thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-01--'Believe all women means all women': Kellyanne Conway pushes back on Biden denial of sexual assault

'Believe all women means all women': Kellyanne Conway pushes back on Biden denial of sexual assault allegation

Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee to take on President Trump in the November general election , unequivocally denied on Friday a claim made by his former Senate staffer Tara Reade accusing him of assaulting her when he was serving in the Senate in the early 1990s .
Reade alleges Biden pushed her against a wall , kissed her , and penetrated her with his fingers in the summer of 1993 .
While no witnesses to the alleged assault have come forward , several people have confirmed Reade told them about the assault at the time .
Reade also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN show at the time to say her daughter had been assaulted by a `` prominent senator . ''
In response to the denial of the assault by some Biden supporters , Conway highlighted the notion of `` believe all women '' heavily promoted by the Left as sexual assault allegations were made against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation process .
`` Believe all women means all women , '' Conway told Fox News .
`` Not just based on who they are , what their station in life is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , [ if they 're ] Democrat , Republican , independent , or not registered to vote .
It does n't matter .
When you said believe all women , I saw no footnotes , no asterisks . ''
Biden 's campaign is strongly denying the allegation made by Reade , telling the Washington Examiner and other media outlets that `` women have a right to tell their story , and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims .
We encourage them to do so because these accusations are false .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a senator representing Delaware and had already been in office for 20 years .
The Washington Post reports Reade joined the office as a 28-year-old in an entry-level staff position in late 1992 .
Biden was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time .
In an interview , on Friday , on MSNBC 's Morning Joe , Biden himself spoke out against the allegation for the first time , saying he does not remember any type of complaint Reade may have made at the time .
When asked why the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's accusers , Dr. Christine Blasey Ford , and not for his own , Biden said there needs to be investigations made into claims like these .
`` I 'm not suggesting she had no right to come forward , '' Biden told host Mika Brzezinski .
`` [ Women ] should come forward .
They should be heard and then it should be investigated .
If there 's anything that is consistent with what 's being said and she makes the case , or the case is made , then she should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she filed a written complaint at the time which has not been located .
Most of the records from Biden 's Senate office remain under seal at the University of Delaware .
Biden said there are no personnel records in the Delaware files and that revealing the documents would expose `` confidential conversations '' with former President Barack Obama and other heads of state .
He also insisted that any complaints filed by Reade , should they exist , would exist in the National Archives and asked for the secretary of the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify any record of the complaint she alleges she filed and make available to the press any such document . ''
Conway said his presidential run is more than enough reason on its own to unseal what could be found in the records .
`` Unseal the records , let us go through them , '' Conway said .
`` You should unseal them anyway if you want to run for president . ''
Conway said the culture has largely changed for the better in allowing women to come forward with sexual assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement that began in 2018 led to a domino effect of women coming forward about sexual misconduct , which led to the downfall of several powerful male figures in the media , entertainment , and the political realm .
Conway revealed in 2018 that she too is a victim of sexual assault .
`` If you are squelching the confidence of women coming forward and telling their story of sexual assault allegations , then you 're silencing thousands if not millions of more women , so it 's very difficult , as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult for women to come forward .
So if it 's open and shut now because Joe Biden says it 's not true , you are silencing so many more women , '' Conway said .
Reade is expected to appear on Fox News Sunday this weekend to discuss her allegation .
`` Being great for all women means you let them have their say , '' Conway said .
`` I want to hear from this woman . ''

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway dismissed former Vice President Joe Biden's denial of a decades-old sexual assault allegation.
Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee to take on President Trump in the November general election, unequivocally denied on Friday a claim made by his former Senate staffer Tara Reade accusing him of assaulting her when he was serving in the Senate in the early 1990s.
Reade alleges Biden pushed her against a wall, kissed her, and penetrated her with his fingers in the summer of 1993. While no witnesses to the alleged assault have come forward, several people have confirmed Reade told them about the assault at the time. Reade also said her mother called into Larry King's CNN show at the time to say her daughter had been assaulted by a "prominent senator."
In response to the denial of the assault by some Biden supporters, Conway highlighted the notion of "believe all women" heavily promoted by the Left as sexual assault allegations were made against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation process.
"Believe all women means all women," Conway told Fox News. "Not just based on who they are, what their station in life is, whether they have a college degree, [if they're] Democrat, Republican, independent, or not registered to vote. It doesn't matter. When you said believe all women, I saw no footnotes, no asterisks."
Biden's campaign is strongly denying the allegation made by Reade, telling the Washington Examiner and other media outlets that "women have a right to tell their story, and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims. We encourage them to do so because these accusations are false."
In 1993, Biden was serving as a senator representing Delaware and had already been in office for 20 years. The Washington Post reports Reade joined the office as a 28-year-old in an entry-level staff position in late 1992. Biden was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time.
In an interview, on Friday, on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Biden himself spoke out against the allegation for the first time, saying he does not remember any type of complaint Reade may have made at the time. When asked why the assault is real for one of Kavanaugh's accusers, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, and not for his own, Biden said there needs to be investigations made into claims like these.
"I'm not suggesting she had no right to come forward," Biden told host Mika Brzezinski. "[Women] should come forward. They should be heard and then it should be investigated. If there's anything that is consistent with what's being said and she makes the case, or the case is made, then she should be believed."
Reade has said she filed a written complaint at the time which has not been located. Most of the records from Biden's Senate office remain under seal at the University of Delaware.
Biden said there are no personnel records in the Delaware files and that revealing the documents would expose "confidential conversations" with former President Barack Obama and other heads of state. He also insisted that any complaints filed by Reade, should they exist, would exist in the National Archives and asked for the secretary of the Senate to ask the National Archives to "identify any record of the complaint she alleges she filed and make available to the press any such document."
Conway said his presidential run is more than enough reason on its own to unseal what could be found in the records.
"Unseal the records, let us go through them," Conway said. "You should unseal them anyway if you want to run for president."
Conway said the culture has largely changed for the better in allowing women to come forward with sexual assault and harassment allegations. The #MeToo movement that began in 2018 led to a domino effect of women coming forward about sexual misconduct, which led to the downfall of several powerful male figures in the media, entertainment, and the political realm. Conway revealed in 2018 that she too is a victim of sexual assault.
"If you are squelching the confidence of women coming forward and telling their story of sexual assault allegations, then you're silencing thousands if not millions of more women, so it's very difficult, as the feminists said at the time, very difficult for women to come forward. So if it's open and shut now because Joe Biden says it's not true, you are silencing so many more women," Conway said.
Reade is expected to appear on Fox News Sunday this weekend to discuss her allegation.
"Being great for all women means you let them have their say," Conway said. "I want to hear from this woman."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-01--Biden confronted on past Kavanaugh comments on presuming truth while denying Tara Reade accusations

Joe Biden stumbled over his words while reconciling his denial of Tara Reade 's sexual assault allegations with his statements about the allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh .
In September 2018 , as the Senate grappled with accusations from Christine Blasey Ford that the then-Supreme Court nominee assaulted her when they were in high school , Biden declared that women who came forward with allegations should be believed .
“ For a woman to come forward in the glaring lights of focus , nationally , you ’ ve got to start off with the presumption that at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about is real , whether or not she forgets the facts , whether or not it ’ s been made worse or better over time , '' he said .
His comment was often mentioned after Reade accused Biden in March of penetrating her with his fingers and forcibly kissing her in 1993 , when she worked in his Senate office — a charge that he denies ever happened .
MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski brought up the statement in Biden 's first interview directly addressing Reade 's allegations .
`` You said if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , the essence of what she is saying has to be believed , has to be real , '' she said .
`` Why is it real for Dr. Ford but not for Tara Reade ? ''
`` Because the facts are — look , she — I ’ m not suggesting she had no right to come forward .
And I never — and I 'm not saying — any woman , they should come forward .
They should be heard .
And then it should be investigated , '' the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded .
`` If there 's anything that makes it , that is consistent with what is being said , and she makes the case or the case is made , then it should be believed .
But ultimately , the truth matters . ''
`` At the end of the day , it has to be looked at .
These claims are not true .
There 's no — I mean , they 're not true , '' Biden said , appearing to cut himself off from saying that there is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Are women to be believed unless it pertains to you ? ''
she asked .
`` Look , women are to be believed , given the benefit of the doubt , '' Biden said .
`` If they come forward and say something that is — that they said happened to them , they should start off with the presumption they 're telling the truth .
Then you have to look at the circumstances and the facts .
And the facts , in this case , do not exist .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many inconsistencies in what has been said in this case .
So yes , look at the facts .
And I assure you , it did not happen .
Period .
Period . ''

