Joe Biden pledges to be 'much more mindful' of personal space

David Gardner4 April 2019

Former US Vice President Joe Biden has pledged to be more “much more mindful” of personal space, acknowledging his tendency towards physical displays of affection has made some women uncomfortable.

In a two-minute video posted on Twitter, Mr Biden admitted his behaviour had to change amid a growing number of claims from women of inappropriate touching.

“Social norms are changing, I understand that, and I’ve heard what these women are saying,” said in a tweet accompanying the video.

“It’s the way I’ve always been, it’s the way I try to show I care about them and I’m listening,” he added in the video.

“The boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset. I understand it and I’ll be much more mindful. That’s my responsibility, and I’ll meet it,” he added.

The 76-year-old’s comments were his first public remarks directly addressing the controversy that have muddied his plans to launch himself into the contest to be the Democratic candidate to take on Donald Trump for the White House in 2020.

Mr Biden teased an announcement of his political plans, promising to “be talking to you about a whole lot of issues.” Shortly after the video was released, a union announced Mr Biden would speak at their conference in Washington tomorrow.

Three more women came forward yesterday to claim he had touched them in ways that made them feel uncomfortable. The new allegations bring the total number of women who have complained about Mr Biden’s behaviour to seven. There has been no suggestion of sexual harassment or assault.

The latest claims were made in a Washington Post article published last night.

Joe Biden places his hands on the shoulders of the wife of former defense secretary Ash Carter
AFP/Getty Images

Vail Kohnert-Yount said she shook hands with Mr Biden when she was a White House intern in 2013.

“He then put his hand on the back of my head and pressed his forehead to my forehead while he talked to me,” she told the Post. “I was so shocked that it was hard to focus on what he was saying. I remember he told me I was a ‘pretty girl.’”

She added: “It was the kind of inappropriate behaviour that makes many women feel uncomfortable and unequal in the workplace.”

Sofie Karasek said she met Mr Biden on stage at the Oscars in 2016 when she appeared with Lady Gaga and a group of 51 survivors of sexual assault. She claimed he put his forehead against hers, making her feel uncomfortable and unsure how to react.

Ally Coll, who runs the Purple Campaign, a charity that fights sexual harassment, was introduced to Mr Biden at a 2008 election campaign event when he squeezed her shoulders, complimented her and held her for “a beat too long”.

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