Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tom Perez brushed aside Tara Reade’s allegations of sexual assault as if removing an errant hair from his designer suit jacket. Reade has come forward in what seems to be the aftermath of an all-too-brief #MeToo movement, to tell of the abuse she endured at the hands of a prominent and powerful man, former Vice President Joe Biden.
Reade’s story, credible witnesses, and a timely unearthing of an illuminating Larry King Live broadcast from 1993 was enough to have the editorial board of The New York Times demand the DNC look into the allegations by creating an “unbiased, apolitical panel,” because “the American people deserve at least the confidence that [Biden], and the Democratic Party, have made every effort to bring the truth to light.” That is simply not going to happen.
Perez took his argument to the weekend news shows. On ABC’s This Week, Perez invoked the Obama administration’s vetting processes that resulted in Biden’s selection as the running mate.
“I’ll tell you, if Barack Obama had any indication that there was an issue, Barack Obama would not have had him as his vice president. Barack Obama trusted Joe Biden. I trust Joe Biden.”
His argument is fatally flawed.
Political, Powerful, Perversions
President Bill Clinton had a sexual relationship with a young intern on his staff, and he was re-elected. Harvey Weinstein built a media empire and took advantage of his casting couch for 40 years. Jeffrey Epstein, who many suspect didn’t kill himself, spent decades appeasing the wealthy and using his vast properties for nefarious acts against women and girls – by invitation only, which rich, influential, and political people accepted. No one blinked an eye until the rallying cry was set forth by the #MeToo movement.
Of course, Obama could look the other way. Sexual inappropriateness is common in the hallowed halls in our nation’s Capitol. So much so that the Office of Compliance reported that more than $17 million had been paid between 1997 and 2017 to settle complaints lodged against lawmakers about sexual harassment and racial and hostile working conditions — or 268 defrayals. Hush money to keep staffers from squealing.
Obama selected Biden to be the old guard representative of an administration steering toward a progressive agenda. Obama needed Biden’s folksiness, his lengthy track record in public office, and his lack of appetite for a fight to take over Obama’s job. Everything else could be managed. Biden could be managed.
The bromance was short-lived. Biden had foot-and-mouth disease, infamously becoming a thorn in the presidential nominee’s side. Joe was handsy and randomly came up with the darnedest things. In one campaign stump speech in 2007, Biden offered this gem: “I mean, you got the first mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”
The country elected Obama in spite of continual embarrassing issues generated by Biden, because he did not represent a radical change in party politics. It simply did not matter if a staff assistant in Biden’s office may have reported a sexual assault in 1993. After all, there was no police report for sexual impropriety.
Different Times, Different Measures
Perez is attempting to persuade voters that Biden is squeaky clean because Obama wouldn’t have accepted anything less than a perfect running mate. Malarkey. Candidates in today’s climate shouldn’t get a pass for former transgressions. Having been fervently behind candidate Biden, The New York Times is calling for not a denouncement of charges but undeniable evidence that Reade’s accusations are without merit. And that means releasing documents from his time in the U.S. Senate held by the University of Delaware, with a stipulation: The papers could not be made public until two years after Biden left public office. Which has well since passed.
But that recently changed. An updated proviso now states the archives cannot be accessed until Biden leaves public life. But you can bet your sweet bippy the Democrats will not let Biden’s Senate records ever see the light of day. If the media continue to demand transparency, perhaps Tara Reade will have her day in court – even if it is only the court of public opinion. But as for Perez, he will continue to block any attempt to bring Biden’s possible transgressions to the forefront. After all, if Obama picked Biden and, as Perez reminded us, “trusted Biden,” he has the blessing of God himself.
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Read more from Sarah Cowgill.
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