Joe Biden stumbled over his words while reconciling his denial of Tara Reade's sexual assault allegations with his statements about the allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
In September 2018, as the Senate grappled with accusations from Christine Blasey Ford that the then-Supreme Court nominee assaulted her when they were in high school, Biden declared that women who came forward with allegations should be believed.
“For a woman to come forward in the glaring lights of focus, nationally, you’ve got to start off with the presumption that at least the essence of what she is talking about is real, whether or not she forgets the facts, whether or not it’s been made worse or better over time," he said.
His comment was often mentioned after Reade accused Biden in March of penetrating her with his fingers and forcibly kissing her in 1993, when she worked in his Senate office — a charge that he denies ever happened. MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski brought up the statement in Biden's first interview directly addressing Reade's allegations.
"You said if someone like Dr. Ford were to come out, the essence of what she is saying has to be believed, has to be real," she said. "Why is it real for Dr. Ford but not for Tara Reade?"
"Because the facts are — look, she — I’m not suggesting she had no right to come forward. And I never — and I'm not saying — any woman, they should come forward. They should be heard. And then it should be investigated," the former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee responded. "If there's anything that makes it, that is consistent with what is being said, and she makes the case or the case is made, then it should be believed. But ultimately, the truth matters."
"At the end of the day, it has to be looked at. These claims are not true. There's no — I mean, they're not true," Biden said, appearing to cut himself off from saying that there is no corroboration.
Brzezinski did not let up.
"Are women to be believed unless it pertains to you?" she asked.
"Look, women are to be believed, given the benefit of the doubt," Biden said. "If they come forward and say something that is — that they said happened to them, they should start off with the presumption they're telling the truth. Then you have to look at the circumstances and the facts. And the facts, in this case, do not exist. They never happened. And there's so many inconsistencies in what has been said in this case. So yes, look at the facts. And I assure you, it did not happen. Period. Period."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-01--Trump behind Biden in North Carolina: Poll

Joe Biden could take North Carolina from President Trump , creating another pathway for the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee to claim the White House in November 's general election .
Biden earns 47.4 % support from registered North Carolina voters over Trump 's 40.4 % , according to a Meredith College poll released Friday .
Biden 's 7-point lead can be compared to six months ago , when Meredith College researchers found both were essentially tied for the battleground state 's 15 Electoral College votes while the Democrats were still in the throes of their primary .
The survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given that he beat 2016 Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in North Carolina by 3.7 percentage points , though he trailed her at the same point in their race and polling averages have him ahead by 0.3 percentage points .
Friday 's study captures Trump 's popularity in the state 's suburbs , boosted by women , with whom he lags elsewhere around the country .
But it also records his highest net negative approval rating since he took office , driven by North Carolina Democrats and the state 's African American community .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Senate seat , currently held by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis , in the fall fight for Congress 's balance of power .
Tillis , who diverged from Trump on issues such as the proposed southern border wall , is behind Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham , a lawyer and soldier .
Cunningham has a 9-point advantage on Tillis , 43.5 % to 34.3 % .
The race , however , is tighter in polling averages , with Cunningham only ahead by 0.3 percentage points , according to RealClearPolitics data .
Meredith College researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Wednesday and Thursday .
Their findings have a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points .

Joe Biden could take North Carolina from President Trump, creating another pathway for the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee to claim the White House in November's general election.
Biden earns 47.4% support from registered North Carolina voters over Trump's 40.4%, according to a Meredith College poll released Friday. Biden's 7-point lead can be compared to six months ago, when Meredith College researchers found both were essentially tied for the battleground state's 15 Electoral College votes while the Democrats were still in the throes of their primary.
The survey is a harbinger for the incumbent, given that he beat 2016 Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in North Carolina by 3.7 percentage points, though he trailed her at the same point in their race and polling averages have him ahead by 0.3 percentage points.
Friday's study captures Trump's popularity in the state's suburbs, boosted by women, with whom he lags elsewhere around the country. But it also records his highest net negative approval rating since he took office, driven by North Carolina Democrats and the state's African American community.
Democrats could additionally pick up North Carolina's Senate seat, currently held by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, in the fall fight for Congress's balance of power.
Tillis, who diverged from Trump on issues such as the proposed southern border wall, is behind Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham, a lawyer and soldier. Cunningham has a 9-point advantage on Tillis, 43.5% to 34.3%. The race, however, is tighter in polling averages, with Cunningham only ahead by 0.3 percentage points, according to RealClearPolitics data.
Meredith College researchers surveyed 604 registered North Carolina voters online between Wednesday and Thursday. Their findings have a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-02--Biden says 'more than one black woman' in running for vice presidential spot

More than one black woman will be vetted to become Joe Biden 's running mate , according to the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee .
Biden acknowledged in a pretaped interview with MSNBC Saturday the push for him to pick a black woman as his vice president after vowing to include a woman on the ticket during the last primary debate , which was in March .
`` I really do understand that , Al , for real .
And that 's why I can assure you that of the more than a dozen women that they 're taking an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than one black woman is going to be considered by this group , '' the two-term vice president and Delaware 's 36-year senator told network host Al Sharpton .
Potential candidates , including failed 2018 Democratic Georgia gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams , have publicly said choosing a black woman as his No .
2 would be politically savvy , given the importance of the demographic to forming a winning coalition in November 's general election against President Trump .
Other contenders , such as Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms , have skirted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's MSNBC appearance is his second on the outlet in as many days , having used a spot during Friday 's Morning Joe episode to address allegations of sexual assault and harassment leveled at him by Tara Reade , who was a Senate aide to him in 1993 .
On Saturday , Biden reiterated his denials regarding Reade 's accusations , saying , `` Unequivocally , it never happened . ''
Reade , 56 , alleges Biden forcibly kissed her and penetrated her with his fingers , as well as inappropriately touched her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's next standard-bearer also declined to respond to the Trump campaign 's assertion that Democrats were applying a different standard to Biden and Reade than they did to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and his accusers during Kavanaugh 's confirmation process in 2018 .
`` Women have a right to be heard , and the press should rigorously investigate the claims like these , and I ’ d always uphold those principles .
But in the end , in every case , the truth is what matters , and in this case , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
Reade says she lodged a contemporaneous complaint with the Senate about Biden allegedly sexually harassing her , but not recording the assault .
She does n't remember the name of the office to which she filed the paperwork , but knows she did n't receive a copy of it .
Biden on Friday asked the secretary of the Senate to search for the document and to make it public if her team can find it , noting none of his other staffers at the time were told about @ @ @ @ @ @

More than one black woman will be vetted to become Joe Biden's running mate, according to the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee.
Biden acknowledged in a pretaped interview with MSNBC Saturday the push for him to pick a black woman as his vice president after vowing to include a woman on the ticket during the last primary debate, which was in March.
"I really do understand that, Al, for real. And that's why I can assure you that of the more than a dozen women that they're taking an initial look at, there are significantly more than one black woman is going to be considered by this group," the two-term vice president and Delaware's 36-year senator told network host Al Sharpton.
Potential candidates, including failed 2018 Democratic Georgia gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams, have publicly said choosing a black woman as his No. 2 would be politically savvy, given the importance of the demographic to forming a winning coalition in November's general election against President Trump. Other contenders, such as Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, have skirted around the issue when asked.
Biden's MSNBC appearance is his second on the outlet in as many days, having used a spot during Friday's Morning Joe episode to address allegations of sexual assault and harassment leveled at him by Tara Reade, who was a Senate aide to him in 1993.
On Saturday, Biden reiterated his denials regarding Reade's accusations, saying, "Unequivocally, it never happened." Reade, 56, alleges Biden forcibly kissed her and penetrated her with his fingers, as well as inappropriately touched her hair and neck.
The Democratic Party's next standard-bearer also declined to respond to the Trump campaign's assertion that Democrats were applying a different standard to Biden and Reade than they did to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and his accusers during Kavanaugh's confirmation process in 2018.
"Women have a right to be heard, and the press should rigorously investigate the claims like these, and I’d always uphold those principles. But in the end, in every case, the truth is what matters, and in this case, the truth is these claims are false," he said.
Reade says she lodged a contemporaneous complaint with the Senate about Biden allegedly sexually harassing her, but not recording the assault. She doesn't remember the name of the office to which she filed the paperwork, but knows she didn't receive a copy of it. Biden on Friday asked the secretary of the Senate to search for the document and to make it public if her team can find it, noting none of his other staffers at the time were told about Reade's issues with him.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-02--Lindsey Graham defends Biden against assault allegations, slams Kavanaugh double standard

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham defended former Vice President Joe Biden amid allegations that he sexually assaulted a former staffer during his time in the Senate .
Graham , who has been a longtime friend of Biden , defended him during an appearance on Hannity Friday night .
`` The Joe Biden I know , I 've never seen anything [ or ] believed that he would do anything like this until you convince me otherwise , '' the GOP lawmaker said .
`` I ’ ve never seen him do anything untoward toward a woman .
I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That 's my view of Joe Biden .
Ms. Reade , she has a right to be heard , and we will see where this goes . ''
Graham then brought up the apparent double standard that many on the Right are alleging , comparing the allegations against Biden to those which were levied against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in the fall of 2018 .
`` Is there a double standard ?
Of course , '' Graham said .
`` Do most Republicans understand what happened to Brett Kavanaugh was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Ford [ but ] was about trying to keep a seat open so they could fill it when , if they could beat Trump ?
I mean , they [ Democrats ] were dumb enough to say that . ''
The South Carolina lawmaker also commented that he believed the women who accused former President Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct .

