(Part I is here.)
Some additional observations:
- Jazz Shaw and other conservative pundits are writing that Joe’s handsy act “isn’t sexual harassment.” Wrong. If it was unwelcome, it was sexual harassment, and even if it wasn’t and made others in Joe’s workplace proximity uncomfortable, that was “third party” sexual harassment. To his credit, CNN’s Jake Tapper reached down deep and accessed his recently slumbering common sense and integrity to correctly point out that other men who behave in the same way would get “reprimanded” or “potentially even fired” from their jobs.
- Shaw and others are also harping on the timing of the harassment allegations. Are they politically motivated? Sure they are, just as Anita Hill’s sudden realization that she had been harassed after more than a decade was politically motivated; just as the sudden appearance of women claiming Donald Trump harassed them coincidentally occurred while he was running for President. In a word—well, two—so what? Biden belongs to a party that has taken a strict liability, no-tolerance, “believe all women” stance following the #Me Too eruption. He knew it, and progressives with eyes knew that Biden was a serial toucher/hugger/groper/nuzzler/sniffer/fondler. Given their professed position, it was hypocritical that Joe got away with his Dirty Uncle bit for so long, and arrogant (or stupid—it’s Biden, remember) that he thought he could get away with it forever.
- My head had a serious aftershock when the enabler and apologists for Joe settled on the “that’s just the way he is”; “he doesn’t mean anything by it”, and “he’s a decent man” talking points.
KABOOM!
See, there’s another one; even writing about this is dangerous.
If “that’s just the way he is,” then what he is is a serial sexual harasser. “He didn’t mean anything by it” has been a lamer than lame rationalization for misconduct and criminal activity since the Madison administration, usually to excuse the mentally challenged. Finally, if he keeps fondling/touching/sniffing/nuzzling/ and kissing when all of his political kith are shouting to the skies about men being sexual predators, he’s not decent. Like the late George H.W. Bush, who told young women with his grasp that his favorite magician was “David Cop-a-Feel,” he’s willing to use his position and status to abuse women.
- Finally, if this brace on the top of my head holds, let me annotate the beyond moronic comments made on “The View” yesterday, as the ladies lined up in support of Biden:
Whoopi Goldberg : “Listen, in the old days we would call Joe—some folks of a certain age would say he’s overly familiar.”
Yeah, and in the old days, you might be Scarlet O’Hara’s mammy. See, you idiot, we learn things over time, and what was considered Ok “in the old days” isn’t any more. I can’t believe Whoopi said this.
Whoopi: “But it would have been nice if she turned to him and say, ‘You know what, I don’t really like this. Please don’t do this, Mr. Vice President. I’m not comfortable with this.’ Something, because he’s standing right there.”
Because it’s so easy to tell the Vice President of the United States, “Take your hands off of me; you’re creeping me out.” Or to tell the President of the United States, “Yuck! No way I’m giving you a blowjob!” This is the power inequality factor that feminists used to emphasize, until they decided that Bill Clinton’s support of abortion rights was more important than opposing workplace predators.
Joy Behar: “It’s a long way from smelling your hair to grabbing your hoo-ha… I don’t think it rises to the point we’ve been listening to like Harvey Weinstein and the rest of these people. “
BOY, Joy is a cretin! Naturally, she gravitates to the worst rationalization of all, #22, “There are worse things” Come to think of it Joy, raping a woman is worse than grabbing her hoo-ha, and, you know, gang-raping her is worse than raping her…and certainly killing her, cutting her up into pieces and feeding her to the aquarium is worse than just gang raping her.
You make America dumber every time you open your mouth.
Behar: “..he’s so friendly. He’s a close talker. He comes right up into your face, and you’re thinking I hope my breath is good. Or more important I hope he is. He talks close, he touches. That’s what he’s like. I feel it would be unfortunate if we got rid of everybody who’s an affectionate kind of person. Those are nice people too.”
The work place, and in high office, are not appropriate places to show “affection,” you stupid, stupid, woman. Sexual predators are “friendly;” abusive bosses think they are just being “friendly.” Being friendly for real means not imposing your will on those with less power than you.
Abby Huntsman: “I always wonder when these things come out, what is the motive for this person? Is it simply to let people know, I was uncomfortable, which you could have done in private? Or is it because you want someone else to win and you want him to have doubts about announcing or the presidency?”
If the wrongful conduct can be proven, the motives of the victim reporting it is 100% irrelevant to the accountability of the author of the conduct.
Huntsman: I’ve had concerns about the #MeToo movement from the beginning about getting to this place where you can’t have normal interactions with each other.
You must be talking to Joy too much. See those photos above? Those are not “normal interactions” except to a man who thinks that he has the right to touch any women he wants to.
Huntsman: “Are we going to get to a place where we can’t shake hands or hug each other? I worry about that.”
Shaking hands and hugging are not equivalent: nice straw man. “Hugging” without consent is called “copping a feel.”
Ethics Alarms 
“That’s just the way he is”
My god….
The shear amount of doublethink and mental gymnastics required to even wrap ones mind around this position about ‘Uncle Joe’ is just staggering.
You know I’m old enough to remember a certain Supreme Court nominee, his name was Brett-something or another, anyways, we were told that a few women claimed that he had sexually assaulted/gang raped them while they were in high school. Even though none of these accusations could be corroborated, or stand up to scrutiny, we were told by the media and Democrats to #BelieveAllWomen, and that even if the accusations were false-the fact that those accusations even existed in the first place was enough to disqualify this nominee from holding a position on the Supreme Court.
If the left is serving up standards, please make mine a double!
