This is actually valid, IMO. There’s no point in holding Joe Biden to a higher standard than Trump.
Another difference is that we’re electing someone. We can present the evidence, let candidates defend themselves, and let voters believe what they may.
The reason Roy Moore was so horrible wasn’t just because he preyed on teen girls; he was just a bad candidate and this only amplified it. The only reason his sexual predilections mattered at all was the fact that Republicans have for years campaigned on sexual mores and “character.”
Dr Ford did not request to testify. Her complaint and her name was outed by a journalist who wanted to paint Sen. Feinstein as sitting on damaging information on Kavanaugh. As a result of that she agreed to testify under oath about her allegations. She did not speak to a journalist or media outlet beforehand. Or after.
That’s something that often gets forgotten about that testimony.
With your generally hostile posting style you should be aware that we do not tolerate mocking another poster’s username. Back off, tone it down, and stick to fact-based discussion with less open venom in your opinions.
It’s a detailed examination of the information made available by various sources to date and a good contextual timeline of events and witness statements. Well worth the read.
To be fair, most of those myriad reasons for skepticism seem fairly tepid. But it did reinforce my opinion of her being in the bag for Putin, if the article is accurate about her trying to blatantly deny what she actually wrote: indeed, that seems right out of Trump’s playbook.
Calling this “nonsense” and :rolleyes: summoning “believe you are making” is more grievously insulting than identifying the tendency in another person to excuse sexual trangression while throwing around misogynistic language.
This is actually a very compelling read, and a reminder that there is legitimate reason to doubt her story.
Something may have gone down between Biden and Reade - we’re in no position to know, and Biden’s more or less acknowledged he may have engaged in touching that made numerous women feel uncomfortable. But that’s not sexual assault.
Could it have been non-consensual touching that led to a misunderstanding, a falling out, and abuse of power? Maybe so. But that’s not a news story that’s worth our time.
That article is filled with things that when used as a defense for Kavanaugh were poo-pooed at being soooo behind the times and failing to understand how abused women act.
For example, he counts it against Raede that she cannot remember the exact date. Weren’t we told during Kavanaugh that such a thing was very, very common? That poor uncle Joe conveniently cannot establish an alibi for himself so it is unfair? Did the author laugh while writing that?
That she waited for so long…really?!? That she has only one witness that she told a couple of years later? Ford had zero.
No physical evidence? You get the idea.
The author also showed his bias when he pivoted to Trump and started on him.
The bottom line is that your side is being very disingenuous on this issue. Believe all women, we are told. But not when she accuses a Democrat. Sure, we’ll sacrifice Al Franken when we know he will be replaced with another Democrat, (and there are pictures) but when our backs are against the wall, we will pick her story apart and destroy her.
FTR, I am suspect of all of these stories, but how would I know? If you want to make an allegation against someone, do not wait decades. Everyone, even people in the #metoo movement, should be advocating that while also realizing that basic fairness demands that the accused have a reasonable opportunity to rebut allegations.
Those are fair points to make, but one major difference is that Kavanaugh had multiple accusers; Biden does not, and his one accuser has changed her story.
Even changing, misremembering or forgetting some of the details I could see - memories aren’t perfect.
But multiple accusers is the key difference – for now. At least in my mind.
I’ll willingly eat my words if others come out and make similar claims that he went beyond shoulder rubs and hair sniffing and crossed the line into sticking his fingers up skirts and into vaginas. But it’s been months since Reade’s come out and nobody else is coming forward, which is different from Kavanaugh, Trump, Franken, and Roy Moore. In those cases, there was a cascade of nearly identical stories. To me, that’s a major distinction.
I’m one of the ones on “your side” (Democrat) and I agree with this to some extent. “Believe all women” is a dumb and not an idea consistent with the American system of jurisprudence of innocent until proven guilty.
That said, I think it’s entirely consistent to believe Ford and not Reade. Personally, I think it’s more likely than not true that Kavanaugh assaulted Ford, and also more likely than not true that Biden did not assault Reade. I wouldn’t swear to either one (and I wouldn’t convict Kavanaugh in a court of law based on the evidence presented).
Lest I get accused of making that decision in a partisan manner, I think it’s more likely than not true that Bill Clinton assaulted one or more women. (And nearly certainly true that Trump did.)
I was never certain that Kavanaugh was guilty. I think it was more likely than not, based on Ford’s testimony, but I recognize that this falls short of the legal standard required to convict someone of a crime of sexual assault. My objection to Kavanaugh was more about his lack of fitness based on his conduct and character which was revealed in the hearings.
That aside, why is it that we have to always go back to that case when evaluating this case? Can’t this accusation stand or fall on its own merits? Because I frankly don’t see a lot of republicans and Trump supporters arguing for Biden’s innocence. Seems to me that the right wing wants to have it both ways as well.
Also, Kavanaugh’s position wasn’t an election; it was a lifetime appointment. It wasn’t unreasonable to suggest that someone else could have been appointed in place of him.
Biden, on the other hand, represents the will of the people, most of whom were already aware that he had mildly creepy tendencies and were okay with it.
I still think all women who come forward with charges should indeed be heard - I hear Reade. But that doesn’t mean all women should be listened to.