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham defended former Vice President Joe Biden amid allegations that he sexually assaulted a former staffer during his time in the Senate.
Graham, who has been a longtime friend of Biden, defended him during an appearance on Hannity Friday night.
"The Joe Biden I know, I've never seen anything [or] believed that he would do anything like this until you convince me otherwise," the GOP lawmaker said. "I’ve never seen him do anything untoward toward a woman. I’ve never heard anything about him being inappropriate. That's my view of Joe Biden. Ms. Reade, she has a right to be heard, and we will see where this goes."
Graham then brought up the apparent double standard that many on the Right are alleging, comparing the allegations against Biden to those which were levied against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in the fall of 2018.
"Is there a double standard? Of course," Graham said. "Do most Republicans understand what happened to Brett Kavanaugh was not about trying to right a wrong against Dr. Ford [but] was about trying to keep a seat open so they could fill it when, if they could beat Trump? I mean, they [Democrats] were dumb enough to say that."
The South Carolina lawmaker also commented that he believed the women who accused former President Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-02--DNC blasts 'absurd suggestion' from New York Times to investigate Biden sexual assault allegation

The Democratic National Committee slammed the New York Times editorial board for demanding it to investigate allegations of sexual assault against presidential candidate Joe Biden .
A Democratic spokeswoman shot down a call from the newspaper to investigate claims of sexual assault against Biden , asserting such a task was already done by former President Barack Obama 's campaign in 2008 .
`` This is an absurd suggestion on its face .
Regardless of whether it 's the job of DNC to do this kind of thing , it 's already been done , '' said Xochitl Hinojosa , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been clear in responding to this allegation , he went through a thorough vetting process to be Obama 's Vice President in 2008 ( which is a vetting process like no other ) and lawyers and the press found nothing , and he has asked for transparency by requesting that all relevant documents be released if they exist.
`` On Friday , the New York Times editorial board called for the Democratic organization to `` investigate the matter swiftly and thoroughly , '' asserting that looking into the case is an imperative before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As is so often the case in such situations , it is all but impossible to be certain of the truth .
But the stakes are too high to let the matter fester — or leave it to be investigated by and adjudicated in the media .
Mr. Biden is seeking the nation ’ s highest office , '' the editorial reads .
According to Tara Reade , a former Biden staffer , the then-Delaware senator forced himself upon her in the spring of 1993 , kissing her and penetrating her with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with his three office staffers , personally denied the claim on MSNBC 's Morning Joe while speaking with host Mika Brzezinski .
The paper 's editorial board demanded that the former vice president permit a search into the University of Delaware 's archival records of Biden 's past , which is currently under seal .
However , the university promised to maintain its seal of the documents until Biden `` retires from public life '' or two years after Dec. 31 , 2019 , whichever date comes later .
`` While understandable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Mr. Biden ’ s word is insufficient to dispel the cloud .
Any inventory should be strictly limited to information about Ms. Reade and conducted by an unbiased , apolitical panel , put together by the D.N.C .
and chosen to foster as much trust in its findings as possible , '' the editorial board wrote .
`` But the question at hand is no less than Mr. Biden ’ s fitness for the presidency .
No relevant memo should be left unexamined . ''

The Democratic National Committee slammed the New York Times editorial board for demanding it to investigate allegations of sexual assault against presidential candidate Joe Biden.
A Democratic spokeswoman shot down a call from the newspaper to investigate claims of sexual assault against Biden, asserting such a task was already done by former President Barack Obama's campaign in 2008.
"This is an absurd suggestion on its face. Regardless of whether it's the job of DNC to do this kind of thing, it's already been done," said Xochitl Hinojosa, a DNC spokeswoman. "Joe Biden has been clear in responding to this allegation, he went through a thorough vetting process to be Obama's Vice President in 2008 (which is a vetting process like no other) and lawyers and the press found nothing, and he has asked for transparency by requesting that all relevant documents be released if they exist. "
DNC response to @nytimes ed board calling on them to establish a panel to look through Biden’s UDelaware records, via spox @XochitlHinojosa (h/t @rickklein) pic.twitter.com/MmkBDJx0oL — Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) May 2, 2020
On Friday, the New York Times editorial board called for the Democratic organization to "investigate the matter swiftly and thoroughly," asserting that looking into the case is an imperative before the general election in November.
"As is so often the case in such situations, it is all but impossible to be certain of the truth. But the stakes are too high to let the matter fester — or leave it to be investigated by and adjudicated in the media. Mr. Biden is seeking the nation’s highest office," the editorial reads.
According to Tara Reade, a former Biden staffer, the then-Delaware senator forced himself upon her in the spring of 1993, kissing her and penetrating her with his fingers without her consent. Biden, along with his three office staffers, personally denied the claim on MSNBC's Morning Joe while speaking with host Mika Brzezinski.
The paper's editorial board demanded that the former vice president permit a search into the University of Delaware's archival records of Biden's past, which is currently under seal. However, the university promised to maintain its seal of the documents until Biden "retires from public life" or two years after Dec. 31, 2019, whichever date comes later.
"While understandable, this concern is not prohibitive — and Mr. Biden’s word is insufficient to dispel the cloud. Any inventory should be strictly limited to information about Ms. Reade and conducted by an unbiased, apolitical panel, put together by the D.N.C. and chosen to foster as much trust in its findings as possible," the editorial board wrote. "But the question at hand is no less than Mr. Biden’s fitness for the presidency. No relevant memo should be left unexamined."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-02--Associated Press sat on 2019 interview with Biden accuser, citing lack of corroborating evidence

The Associated Press interviewed the woman who has accused Joe Biden of sexually harassing and sexually assaulting her last year , but did n't run with it because the news outlet could n't corroborate her story .
Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , was accused of sexually harassing and sexually assaulting Tara Reade , a woman who worked in his Senate office in the early 1990s .
Reade , 52 , accused the former vice president of inappropriately touching her and penetrating her with his fingers while forcibly kissing her without her consent , which he has denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from an interview with Reade on Saturday , in which the reporters noted they had previously interviewed her on several occasions in 2019 .
They interviewed her after she had accused Biden of uncomfortable and inappropriate touching , as a number of women came forward with similar stories .
She did not mention the alleged assault at that time .
They declined to publish the 2019 interviews because `` reporters were unable to corroborate her allegations , and aspects of her story contradicted other reporting , '' they wrote .
One of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegation , and the subsequent denial from Biden , is that she claims to have filed a complaint about Biden 's behavior , but does not have a copy of it , nor has one been found .
There is also disagreement over where such a complaint from nearly three decades ago would be now .
While Reade has recently said that the complaint would not mention the sexual assault claim , she also told the AP that it would n't mention harassment , either .
“ I know that I was too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she said .
“ The main word I used — and I know I didn ’ t use sexual harassment — I used ‘ uncomfortable.
’ And I remember ‘ retaliation.
’ ” Reade had addressed the fact that she did n't report the details of the situation during her interview with the outlet last year .
She explained , “ They have this counseling office or something , and I think I walked in there once , but then , I chickened out.
” In one of the interviews from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former vice president rubbed her shoulders and neck and played with her hair and added , “ I wasn ’ t scared of him , that he was going to take me in a room or anything .
It wasn ’ t that kind of vibe.
” In the time since Reade came forward , her brother , an unnamed friend , a former neighbor , and a former colleague have corroborated her story , saying they learned about the incidents at the time .
Her mother also called into Larry King 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cruelest City on Earth ?
and referenced an incident without providing details .
The AP tracked down two additional anonymous people who claim Reade confided in them years ago .

