«This never happened,» Biden told Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski.
Former Vice President Joe Biden explicitly denied the sexual assault accusation against him during an appearance on MSNBC Friday morning. Speaking publicly about the matter for the first time, Biden maintained that he never sexually assaulted Tara Reade and doesn’t remember her at all.
«This never happened,» said Biden. «It’s as simple as that.»
Biden was expertly grilled by Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski, who questioned him about the whereabouts of his Senate records, which may contain additional information regarding Reade. But the most important exchange occurred when Brzezinski asked Biden to square his current defense with his previous claims that women should be believed when they come forward as sexual assault victims.
Biden then denied that he had previously advocated such a standard.
«From the very beginning, I’ve said believing the woman means taking the claim seriously, and then it’s vetted, looked into,» said Biden. «Women have a right to be heard, and the press should rigorously investigate claims they make. I’ll always uphold that principle. But in the end the truth is what matters. And these claims are false.»
The presumptive Democratic presidential candidate is misrepresenting his past statements. He absolutely did not take the position that «believing women means taking the claim seriously.