I have wondered if it is worse if they believe this stuff or if they are just lying for the cause. I believe it is scarier if they really believe this stuff. What can’t you get them to believe if they believe what they are saying now?
Oh, but check out what Alyssa Milano said about Joe Biden, she of the Brett Kavanaugh hearings:
First tweeted reply: “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Well said.
By the way, the answer to that question is: she’s an under-educated, over-opinionated dolt who thinks being cut and have had some acting success makes her qualified to issue irresponsible opinions.
Cute, not cut, unless she has great abs which are all the rage these days. Threw me there.
Oh, Alyssa is RIPPED.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to find out where his left hand is resting? I could make an educated guess.
Fortunately, I’m of the opinion the U.S. public is hip to what these women are doing. I just don’t think the public is as stupid as these propagandists think they are. I just don’t think nearly anyone takes them seriously. their hypocrisy knows no bounds and I think that fact is in plain sight for everyone to see. Biden’s candidacy is DOA. Maybe stillborn would be a better metaphor. Can you imagine people saying idiotic things like this for the next twenty-four or so months and no one will notice?
Abby Huntsman: “I always wonder when these things come out, what is the motive for this person? Is it simply to let people know, I was uncomfortable, which you could have done in private? Or is it because you want someone else to win and you want him to have doubts about announcing or the presidency?”
What I think is being missed here is that Democrats don’t actually care about sexuality, they care about power, and they’ve weaponized sexuality in order to get power, and they really don’t like it when those weapons are turned against them. Ejecting celebrities from Hollywood didn’t hurt so much because most of Hollywood leans left, so it’s almost a given that the replacements that come along will be sufficiently woke…. But when it comes to politics, those damn fickle, ignorant, -ist, -phobic, bigots (by which they mean voters) sometimes accidentally push the wrong button (and vote Republican), and so they push back harder there.
In Biden’s favor, he has a wide appeal, he’s polished, and probably has the best chance of taking on Trump in 2020 in a meaningful way. He also belongs to a party that doesn’t mind hypocrisy, so long as they win…. Again… It’s about power, not sexuality, and winning makes everything better… What was the line during the Clinton era? “I’d get down on my knees and do that myself if he keeps doing what he’s doing”? Something like that anyway. On the other hand, he’s old, white, straight and male, and progressives are ageist, racist, heterophobic and sexist. If we were talking about Harris, or maybe even Booker, they could survive this. Biden…. I don’t know. Flip a coin. I don’t think he goes quietly.
As to Huntsman, I think she trapped herself in this position when she commented on Kavanaugh. She was right then, and to an extent she’s right now…. We would never talk about this if Biden hadn’t thrown his hat in the ring, but she doesn’t make the critical differentiation, which is credibility… Kavanaugh’s accuser had none, there is photo evidence Biden did what he did. I just don’t know if the audience of The View is able or willing to hear that.
Or capable of walking and chewing gum.
This gibberish is why I do NOT watch this show.
But there are so many other good reasons not to watch it!
You’re on a certified roll.
HT, I don’t think it’s correct to say Joe Biden is polished. As Jack has pointed out repeatedly, Joe’s a walking, talking gaff machine. The Obamas had to muzzle him for eight years. Sure the Dems and the media would cover for him, but Trump would filet him in a debate.
Hard disagree, I remember his debates with Paul Ryan, and while you could say that he was unseemingly aggressive, I don’t think he’d be easy meat.
He was rude and unprofessional, and the moderator, Martha Raddatz, let him misbehave. But I blamed Ryan, who should have called Biden on it. I knew then that he was a weenie.
He was an asshole during that debate (there was only one). The thing is, Trump is a much bigger asshole, and would hammer him. Biden also once said he’d take Trump out behind the gym and beat him up, which would give Trump a great line in “well, here’s your chance, asshole, let’s go.”
For some reason I thought there were two… Regardless, I don’t disagree, except that I think Biden would hold his own.
“What I think is being missed here is that Democrats don’t actually care about sexuality, they care about power, and they’ve weaponized sexuality in order to get power, and they really don’t like it when those weapons are turned against them.”
Brilliantly stated. I agree that Biden is toast. There are two more accusers coming forward. He can’t survive this.
jvb
Feminist here who thinks Mr. Biden’s conduct is inappropriate and that he shouldn’t run for President. I do know, however, that he is just as “handsy” with men as he is women. I’m sure a lot of men don’t care for it either and for some it rises to the level of harassment. Probably a lot of people, men and women, are okay with it because they assume it comes from an overt friendliness. And maybe it does — but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. And what is it with the hair sniffing? This probably has happened to me — by strangers and colleagues — about 20 times in my life? It’s weird — although I wouldn’t call it harassment. Kissing is stranger still, but it strikes me more of a paternal gesture. I kiss my kids on the head.
Great issue about the same treatment of men. And the “paternal” treatments is also a power gesture: I had to take a stand at one association when the Executive director kept treating my female staff in a “nice” but condescending fashion. That kind of harasser is called the “Grand Gallant,” and it signals male dominance.
My wife was once sniffed by a stranger at a baseball game. It creeped her out for a long time.
I don’t get the sniffing. I can’t imagine ever walking up to another person and thinking, “hey, I want to sniff that hair.” It is odd, if not creepy. Then, there was the stupid 1970s commercial that declared, “Gee! Your hair smells terrific!” Again, over my head.
I do love watching liberals bend over backwards excusing Biden’s behavior. I did see, however, that Elizabeth Warren said he would have to answer for the videos, which was simply wonderful. I love Warren. I love her delicious insincerity. I love her made-for-tv-outrage. She is my hero!
jvb