The Associated Press interviewed the woman who has accused Joe Biden of sexually harassing and sexually assaulting her last year, but didn't run with it because the news outlet couldn't corroborate her story.
Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, was accused of sexually harassing and sexually assaulting Tara Reade, a woman who worked in his Senate office in the early 1990s. Reade, 52, accused the former vice president of inappropriately touching her and penetrating her with his fingers while forcibly kissing her without her consent, which he has denied.
The AP published a new report from an interview with Reade on Saturday, in which the reporters noted they had previously interviewed her on several occasions in 2019. They interviewed her after she had accused Biden of uncomfortable and inappropriate touching, as a number of women came forward with similar stories. She did not mention the alleged assault at that time.
They declined to publish the 2019 interviews because "reporters were unable to corroborate her allegations, and aspects of her story contradicted other reporting," they wrote.
One of the biggest points of contention in Reade's allegation, and the subsequent denial from Biden, is that she claims to have filed a complaint about Biden's behavior, but does not have a copy of it, nor has one been found. There is also disagreement over where such a complaint from nearly three decades ago would be now.
While Reade has recently said that the complaint would not mention the sexual assault claim, she also told the AP that it wouldn't mention harassment, either. “I know that I was too scared to write about the sexual assault," she said. “The main word I used — and I know I didn’t use sexual harassment — I used ‘uncomfortable.’ And I remember ‘retaliation.’”
Reade had addressed the fact that she didn't report the details of the situation during her interview with the outlet last year.
She explained, “They have this counseling office or something, and I think I walked in there once, but then, I chickened out.”
In one of the interviews from last year, Reade alleged that the former vice president rubbed her shoulders and neck and played with her hair and added, “I wasn’t scared of him, that he was going to take me in a room or anything. It wasn’t that kind of vibe.”
In the time since Reade came forward, her brother, an unnamed friend, a former neighbor, and a former colleague have corroborated her story, saying they learned about the incidents at the time. Her mother also called into Larry King's show on CNN titled Washington: The Cruelest City on Earth? and referenced an incident without providing details.
The AP tracked down two additional anonymous people who claim Reade confided in them years ago.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-02--Justin Amash says he'll 'protect transgender Americans' as president

Social issues will be a focus for Michigan Rep. Justin Amash if he is elected president .
In a Friday telephone interview , Amash , who recently announced a presidential exploratory committee for the Libertarian Party 's nomination , said he would advocate for protections of transgender and gay people .
“ I would protect transgender Americans under the protections that exist for sex , ” told Forbes .
Amash , who defected from the Republican Party before voting for President Trump 's impeachment , said he believes the definition of `` sex '' can be expanded beyond what it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sometimes , we have to catch up to the law .
In other words , the law is written , and the law will be fairly broad , and the public and the courts are not actually caught up to what is actually in the text , '' Amash said .
The congressman also endorsed gay marriage , but he noted that he believes the government should not be able to license marriage certificates .
“ I 've always held the view that the government should not be a part of marriage .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ private contract or a religious ceremony and not something that the government is a part of .
But if the government is going to be a part of marriage for straight couples , then it must also allow others to get married , '' Amash said .
When asked to weigh in on the recent allegation of sexual assault leveled against Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden , Amash called for `` due process '' so the issue can be `` fairly deliberated . ''
`` Everyone deserves due process , and the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And we should have a fair process for everyone where both sides , both parties , are having their concerns addressed , and have their issues fairly deliberated , '' Amash said .
As both Biden and Trump have faced allegations of sexual misconduct , which they have denied , Amash stressed he would be a candidate free of such scandals .
“ I have nothing in my closet , ” Amash said .

Social issues will be a focus for Michigan Rep. Justin Amash if he is elected president.
In a Friday telephone interview, Amash, who recently announced a presidential exploratory committee for the Libertarian Party's nomination, said he would advocate for protections of transgender and gay people.
“I would protect transgender Americans under the protections that exist for sex,” told Forbes.
Amash, who defected from the Republican Party before voting for President Trump's impeachment, said he believes the definition of "sex" can be expanded beyond what it originally meant in codified law. "Sometimes, we have to catch up to the law. In other words, the law is written, and the law will be fairly broad, and the public and the courts are not actually caught up to what is actually in the text," Amash said.
The congressman also endorsed gay marriage, but he noted that he believes the government should not be able to license marriage certificates.
“I've always held the view that the government should not be a part of marriage. I think that marriage should be a private contract or a religious ceremony and not something that the government is a part of. But if the government is going to be a part of marriage for straight couples, then it must also allow others to get married," Amash said.
When asked to weigh in on the recent allegation of sexual assault leveled against Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, Amash called for "due process" so the issue can be "fairly deliberated."
"Everyone deserves due process, and the people making the accusations deserve to be heard. And we should have a fair process for everyone where both sides, both parties, are having their concerns addressed, and have their issues fairly deliberated," Amash said.
As both Biden and Trump have faced allegations of sexual misconduct, which they have denied, Amash stressed he would be a candidate free of such scandals.
“I have nothing in my closet,” Amash said.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-02--Tara Reade cancels planned interview with Fox News Sunday

The woman who accused former Vice President Joe Biden of sexual assault reportedly canceled a planned interview with Fox News Sunday .
Tara Reade , a former Biden staffer who accused the presidential candidate of sexually assaulting her in 1993 , reportedly canceled a tentative interview with Fox News anchor Chris Wallace , which was scheduled to be recorded on Friday and aired on Sunday .
`` We never confirmed the interview or the New York Times story , and we don ’ t provide details on the booking process , '' a Fox News representative told Edward-Isaac Dovere , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Fox News had been very excited about booking Reade , given that it would have been her first network television interview .
Wallace was getting ready for the conversation .
There ’ s consternation internally that it isn ’ t happening , '' Dovere reported in a series of tweets .
Reade told a New York Times reporter that she canceled the interview because of death threats both she and her daughter are facing because of their willingness to speak out .
Reade , 56 , has voiced concerns about the potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the issue of sexual assault .
“ What I would say about Republicans using this story is please do n't politicize it , ” Reade told the Washington Examiner in an interview Monday .
“ There are many people who identify with Republican politics that have that are also survivors and have also been silenced.
” “ If they want to talk about sexual assault , sexual harassment in a general way , then this would be the time to have a general conversation .
That has nothing to do with being Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women to be safer in their workplaces and safer in general , '' Reade also said .
Reade , who was a lifelong Democrat , says she has never been a supporter of President Trump , but that she is no longer a Democrat .
According to Reade , Biden forced himself upon her in the spring of 1993 , kissing her and penetrating her with his fingers without her consent .
Biden , along with his three office staffers , has denied the claim .

The woman who accused former Vice President Joe Biden of sexual assault reportedly canceled a planned interview with Fox News Sunday.
Tara Reade, a former Biden staffer who accused the presidential candidate of sexually assaulting her in 1993, reportedly canceled a tentative interview with Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, which was scheduled to be recorded on Friday and aired on Sunday.
"We never confirmed the interview or the New York Times story, and we don’t provide details on the booking process," a Fox News representative told Edward-Isaac Dovere, a staff writer at the Atlantic.
"Fox News had been very excited about booking Reade, given that it would have been her first network television interview. Wallace was getting ready for the conversation. There’s consternation internally that it isn’t happening," Dovere reported in a series of tweets.
news that Wallace was set to do the interview had been reported by @benyt.
Fox News spokesperson tells me:
"We never confirmed the interview or the New York Times story and we don’t provide details on the booking process.” — Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) May 2, 2020
Fox News had been very excited about booking Reade, given that it would have been her first network television interview. Wallace was getting ready for the conversation. There’s consternation internally that it isn’t happening. — Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) May 2, 2020
Reade told a New York Times reporter that she canceled the interview because of death threats both she and her daughter are facing because of their willingness to speak out.
Tara Reade tells me she canceled the interview with Fox News because death threats received by her and her child made her nervous about being in the public eye. https://t.co/HtuxI9dJXC — Lisa Lerer (@llerer) May 2, 2020
Reade, 56, has voiced concerns about the potential of Republicans using her story to politicize the issue of sexual assault. “What I would say about Republicans using this story is please don't politicize it,” Reade told the Washington Examiner in an interview Monday. “There are many people who identify with Republican politics that have that are also survivors and have also been silenced.”
“If they want to talk about sexual assault, sexual harassment in a general way, then this would be the time to have a general conversation. That has nothing to do with being Democrat or Republican, but just to empower women to be safer in their workplaces and safer in general," Reade also said.
Reade, who was a lifelong Democrat, says she has never been a supporter of President Trump, but that she is no longer a Democrat.
According to Reade, Biden forced himself upon her in the spring of 1993, kissing her and penetrating her with his fingers without her consent. Biden, along with his three office staffers, has denied the claim.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-02--Trump retweets Greg Gutfeld opinion that Biden 'confessed' to sexual assault

