The ex-press secretary to former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenAmerican held in Russia contracts COVID-19 after denied vaccine Biden defends waiving sanctions against Nord Stream Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission MORE defended him in an op-ed on Monday, saying that he has "always has been a champion for women and equality." Elizabeth Alexander, who was a spokeswoman for Biden both when he was a senator and when he was vice president, wrote in the USA Today op-ed that she saw Biden "at his best and his worst, in quiet moments and on the world’s largest stages." ADVERTISEMENT "Through it all, in big ways and in the small ways that sometimes matter even more, he was, is and always has been a champion for women and equality," she added. The op-ed comes amid accusations brought by two women who have said Biden inappropriately touched them. Lucy Flores, a former state lawmaker in Nevada, said Friday in an essay published in New York Magazine's The Cut that Biden touched her shoulders and kissed the back of her head before a Nevada campaign event in 2014. Then on Monday, Amy Lappos said Biden touched her and rubbed noses with her at a 2009 political fundraiser. "Joe Biden thrives on personal connections; he emotes and he empathizes like no other, and when he reaches out to you — man or woman — he’s reaching out to touch your heart," Alexander wrote. "If that’s a failing, I’ll take it." Alexander wrote in the USA Today op-ed, which was published before Lappos came forward, that she wasn't writing the piece "to discount the writings of any other women or question their right to be heard," but rather "to add more information to the unwritten story of Joe Biden." Alexander said in the op-ed that Biden paid staffers throughout maternity leaves, supported staff when they needed reduced schedules and told men on his staff to be quiet when they interrupted women. Alexander also encouraged people to look "at his life’s work in its totality." "Though I haven’t talked with him about it, the Joe Biden I know would feel horrible and sincerely sorry if at any time in his career, even for a split second, he ever made anyone feel anything less than completely supported or empowered," she wrote. "Before anyone hastily discounts or discards the legislative record or experience that made him Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaWarren urges Biden to replace Fed's Quarles in testy exchange Content of Biden's agenda trumps Republican complaints about process Obama to join social media event on vaccines next week MORE’s choice for vice president, it’s worth looking at his life’s work in its totality. It’s not hard to see, time and time again, whose side he’s on. I hope he runs for president, because I’d like to see America’s women and men get to know the Joe Biden I already do," Alexander added.<doc-sep>Biden responded in a statement: “In 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. I may not recall these moments the same way, and I may be surprised at what I hear. But we have arrived at an important time when women feel they can and should relate their experiences, and men should pay attention. And I will.”<doc-sep>Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart defended Joe Biden on Monday by comparing the accusations of Biden’s questionable conduct with his own experiences with the former vice president. Capehart joined Hallie Jackson to discuss the recent controversy over Biden’s conduct in light of the claims made by Lucy Flores — a former Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor in Nevada — alleging inappropriate behavior from the ex-Veep in 2014. While saying Flores “should be listened to and her allegations should be taken seriously,” Capehart urged Democrats to consider what this would mean about Biden’s possible 2020 run, and he offered an anecdote about his interactions with the vice president. “I have had the same interaction with him, a very intimate interaction,” Capehart recalled. “He put his forehead on my forehead. It was in November 2017. I had just done a one-on-one conversation with him in Schenectady, and he was really happy with the way it went … It was his way of congratulating me, congratulating us on an event that was well done.” Flores claims kissed her as part of an awkward and uncomfortable physical encounter they had with each other. While Flores notes that Biden has been called out for questionable behavior with women multiple times before, some are defending him by saying his actions need broader context and his conduct fits with his affectionate nature. Watch above, via MSNBC. — — >> Follow Ken Meyer (@KenMeyer91) on Twitter Have a tip we should know? [email protected]<doc-sep>USA TODAY Former Vice President Joe Biden responded Sunday to Lucy Flores' claim of inappropriate behavior, denying any wrongdoing but promising to "listen respectfully." I wish people had a broader lens of Joe Biden By Margaret Aitken I had the great honor of working for then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., for 10 years as his press secretary. During my time in his office, I spent hundreds of hours commuting with him to Washington on Amtrak, accompanying him to thousands of interviews and traveling with him to every corner of the state, as well as nationally and internationally. Every day, I watched people gravitate to him — from the shoe shine guy at the train station to the elderly ladies lining the streets at the St. Anthony's parade to the Dalai Lama. People wanted to talk to him, to connect with him, to tell him a story or relay a family connection. He listened to every single one of them. Every single one. Talker:Obamacare is under threat, lives are at stake Ask your friends and family to sign-up for the Today's Talker newsletter There were many times our young staff members were tired or hungry, and we wanted to move on, but if we encountered one person whose Uncle Johnny went to grade school with Joe Biden, all bets were off. He was gracious and magnanimous to a fault. In all of those years and thousands of interactions, I never once saw anything that even came close to resembling something inappropriate. What I did see were people he communed with, comforted or congratulated. I saw people's faces light up when he remembered their kids' names. As a woman and a mother, I am happy that we are now moving into a place where people can speak their piece without fear of reprisals or repercussions. I don’t doubt Lucy Flores' story, nor do I discount her feelings. I simply wish she had a broader and more accurate lens through which she could see the real Joe Biden. During the event in question, I believe that, as he always does, Biden noticed a human being standing before him who was nervous and uneasy, and he tried to give her comfort and confidence. Period. She may have felt differently about the interaction, and that is truly unfortunate. I read his statement, and as tough as this all must be for him, he signaled a willingness to listen and learn. There were no assaults on her character. No questioning her motives nor her integrity. Unlike many others in public life right now, he didn't launch a nasty and personal Twitter attack. He was civil and