Posted on 05/04/2020 2:57:31 AM PDT by MarvinStinson
First Read is your briefing from "Meet the Press" and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter.
WASHINGTON — A month ago, a California woman — Tara Reade — alleged that apparent Democratic nominee Joe Biden assaulted her 27 years ago when she worked for Biden in his Senate office, a charge that Biden vehemently denies.
“No, it is not true. I am saying unequivocally — it never happened,” Biden said onMSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Friday morning.
It's a complicated story, colored by Biden's past history of touching women (though never before in the way Reade alleges), and Reade’s past statements and writings.
So here are the facts as we know them:
Some have corroborated Reade's allegation, others haven't
Reade has changed her story from a year ago
In 2019, she accused Biden of inappropriate touching — but not of assault. “Alexandra Tara Reade said that in 1993 she was in her mid-20s when Biden, then a senator from Delaware, touched her several times making her feel uncomfortable,”The Union reported last year. “Reade said her responsibilities in the senator’s office were reduced after she refused to serve drinks at an event — what she called a desire of Biden’s because he liked her legs. Reade said she felt pushed out and left Biden’s employ in August 1993 after some nine months. ‘He used to put his hand on my shoulder and run his finger up my neck,’ Reade said. ‘I would just kind of freeze and wait for him to stop doing that.’
In 2018, Reade wrote Medium posts praising Vladimir Putin (which are now deleted)
Before she made her assault allegation, Reade was a Bernie Sanders supporter and opponent of Joe Biden
But it wasn’t until March 15 – after Sanders’ loss in Michigan – when she tweeted about Biden’s harassment/touching, but not the alleged assault.
On March 17, she tweeted about harassment and “more”
And then on March 25, she tweeted her podcast interview with progressive Katie Halper – her first reference on Twitter to the assault allegation
In 2018, Reade wrote Medium posts praising Vladimir Putin (which are now deleted)... Before she made her assault allegation, Reade was a Bernie Sanders supporter and opponent of Joe Biden
See? Russian collusion! Didn't cha just know? /s
There were stories of female secret service agents being freaked out by Biden swimming nude in his pool.
But it went on steroids when the Clintons came to DC.
I know but they’ll never speak out.
Oh, yes. Until Chuck Todd got his focus-group-tested and dnc-approved talking points, NOBODY in their ABCNNBCBS mass media was going to touch this story with a ten-foot finger!
“Trump would want to attract Biden voters to him, not make them madder at him. I think he’ll focus on Biden’s politics, not Biden the man.”
______
I think you don’t know Trump =>
“I think you don’t know Trump =>”
Trump will focus on Biden the crook. I think he won’t focus on his physical or mental health.
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