President Trump retweeted a Fox News article about The Five co-host Greg Gutfeld saying Biden confessed to sexual assault .
On Saturday , Trump shared a post from comic strip creator Scott Adams that reads , `` Greg Gutfeld on Biden response to Tara Reade claims : He 'was doing great in that interview until he confessed , ' '' with an article linking to Gutfeld 's comments .
The article contains a reaction from Gutfeld to Biden 's interview on MSNBC with Mika Brzezinski , in which the former vice president and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate denied allegations of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take Biden at his word .
I presume that she 's telling the truth .
Because that 's exactly what he said , '' Gutfeld said , referencing Biden 's comments in 2018 in which he said women ought to be believed .
`` They have n't disproven it ! ''
The conservative commentator said that Biden 's characterization of the alleged incident was an inadvertent admission of guilt , one he would `` pursue . ''
`` Look , Biden was doing great in that interview until he confessed , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had the total denial .
I think that was pretty good .
The denial was pretty strong .
And then he says as a complaint , 'You know , I do n't know why all of a sudden 27 years 'this ' gets raised .
What is 'this ? '
What is 'this ' ?
That 's interesting , '' he added .
Biden was recently accused of sexual assault by Reade , who was his Senate aide from 1992 to 1993 .
According to Reade , Biden ran his hand underneath her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time .
Biden has denied the claim .

President Trump retweeted a Fox News article about The Five co-host Greg Gutfeld saying Biden confessed to sexual assault.
On Saturday, Trump shared a post from comic strip creator Scott Adams that reads, "Greg Gutfeld on Biden response to Tara Reade claims: He 'was doing great in that interview until he confessed,'" with an article linking to Gutfeld's comments.
Greg Gutfeld on Biden response to Tara Reade claims: He 'was doing great in that interview until he confessed' https://t.co/JLEof4t3pt #FoxNews — Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) May 2, 2020
The article contains a reaction from Gutfeld to Biden's interview on MSNBC with Mika Brzezinski, in which the former vice president and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate denied allegations of sexual assault.
"I'm going to take Biden at his word. I presume that she's telling the truth. Because that's exactly what he said," Gutfeld said, referencing Biden's comments in 2018 in which he said women ought to be believed. "They haven't disproven it!"
The conservative commentator said that Biden's characterization of the alleged incident was an inadvertent admission of guilt, one he would "pursue."
"Look, Biden was doing great in that interview until he confessed," Gutfeld said. "First, he had the total denial. I think that was pretty good. The denial was pretty strong. And then he says as a complaint, 'You know, I don't know why all of a sudden 27 years 'this' gets raised. What is 'this?' What is 'this'? That's interesting," he added.
Biden was recently accused of sexual assault by Reade, who was his Senate aide from 1992 to 1993. According to Reade, Biden ran his hand underneath her skirt and penetrated her with his fingers at the time. Biden has denied the claim.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-02--Eric Holder: Trump supporters are trying to 'fan' Biden sexual assault allegation

Former Attorney General Eric Holder alleged that President Trump 's supporters are fanning the flames of the allegation that Joe Biden sexually harassed and assaulted a former Senate staffer .
Holder , who served as Obama 's attorney general from 2009 to 2015 , was on Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday when he was asked about Tara Reade 's allegation that Biden sexually assaulted her when she was an aide in 1993 .
Holder quickly turned it back on the president and his supporters , saying , “ It ’ s interesting that the people who are trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who support Donald Trump , and of course , who say nothing about the allegations that have been raised , I think very credibly , against Trump for a number of women over a long period of time . ''
“ What is described is inconsistent with the person who I ’ ve come to know and who I ’ ve worked with , '' he added .
`` His denial is consistent with the Joe Biden that I know.
” As Holder mentioned , Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , when asked about the allegations surrounding his likely 2020 opponent , said , `` I think that he should respond , you know .
It could be false accusations .
I know all about false accusations .
I have been falsely charged numerous times . ''

Former Attorney General Eric Holder alleged that President Trump's supporters are fanning the flames of the allegation that Joe Biden sexually harassed and assaulted a former Senate staffer.
Holder, who served as Obama's attorney general from 2009 to 2015, was on Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday when he was asked about Tara Reade's allegation that Biden sexually assaulted her when she was an aide in 1993.
Holder quickly turned it back on the president and his supporters, saying, “It’s interesting that the people who are trying to fan this thing are the very people who support Donald Trump, and of course, who say nothing about the allegations that have been raised, I think very credibly, against Trump for a number of women over a long period of time."
“What is described is inconsistent with the person who I’ve come to know and who I’ve worked with," he added. "His denial is consistent with the Joe Biden that I know.”
As Holder mentioned, Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than two dozen women.
Trump, when asked about the allegations surrounding his likely 2020 opponent, said, "I think that he should respond, you know. It could be false accusations. I know all about false accusations. I have been falsely charged numerous times."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-02--Chris Hayes responds to critics of his Biden sexual assault coverage

MSNBC prime time anchor Chris Hayes addressed his critics who were upset with his coverage of the sexual assault allegations Tara Reade levied against Joe Biden .
Hayes , 41 , faced backlash and calls for his resignation after he and a guest called for Biden to address the allegations personally on his show Wednesday night .
He then addressed it on his show Friday night , after Biden vehemently denied the allegations on the network earlier that day .
“ A lot of people were unhappy with the fact that we even covered the story , which is why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FireChrisHayes trending on Twitter most of the day yesterday .
Needless to say , I received a lot of feedback about the segment , which basically fell into three categories , ” Hayes said .
He described the first group as those who do not believe Reade 's allegations `` based on their assessment of the actual verifiable facts of the story , '' which include the fact `` that her story has changed quite considerably . ''
Reade says she complained to Marianne Baker , Biden ’ s executive assistant , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dennis Toner and Ted Kaufman , in Biden 's office about harassment , but they denied the claim in recent interviews .
“ The people that fall into category one say the weight of those three people , those three staffers , plus Joe Biden ’ s long record of public life against what Tara Reade says about what happened at the time , leads them to conclude that she is not telling the truth , '' Hayes said .
The anchor then described the second category of those who were not interested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they strongly oppose President Trump to the point where they 'd prefer Biden , even if the allegations were true .
“ Some use the phrase : ‘ We ’ re in the midst of a national nightmare , the worst disaster in generations , and we just need to get rid of Donald Trump.
’ Now , that is not the way that I think about analyzing this particular story , but it ’ s an honest expression of how some view the trade-off and the stakes here , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who were trying to discredit Reade 's story , which he said was the `` most disquieting '' to him .
“ To me , the lesson of the # MeToo movement is not that you believe every allegation , '' he said .
`` Of course not , no .
The lesson is to take allegations seriously , to swiftly investigate the facts surrounding them as best as one can , while leaving aside the worst , age-old instincts to drag the women who make those claims through the mud .
@

MSNBC prime time anchor Chris Hayes addressed his critics who were upset with his coverage of the sexual assault allegations Tara Reade levied against Joe Biden.
Hayes, 41, faced backlash and calls for his resignation after he and a guest called for Biden to address the allegations personally on his show Wednesday night. He then addressed it on his show Friday night, after Biden vehemently denied the allegations on the network earlier that day.
“A lot of people were unhappy with the fact that we even covered the story, which is why you may have seen the hashtag #FireChrisHayes trending on Twitter most of the day yesterday. Needless to say, I received a lot of feedback about the segment, which basically fell into three categories,” Hayes said.
He described the first group as those who do not believe Reade's allegations "based on their assessment of the actual verifiable facts of the story," which include the fact "that her story has changed quite considerably."
Reade says she complained to Marianne Baker, Biden’s executive assistant, as well as to two top aides, Dennis Toner and Ted Kaufman, in Biden's office about harassment, but they denied the claim in recent interviews.
“The people that fall into category one say the weight of those three people, those three staffers, plus Joe Biden’s long record of public life against what Tara Reade says about what happened at the time, leads them to conclude that she is not telling the truth," Hayes said.
The anchor then described the second category of those who were not interested in the veracity of the allegations because they strongly oppose President Trump to the point where they'd prefer Biden, even if the allegations were true.
“Some use the phrase: ‘We’re in the midst of a national nightmare, the worst disaster in generations, and we just need to get rid of Donald Trump.’ Now, that is not the way that I think about analyzing this particular story, but it’s an honest expression of how some view the trade-off and the stakes here," he said.
The third group Hayes described included those who were trying to discredit Reade's story, which he said was the "most disquieting" to him.
“To me, the lesson of the #MeToo movement is not that you believe every allegation," he said. "Of course not, no. The lesson is to take allegations seriously, to swiftly investigate the facts surrounding them as best as one can, while leaving aside the worst, age-old instincts to drag the women who make those claims through the mud.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-02--David Axelrod: Obama 2008 campaign found no allegations of sexual assault involving Biden