open-minded. That is what leadership looks like. Margaret Aitken is a former press secretary for Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del. This column first appeared in The (Delaware) News Journal. What others are saying Michelle Goldberg, The New York Times: "In response to Lucy Flores, former Vice President Joe Biden could have told her that he was sorry for making her uneasy. Instead, he focused on his intentions rather than her experience, a faint echo of the way he had ignored Anita Hill's experience decades ago. No one should judge the whole span of Biden’s career by the standards of 2019, but if he's going to run for president, it's fair to ask whether he’s the right leader for this moment. He is a product of his time, but that time is up." Alyssa Milano, Twitter: "I am proud to call Joe Biden a friend. He has been a leader and a champion on fighting violence against women for many years, and I have been fortunate to accompany him to events with survivors where he has listened to their stories, empathized with them, and comforted them. ... I respect Lucy Flores' decision to share her story and agree with Biden that we all must pay attention to it. But, just as we must believe women who decide to come forward, we cannot assume all women's experiences are the same. I believe that Joe Biden's intent has never been to make anyone uncomfortable, and that his kind, empathetic leadership is what our country needs. Especially now." Elizabeth E. Alexander, USA TODAY: "What you won’t read about is how Joe Biden took the rare step of paying staffers through their entire maternity leaves. ... What you won’t read about is how he recruited women who had worked for him in the Senate, and had 'gaps' in their paid work history because of family demands. ... Those years in between compensated work were just as valuable to him as any traditional work experience. What you won’t read about it is how he supported staff (like me) when they wanted to go to law school at night. ... You won’t read about how he’d tell male staffers and senators who were repeatedly interrupting a woman to pipe down, so he could hear what she was trying to say." What our readers are saying My whole family is a loving, touching, hugging family, and that's how I am. I will give big hugs even to strangers. I'm a 57-year-old grandma, so I guess I'm creepy, too. But I've never bragged about grabbing someone by the p---y, or seeing young girls naked in the dressing room. Republicans voted in a sexual predator to office; they need to keep their mouths closed. — Pat Harmon As anyone who has sat through sexual harassment training will tell you, it doesn't matter what your intent is. It only matters how it is perceived. — Nicholas Riecken This story is dead on arrival. Biden may have invaded space, but all of the stories about him have taken place in public settings. Critics want Biden to fold because his chances of winning the 2020 presidential race are high. — Brenda Jackson A lot of people justify their improper actions and don't see a problem with what they've done. — Henry Huckaby To join the conversations about topics on USA TODAY or provide feedback to this newsletter, email jrivera@usatoday.com, comment on Facebook, or use #tellusatoday on Twitter.<doc-sep>
I am a little surprised that people have been surprised by the rough patch Joe Biden has hit in the past few weeks. The questions Biden has faced—from his handling of the Clarence Thomas hearings to his physical displays of affection—were entirely predictable. I imagine he himself predicted them. When I was White House communications director for President Obama, I saw him express physical affection for women and men both, and he often greeted me warmly with a hug or even a kiss on the forehead. It was unusual behavior for a work setting, yes, but he is someone who has endured a lot of personal loss in his life and wears his emotions on his sleeve. In my experience, his overly affectionate behavior was his way of putting more love and support in the world. That was not all women’s experience, though. He clearly made some women uncomfortable, and now he is facing the consequences. I have watched expectations rise around Biden with trepidation. A lot of Democrats have set their hopes on him. They anxiously eye Bernie Sanders’ strong standing—as a candidate they believe to be too far left. They see a Biden candidacy as a way to recapture the white working-class part of the Obama-Biden magic and win back those Obama voters who turned to Trump. All the while, there’s a nostalgic appeal to a Biden presidency: His folksy ways feel like a tonic, an assurance that things can return to “normal.” A President Joe Biden, the thinking seems to go, would reduce President Donald Trump to a bad dream. Now, suddenly, nothing about a Biden candidacy seems inevitable, including whether there will even be one. But it was never fair to make Biden a vessel for Democrats’ hopes and anxieties. His early standing atop the polls seems like more of a reflection of many Democrats’ 2016 grieving process than a predictor of who will ultimately win the Democratic primary. No one is going to be able to return America to “normal” and no one—particularly in a field this large and talented—can enter the race in first place and expect to stay there. In my experience, early frontrunners like Biden face a battle against attrition. Even if he ultimately wins the Democratic primary—which he still has a good chance of doing—his support will first likely erode, not grow. He will have to shed all of these false expectations that hang around him now and come back with support that he’s earned by being a good candidate for 2020. Any early support based on the assumption that a candidate will do well is fickle. Admittedly, given the history of abuse women have endured for—oh—all of human history, nuance has unsurprisingly been a hard tool for men to employ in defending their actions. But it’s not impossible that the Joe Biden I know could be the one to navigate these waters. Many women have come to his defense in the last few days—while appropriately respecting, with concern, the unease some women said they experienced. Biden has already said he understands he needs to listen to the women who are uncomfortable with his behavior. And assuming he runs, he will need to answer more questions on this topic than I am sure he would like. It won’t be fun for him, but that’s what he will have to endure to convince voters he has learned the right lessons. In my experience, two qualities define him: the love for his family and an unshakeable belief in the American people. There is an opportunity for him to do some good here, to prove right the women who have stood up for him. There are more positions Biden will have to explain. He has been in public life for a long time and has a long record—built during a period of immense social change—that has to be reconciled with the country America is today. But there is something of real value at the core of Joe Biden that cannot be denied. It is as foolish to count any candidate out at this point as it was foolish to believe any one candidate was an obvious savior. This appears in the April 15, 2019 issue of TIME. Contact us at letters@time.com.