Joe Biden says 'I take responsibility' for the way Anita Hill was treated
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Former Vice President Joe Biden has said he takes responsibility for the way Anita Hill was treated days after she expressed dissatisfaction with his apology.
Biden said during a Good Morning America interview set to air on Tuesday, "As the committee chairman, I take responsibility that [Hill] did not get treated well. I take responsibility for that." He also said that he "apologized" for this and that "I apologize again because, look, here's the deal. She just did not get treated fair across the board. The system did not work."
Biden was the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1991 when Hill testified that then Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas sexually harassed her, and he has faced criticism for his handling of the hearing. Shortly after announcing his 2020 bid, Biden's campaign said that he had offered a private apology to Hill. But Hill told The New York Times she wasn't happy with it, saying, “I cannot be satisfied by simply saying, 'I'm sorry for what happened to you.' I will be satisfied when I know that there is real change and real accountability and real purpose."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Prior to this Good Morning America interview, Biden faced questions about the Hill hearings during a Friday appearance on The View, saying that he was "sorry" she was "treated the way she was treated" but arguing he "did everything in my power" and still isn't sure how he could have stopped "inflammatory questions." Brendan Morrow
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Film reviews: ‘Send Help’ and ‘Private Life’Feature An office doormat is stranded alone with her awful boss and a frazzled therapist turns amateur murder investigator
-
Movies to watch in Februarythe week recommends Time travelers, multiverse hoppers and an Iraqi parable highlight this month’s offerings during the depths of winter
-
ICE’s facial scanning is the tip of the surveillance icebergIN THE SPOTLIGHT Federal troops are increasingly turning to high-tech tracking tools that push the boundaries of personal privacy
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
-
Democrats pledge Noem impeachment if not firedSpeed Read Trump is publicly defending the Homeland Security secretary
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