Former Obama chief strategist David Axelrod said the Obama campaign thoroughly vetted former Vice President Joe Biden and found no allegations of sexual misconduct .
Axelrod , a CNN contributor , wrote an opinion article for the network on Friday saying they did not find any complaints or rumors that the former Delaware senator sexually assaulted his former staffer Tara Reade .
`` The comprehensive vet certainly would have turned up any formal complaints filed against Biden during his 36-year career in the Senate .
It did not .
The team would have investigated any salacious rumors of the sort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There were none , '' Axelrod said .
Biden was recently accused of sexual assault by Reade , who was his Senate aide from 1992 to 1993 .
According to Reade , Biden ran his hand underneath her skirt and penetrated her with his fingers at the time .
Biden has denied the claim .
Axelrod , who was a chief architect of the Obama campaigns , says he was not on the team to investigate Biden 's history , but he was briefed regularly on their findings .
`` Had any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sure Biden would not have been the nominee .
Obama would not have tolerated it , even if he and Biden were close then , which they were not , '' he wrote .
`` Our society is just now confronting a long , sordid history of disregarding accusations and silencing women who were sexually abused or assaulted .
Women who come forward deserve to be taken seriously and treated with respect , and Tara Reade 's story should be heard and thoroughly investigated , '' Axelrod later said , diverging from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' during the # MeToo movement .
`` But it is striking that when an experienced vetting team put Biden under a microscope before he was chosen to be second-in-line for the presidency , neither her allegations , nor anything resembling them in Biden 's history , showed up , '' he said .

Former Obama chief strategist David Axelrod said the Obama campaign thoroughly vetted former Vice President Joe Biden and found no allegations of sexual misconduct.
Axelrod, a CNN contributor, wrote an opinion article for the network on Friday saying they did not find any complaints or rumors that the former Delaware senator sexually assaulted his former staffer Tara Reade.
"The comprehensive vet certainly would have turned up any formal complaints filed against Biden during his 36-year career in the Senate. It did not. The team would have investigated any salacious rumors of the sort that travel far and wide in Washington. There were none," Axelrod said.
Biden was recently accused of sexual assault by Reade, who was his Senate aide from 1992 to 1993. According to Reade, Biden ran his hand underneath her skirt and penetrated her with his fingers at the time. Biden has denied the claim.
Axelrod, who was a chief architect of the Obama campaigns, says he was not on the team to investigate Biden's history, but he was briefed regularly on their findings. "Had any credible issue been raised, you can be sure Biden would not have been the nominee. Obama would not have tolerated it, even if he and Biden were close then, which they were not," he wrote.
"Our society is just now confronting a long, sordid history of disregarding accusations and silencing women who were sexually abused or assaulted. Women who come forward deserve to be taken seriously and treated with respect, and Tara Reade's story should be heard and thoroughly investigated," Axelrod later said, diverging from the widely popularized mantra "believe women" during the #MeToo movement.
"But it is striking that when an experienced vetting team put Biden under a microscope before he was chosen to be second-in-line for the presidency, neither her allegations, nor anything resembling them in Biden's history, showed up," he said.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-03--Stacey Abrams's embarrassing campaign for the vice presidency

No one has ever wanted to be vice president as much as Stacey Abrams .
The Georgia Democrat , best known for her failed gubernatorial candidacy in 2018 , has launched a full-fledged campaign for the vice presidency in recent weeks , telling every news channel that will book her why she thinks she ’ s cut out for the job .
And in doing so , Abrams has proved why she ’ s not .
Abrams ’ s media tour began back in February when Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee , first mentioned his campaign was looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d want the job , Abrams didn ’ t shy away .
“ Of course , I want it , ” she said at the time .
And then , she left it at that .
But over the past month , Abrams ’ s attempts to get Biden ’ s attention have become more and more aggressive .
When she realized Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer and Sen. Amy Klobuchar were serious contenders , Abrams not-so-subtly suggested that choosing anyone but a woman of color would be a disservice to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped propel Biden to victory in South Carolina and several other states .
The only other women of color rumored to be on Biden ’ s list are Sen. Kamala Harris and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms .
Abrams ’ s veiled threat earned a reprimand from Rep. Jim Clyburn , a well-respected leader in the African American community whose endorsement reinforced Biden ’ s candidacy when Biden needed it the most .
“ I think having a woman on the ticket is a must , ” Clyburn told NBC News this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who feel that it would be great for him to select a woman of color .
But that is not a must.
” It seems that Abrams realized her error , because shortly thereafter , she tried to once again cozy up to the Biden campaign by emphatically announcing her support for the former vice president as he faces an accusation of sexual assault .
The accusation , made by a former congressional staffer , is “ not credible , ” Abrams said , citing a New York Times report that explicitly stated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ innocence or guilt at this time .
Abrams isn ’ t the only Democrat to rally behind Biden in the face of these allegations , but she is the only one with something immediate and personal to gain .
And she does n't care who knows .
`` As a young black woman growing up in Mississippi , I learned that if you do n't raise your hand , people wo n't see you , and they wo n't give you attention , ” Abrams said .
It doesn ’ t matter how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice presidency .
She 's simply not qualified .
Abrams has touted her academic credentials and influence among Democratic communities , but the one thing she needs is the one thing she doesn ’ t have : experience .
Biden is the oldest presidential nominee in U.S. history , and there ’ s a very real concern that his presidency might be short-lived if he wins this November .
Even if he wins , he 'll be less likely than most presidents to be able to stand for reelection ( he 'd be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second term ) .
That makes the vice presidency even more important than usual .
Voters will want to know that Biden ’ s running mate is a proven , competent leader , someone who has experience listening to constituents , negotiating with the other side of the aisle , and seasoned in world affairs .
Abrams ’ s 10-year stint in the Georgia state legislature doesn ’ t cut it .
True , President Trump won in 2016 without any prior background in politics .
But critics of the administration would argue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governance .
Abrams ’ s antics over the past few months have confirmed that her lack of know-how is a precursor of a much bigger problem : She ’ s politically immature .
Abrams will do or say anything to advance her political career , whether that means accusing the other party of unlawfully stealing an election simply because she lost or unequivocally denouncing a sexual assault accusation made against Biden even though no one knows what happened .
She thinks much too highly of herself for having accomplished so little .
Abrams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she can “ save ” Biden ’ s campaign , but now , it ’ s pretty clear that the only thing that needs saving is Abrams ’ s political career .

No one has ever wanted to be vice president as much as Stacey Abrams.
The Georgia Democrat, best known for her failed gubernatorial candidacy in 2018, has launched a full-fledged campaign for the vice presidency in recent weeks, telling every news channel that will book her why she thinks she’s cut out for the job. And in doing so, Abrams has proved why she’s not.
Abrams’s media tour began back in February when Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, first mentioned his campaign was looking at Abrams. When asked if she’d want the job, Abrams didn’t shy away. “Of course, I want it,” she said at the time. And then, she left it at that.
But over the past month, Abrams’s attempts to get Biden’s attention have become more and more aggressive. When she realized Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar were serious contenders, Abrams not-so-subtly suggested that choosing anyone but a woman of color would be a disservice to the African American community — a community that helped propel Biden to victory in South Carolina and several other states. The only other women of color rumored to be on Biden’s list are California Sen. Kamala Harris and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Abrams’s veiled threat earned a reprimand from South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, a well-respected leader in the African American community whose endorsement reinforced Biden’s candidacy when Biden needed it the most.
“I think having a woman on the ticket is a must,” Clyburn told NBC News this week. “I’m among those who feel that it would be great for him to select a woman of color. But that is not a must.”
It seems that Abrams realized her error because shortly thereafter, she tried to once again cozy up to the Biden campaign by emphatically announcing her support for the former vice president as he faces an accusation of sexual assault. The accusation, made by a former congressional staffer, is “not credible,” Abrams said, citing a New York Times report that explicitly stated it could not determine Biden’s innocence or guilt at this time.
Abrams isn’t the only Democrat to rally behind Biden in the face of these allegations, but she is the only one with something immediate and personal to gain. And she doesn't care who knows.
"As a young black woman growing up in Mississippi, I learned that if you don't raise your hand, people won't see you, and they won't give you attention,” Abrams said.
It doesn’t matter how many times Abrams says she wants the vice presidency. She's simply not qualified. Abrams has touted her academic credentials and influence among Democratic communities, but the one thing she needs is the one thing she doesn’t have: experience.
Biden is the oldest presidential nominee in U.S. history, and there’s a very real concern that his presidency might be short-lived if he wins this November. Even if he wins, he'll be less likely than most presidents to be able to stand for reelection (he'd be 86 at the end of a theoretical second term). That makes the vice presidency even more important than usual. Voters will want to know that Biden’s running mate is a proven, competent leader, someone who has experience listening to constituents, negotiating with the other side of the aisle, and seasoned in world affairs. Abrams’s 10-year stint in the Georgia state legislature doesn’t cut it.
True, President Trump won in 2016 without any prior background in politics. But critics of the administration would argue that his lack of experience hindered his governance. Abrams’s antics over the past few months have confirmed that her lack of know-how is a precursor of a much bigger problem: She’s politically immature.
Abrams will do or say anything to advance her political career, whether that means accusing the other party of unlawfully stealing an election simply because she lost or unequivocally denouncing a sexual assault accusation made against Biden even though no one knows what happened. She thinks much too highly of herself for having accomplished so little.
Abrams overplayed her hand. She might think she can “save” Biden’s campaign, but now, it’s pretty clear that the only thing that needs saving is Abrams’s political career.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-03--Why Trump's reliance on his previous economic record to win reelection just might work

