Pelosi says she's 'satisfied' with Biden's response to assault allegation even though he hasn't personally addressed it
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 not personally responded to a former staffer's allegations of sexual assault, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is still "satisfied with how he has responded."
Pelosi spoke to CNN on Thursday about former Biden staffer Tara Reade's allegation that he sexually assaulted her in the 1990s. Biden hasn't responded to the allegations himself, though the campaign denies them.
Asked if Biden should publicly and personally address the allegation, Pelosi said, "I do support Joe Biden. I'm satisfied with how he has responded. I know him. I was proud to endorse him." CNN's Alisyn Camerota noted, though, "To be clear, he hasn't addressed it. His campaign has addressed it, but he has not directly addressed it."
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.
Camerota then asked again, "Should he, directly, publicly, address it?" Pelosi dodged the question, saying "it's a matter that he has to deal with."
Biden has been facing calls to address Reade's allegation himself in recent days, with The Washington Post's editorial board recently writing that "the way to signal he takes Ms. Reade's case seriously, and the cases of women like her seriously, is to go before the media and the public ready to listen and to reply."
Biden's campaign has also been sending out talking points on how to address the Reade allegations, BuzzFeed News reported, which included a claim that The New York Times found that "this incident did not happen." The Times has clarified that this is not the case, with a spokesperson saying, "Our investigation made no conclusion either way." 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.
-
The EU’s war on fast fashionIn the Spotlight Bloc launches investigation into Shein over sale of weapons and ‘childlike’ sex dolls, alongside efforts to tax e-commerce giants and combat textile waste
-
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast: a ‘highly entertaining ride’The Week Recommends Mystery-comedy from the creator of Derry Girls should be ‘your new binge-watch’
-
The 8 best TV shows of the 1960sThe standout shows of this decade take viewers from outer space to the Wild West
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
-
El Paso airspace closure tied to FAA-Pentagon standoffSpeed Read The closure in the Texas border city stemmed from disagreements between the Federal Aviation Administration and Pentagon officials over drone-related tests
-
Judge blocks Trump suit for Michigan voter rollsSpeed Read A Trump-appointed federal judge rejected the administration’s demand for voters’ personal data
