and his supporters do. We should be better than that. It doesn’t mean anyone has to believe her, but the accusation should be taken seriously and the accuser should not be denigrated, not without strong evidence she’s lying. As far as I am concerned we have that strong evidence. She changed her story several times, and now waited for this moment to up it to rape, and she has strong political motives. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/128 "2020-03-28T16:47:34Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > As far as I am concerned we have that strong evidence. > > She changed her story several times, and now waited for this moment to up it to rape, and she has strong political motives. What evidence? All we have is sufficient cause to be skeptical and to allow time for more investigation and evidence to come forward. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/129 "2020-03-28T16:55:53Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > What evidence? All we have is sufficient cause to be skeptical and to allow time for more investigation and evidence to come forward. Her own testimony is proof that this didnt happen. What better evidence do you need? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/130 "2020-03-28T17:02:03Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Her own testimony is proof that this didnt happen. What better evidence do you need? Maybe I haven’t been following this closely enough. Nothing in the reporting I’ve read suggest the proof you’re alleging. If you’re talking about the fact that she didn’t disclose the full extent of the alleged assault previously, then I’m not sure how that constitutes proof. It’s hardly the first time that women have withheld full details of an assault, for understandable reasons. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/131 "2020-03-28T17:17:18Z")
Many folks, and unfortunately many Democrats, still haven’t taken the lessons of #MeToo to heart. It’s more important than politics. And one of the biggest lessons is not to jump to conclusions, especially about the motives of an accuser. There’s no hurry in this case. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/132 "2020-03-28T17:25:47Z")
Yes, there is a hurry. FFS, dude. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/133 "2020-03-28T17:39:11Z")
NY primary moved to June 23 from April . So does Sanders stay until late June? I say he does . That’s only 3 weeks before the Dem convention. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/134 "2020-03-28T17:43:51Z")
One thing that has me questioning the accusation is the casualness of how it happened. It almost seems like a spur of the moment action, and if that’s the case, I would expect it to happen a lot. I can’t imagine him being so bold if that was the first and only time he has done that. I would expect a Cosby or Weinstein type of person to act like that, so it will be interesting to see what kind of other allegations come forward. I know it’s not proof, but if no one else comes forward, I’m less likely to believe things happened as she states. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/135 "2020-03-28T17:46:15Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Automatically assuming she’s lying is the sort of thing that Trump and his supporters do. I am not sure that is correct. I do recall a Republican that departed from public life due to a thing about airport bathrooms, but he did not resign, as such, he stayed in office until his term expired. See, they do not even care. Their attitude is, “_Fuck your pansy-ass sensitivity, because our agenda is far more important than someone’s delicate fee-fees_.” Non-Republicans leave in disgrace, but Republicans, just about to a man, just push on, because, they are men and do not let that PC BS get in their way. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/136 "2020-03-28T17:51:49Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Yes, there is a hurry. FFS, dude. There’s a hurry for the party to get to the bottom of it as much as they can, but there’s no hurry for us rank and file Democrats to make a conclusion about it. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/137 "2020-03-28T17:54:10Z")
My GF says she is not lying. Of course she’s also a very big Sanders person. She’s already calling Biden a sexual predator. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/138 "2020-03-28T17:58:38Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > One thing that has me questioning the accusation is the casualness of how it happened. It almost seems like a spur of the moment action, and if that’s the case, I would expect it to happen a lot. I can’t imagine him being so bold if that was the first and only time he has done that. I would expect a Cosby or Weinstein type of person to act like that, so it will be interesting to see what kind of other allegations come forward. I know it’s not proof, but if no one else comes forward, I’m less likely to believe things happened as she states. I was hoping somebody would open the door to wild speculation. Here’s my reason for being skeptical and the need for further investigation. In the linked [Newsweek article](https://www.newsweek.com/biden-campaign-team-denies-past-sexual-assault-allegation-former-senate-staffer-1494794), two quotes spring out at me: > [@Tara Reade](#): > > “I’m not going to get traditional justice, like with [Harvey] Weinstein’s case,” she said. “I’m looking for something more **existential** —to not have to keep a secret because it’s somebody powerful.” > [@Collin Mooulton (brother)](#): > > “ **Woefully** , I did not encourage her to follow up,” \ I’m not remotely an expert in interrogation methods of language patterns. But it’s been my anecdotal experience that when people use poorly fitting language or extraneously descriptive words, they are not being completely honest or are trying to hide something. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/139 "2020-03-28T18:04:07Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > this is actually not correct You need to say what is correct to make this claim. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/140 "2020-03-28T18:25:41Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Fiendishly clever analysis. But this strategy must have some plausibility to it. Unfortunately, Biden has seen fit to oblige. I’ve never been called “fiendishly clever” before. I kind of like it. The strategy explains much going back to the “daisy ad” of 1964 to the Swift Boaters in 2004. And while “some plausibility” always helps, it really isn’t a “must have”. There’s that old LBJ story… > **[Donald Trump is recycling LBJ's "pig fucker" strategy](https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/08/donald-trump-recycling-lbjs-pig-fucker-strategy/)** > >   [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393.md?page=8)