Give President Trump a second term , and he will produce a second economic boom .
That is the president ’ s promise as he of their coronavirus quarantines and campaigns for reelection .
Some observers say it is a strategy audacious enough to work .
Business closures necessitated by the coronavirus have wrecked the economy , leading to over 30 million jobless claims since mid-March .
This has put Trump in the position of citing his pre-coronavirus economic record — characterized by low unemployment and solid growth — to make the case he can deliver these results once again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anywhere in the world , ” he said earlier this week .
“ And we 're going to build it again .
We 're going to build it fast.
” Veteran Republican strategist Curt Anderson said the economy can still be a winning issue for Trump .
“ It ’ s often hard to see clearly in the fog of war , but if the question in November is ‘ Who is best able to get America ’ s economy moving again ?
’ that will certainly benefit the president ’ s chances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump had received high marks on his handling of the economy , even as his personal favorability ratings lagged behind .
“ When everything is fine , and the economy is humming along , voters tend to focus on other issues , ” Anderson said .
“ But right now , it feels like the economy will be front and center this November .
Every human knows that this economic mess was caused by events far beyond the control of the president .
If the country needs jobs , they will know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge , and it ’ s hard to imagine that Joe Biden wants any part of that campaign .
A campaign about the economy is a good campaign for President Trump and a bad campaign for Vice President Biden.
” “ It was under President Trump ’ s leadership that the economy reached unprecedented heights in the first place , and he is clearly the one to do it a second time , ” said Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh .
“ Contrast that with Joe Biden , who would raise taxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the job-killing Green New Deal , and there ’ s no contest.
” Trump vows that the third quarter of 2020 , for which preliminary numbers will be available just days before the election , will be a “ transition quarter ” on the way to an “ incredibly successful ” fourth quarter .
“ I think next year we 're going to have a phenomenal year , economically , ” he said at the White House .
But the perceived success of his past economic policies is seen as crucial to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gets some credit for that and will get more if the economy bounces back quickly , ” said Henry Olsen of the Ethics and Public Policy Center , a D.C.-based think tank .
“ It doesn ’ t have to be all the way back by November , but if things are rapidly improving , he will get credit for managing the economic aspect of the pandemic well.
” Barack Obama received credit from voters for making progress from the Great Recession even though growth remained sluggish for large parts of his first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 9 % , still exceeding 7 % the day he was reelected .
Some observers anticipate a surge in consumer spending as easing lockdowns releases pent-up demand , though fear of the virus is likely to remain high , and a full recovery is a long way away .
And that last part is a big problem for the president .
“ I think it is very difficult if not impossible to run a campaign on what life was like a year ago , ” said strategist and former Eric Cantor communications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t have a job , you are not giving politicians credit for the job you used to have .
People vote based on their own personal finances rather than the ‘ economy ’ as a whole , and if people are suffering , that will weigh in when they ’ re choosing who can best help them moving forward .
”

Give President Trump a second term, and he will produce a second economic boom. That is the president’s promise as he encourages states to dig out of their coronavirus quarantines and campaigns for reelection.
Some observers say it is a strategy audacious enough to work.
Business closures necessitated by the coronavirus have wrecked the economy, leading to over 30 million jobless claims since mid-March. This has put Trump in the position of citing his pre-coronavirus economic record — characterized by low unemployment and solid growth — to make the case he can deliver these results once again. “We built the greatest economy anywhere in the world,” he said earlier this week. “And we're going to build it again. We're going to build it fast.”
Veteran Republican strategist Curt Anderson said the economy can still be a winning issue for Trump.
“It’s often hard to see clearly in the fog of war, but if the question in November is ‘Who is best able to get America’s economy moving again?’ that will certainly benefit the president’s chances of being reelected,” he said.
Trump had received high marks on his handling of the economy, even as his personal favorability ratings lagged behind.
“When everything is fine, and the economy is humming along, voters tend to focus on other issues,” Anderson said. “But right now, it feels like the economy will be front and center this November. Every human knows that this economic mess was caused by events far beyond the control of the president. If the country needs jobs, they will know that President Trump is up to that challenge, and it’s hard to imagine that Joe Biden wants any part of that campaign. A campaign about the economy is a good campaign for President Trump and a bad campaign for Vice President Biden.”
“It was under President Trump’s leadership that the economy reached unprecedented heights in the first place, and he is clearly the one to do it a second time,” said Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh. “Contrast that with Joe Biden, who would raise taxes and strangle employers with the massive regulations of the job-killing Green New Deal, and there’s no contest.”
Trump vows that the third quarter of 2020, for which preliminary numbers will be available just days before the election, will be a “transition quarter” on the way to an “incredibly successful” fourth quarter. “I think next year we're going to have a phenomenal year, economically,” he said at the White House. But the perceived success of his past economic policies is seen as crucial to selling it.
“I think he gets some credit for that and will get more if the economy bounces back quickly,” said Henry Olsen of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a D.C.-based think tank. “It doesn’t have to be all the way back by November, but if things are rapidly improving, he will get credit for managing the economic aspect of the pandemic well.”
Barack Obama received credit from voters for making progress from the Great Recession even though growth remained sluggish for large parts of his first term, and the unemployment rate hovered around 9%, still exceeding 7% the day he was reelected.
Some observers anticipate a surge in consumer spending as easing lockdowns releases pent-up demand, though fear of the virus is likely to remain high, and a full recovery is a long way away. And that last part is a big problem for the president.
“I think it is very difficult if not impossible to run a campaign on what life was like a year ago,” said strategist and former Eric Cantor communications director Rory Cooper. “If you don’t have a job, you are not giving politicians credit for the job you used to have. People vote based on their own personal finances rather than the ‘economy’ as a whole, and if people are suffering, that will weigh in when they’re choosing who can best help them moving forward.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-03--Ex-Bill Clinton adviser claims Cuomo plotting to undermine Biden nomination

A former adviser to Bill Clinton claimed New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo is secretly plotting to steal the presidential nomination from Joe Biden .
Dick Morris , who was Clinton ’ s political adviser and later campaign manager , claimed that Cuomo canceled the New York primary because “ he wants all the other states to follow and cancel their primaries.
” “ That way , Biden will not have a committed first-ballot majority .
It will be perfectly possible for delegates to leave him and vote for Cuomo , ” Morris told John Catsimatidis on The Cats Roundtable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the motive behind Cuomo ’ s move , ” he said .
The New York State Board of Elections , not Cuomo , effectively canceled the state ’ s presidential voting contest after it voted to remove Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders from the primary ballot .
Morris has long been critical of Biden , saying in April that he had doubts the Democratic Party would officially nominate Biden to run against President Trump in the general election .
Biden has not yet secured the 1,991 delegates needed to win the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only major candidate left in the race after Sanders ended his campaign last month .
Morris has pitched Cuomo as a possible replacement and said he would write in the New York governor ’ s name on his ballot .
“ I think they ’ re looking very seriously at Cuomo , ” he said of Democrats .
“ It could be a last-minute thing at the convention.
” Cuomo has said he has no plans to run for president .

A former adviser to Bill Clinton claimed New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is secretly plotting to steal the presidential nomination from Joe Biden.
Dick Morris, who was Clinton’s political adviser and later campaign manager, claimed that Cuomo canceled the New York primary because “he wants all the other states to follow and cancel their primaries.”
“That way, Biden will not have a committed first-ballot majority. It will be perfectly possible for delegates to leave him and vote for Cuomo,” Morris told John Catsimatidis on The Cats Roundtable radio show on Sunday.
“That’s the motive behind Cuomo’s move,” he said.
The New York State Board of Elections, not Cuomo, effectively canceled the state’s presidential voting contest after it voted to remove Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders from the primary ballot.
Morris has long been critical of Biden, saying in April that he had doubts the Democratic Party would officially nominate Biden to run against President Trump in the general election. Biden has not yet secured the 1,991 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination on the first ballot but is the only major candidate left in the race after Sanders ended his campaign last month.
Morris has pitched Cuomo as a possible replacement and said he would write in the New York governor’s name on his ballot.
“I think they’re looking very seriously at Cuomo,” he said of Democrats. “It could be a last-minute thing at the convention.”
Cuomo has said he has no plans to run for president.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-04--Obama advisers: Biden’s basement speeches ‘won’t cut it’

Two campaign advisers to former President Barack Obama urged Joe Biden to overhaul his campaign tactics if he wants to defeat President Trump in November .
Biden has been appearing on television and virtual campaign events via a studio in his basement in Delaware during the coronavirus outbreak .
David Axelrod , Obama ’ s senior strategist , and David Plouffe , Obama ’ s 2008 campaign manager , said Biden needs to adjust to the new realities of virtual campaigning by doing more than giving online speeches and interviews from his basement .
“ Online speeches from his basement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While television remains a potent force , YouTube , Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , Snapchat and TikTok are all essential in a Covid-19 world in which candidate travel and voter contact will be severely limited .
In many respects , they are the campaign , not an important part of it , ” they wrote in an op-ed for the New York Times .
Axelrod and Plouffe advised Biden to go on offense instead of playing defense , as well as employ a more robust rapid response team .
“ Every day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t hard to get a rise out of this thin-skinned president and knock him off his game .
Be a speedboat , not a battleship .
Make him react to you , ” they wrote .
“ Mr .
Biden can turn the tables on Mr. Trump .
To do this , the challenger needs to behave more like an insurgent , building the capacity to wield facts , humor and mockery at lightning speed in those surreal moments of opportunity that Mr. Trump regularly provides.
” The two Obama advisers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hillary Clinton , and Sens .
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to expand the reach of his message on their social media accounts .
But , Axelrod and Plouffe said , the content Biden ’ s surrogates share has to be of the highest quality .
“ So activate a virtual content production studio and establish a unique content calendar for each major social media platform .
The creative community heavily leans progressive and is rife with world-class talent who want to help , ” they wrote .

Two campaign advisers to former President Barack Obama urged Joe Biden to overhaul his campaign tactics if he wants to defeat President Trump in November.
Biden has been appearing on television and virtual campaign events via a studio in his basement in Delaware during the coronavirus outbreak.
David Axelrod, Obama’s senior strategist, and David Plouffe, Obama’s 2008 campaign manager, said Biden needs to adjust to the new realities of virtual campaigning by doing more than giving online speeches and interviews from his basement.
“Online speeches from his basement won’t cut it. ... While television remains a potent force, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok are all essential in a Covid-19 world in which candidate travel and voter contact will be severely limited. In many respects, they are the campaign, not an important part of it,” they wrote in an op-ed for the New York Times.
Axelrod and Plouffe advised Biden to go on offense instead of playing defense, as well as employ a more robust rapid response team.
“Every day, Mr. Trump provides opportunities. It isn’t hard to get a rise out of this thin-skinned president and knock him off his game. Be a speedboat, not a battleship. Make him react to you,” they wrote. “Mr. Biden can turn the tables on Mr. Trump. To do this, the challenger needs to behave more like an insurgent, building the capacity to wield facts, humor and mockery at lightning speed in those surreal moments of opportunity that Mr. Trump regularly provides.”
The two Obama advisers also recommended using the former president, Hillary Clinton, and Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to expand the reach of his message on their social media accounts. But, Axelrod and Plouffe said, the content Biden’s surrogates share has to be of the highest quality.
“So activate a virtual content production studio and establish a unique content calendar for each major social media platform. The creative community heavily leans progressive and is rife with world-class talent who want to help,” they wrote.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-04--Wisconsin GOP mailer on absentee voting causing trouble

A mailer from the Republican Party of Wisconsin says voters can request an absentee ballot for the state 's special election in its 7th Congressional District , but most people who send in a pre-paid postcard included with the mailer are missing photo ID in compliance with state law .
Absentee ballots in Wisconsin require a copy of the voter 's photo ID , and most clerks report that the majority of postcards they 've received in requesting absentee ballots did not include a photo ID , according to Wisconsin Public Radio .
The Wisconsin Elections Commission reported the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to show a photo ID include those in the military who are currently deployed , permanent overseas residents , and confidential electors who have presented a court order , letter from law enforcement or a staff member of a domestic abuse shelter , or agency assisting victims of domestic abuse to their municipal clerk .
The GOP mailer includes six-step instructions on submitting an absentee ballot , including the need for a photo ID .
But , WPR reports the information about the photo ID is not on the postcard itself , leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into municipal clerk 's offices .
Wausau city clerk Leslie Kramer told the radio station she had received about 200 postcards within the last week , most of which did not include a photo ID .
`` It just created a lot of extra work , '' she said .
Richard Rydecki , deputy administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission , said he is aware of `` a lot of complaints '' about the mailer not sufficiently highlighting the photo ID requirement .
He also noted the commission consulted the state party about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mark Jefferson , executive director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin , told the Washington Examiner the party had sent out similar mailings before in previous elections .
`` They have instructions on them to send a photo ID if you have n't requested an absentee ballot before , '' he said .
Jefferson said the goal of the mailers is to increase voter participation and that city clerks should send out absentee ballot applications themselves , similar to what the city of Milwaukee has pledged to do , if there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District is a rural district comprised in the central and northwestern part of Wisconsin .
Republican state Sen. Tom Tiffany will face Democratic challenger Tricia Zunker in a special election on May 12 .
The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is Thursday , which means if voters wait until the last minute to submit their request and do not include a photo ID , there will likely not be enough time for local clerks to assist them .
Wisconsin is a closely watched state in the lead-up to the 2020 general election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's major battleground states .
How voters decide in state races will likely be noted nationally as campaigns continue to invest heavily to try and capture a party victory in November .

A mailer from the Republican Party of Wisconsin says voters can request an absentee ballot for the state's special election in its 7th Congressional District, but most people who send in a pre-paid postcard included with the mailer are missing photo ID in compliance with state law.
Absentee ballots in Wisconsin require a copy of the voter's photo ID, and most clerks report that the majority of postcards they've received in requesting absentee ballots did not include a photo ID, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission reported the only exceptions for those who do not have to show a photo ID include those in the military who are currently deployed, permanent overseas residents, and confidential electors who have presented a court order, letter from law enforcement or a staff member of a domestic abuse shelter, or agency assisting victims of domestic abuse to their municipal clerk.
The GOP mailer includes six-step instructions on submitting an absentee ballot, including the need for a photo ID. But, WPR reports the information about the photo ID is not on the postcard itself, leading to confusion and a number of calls into municipal clerk's offices.
Wausau city clerk Leslie Kramer told the radio station she had received about 200 postcards within the last week, most of which did not include a photo ID. "It just created a lot of extra work," she said.
Richard Rydecki, deputy administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, said he is aware of "a lot of complaints" about the mailer not sufficiently highlighting the photo ID requirement. He also noted the commission consulted the state party about making the photo ID requirement more prominent.
Mark Jefferson, executive director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, told the Washington Examiner the party had sent out similar mailings before in previous elections.
"They have instructions on them to send a photo ID if you haven't requested an absentee ballot before," he said.
Jefferson said the goal of the mailers is to increase voter participation and that city clerks should send out absentee ballot applications themselves, similar to what the city of Milwaukee has pledged to do, if there's confusion among voters.
The 7th Congressional District is a rural district comprised in the central and northwestern part of Wisconsin. Republican state Sen. Tom Tiffany will face Democratic challenger Tricia Zunker in a special election on May 12.
The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is Thursday, which means if voters wait until the last minute to submit their request and do not include a photo ID, there will likely not be enough time for local clerks to assist them.
Wisconsin is a closely watched state in the lead-up to the 2020 general election, serving as one of the nation's major battleground states. How voters decide in state races will likely be noted nationally as campaigns continue to invest heavily to try and capture a party victory in November.