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| Joe Biden, in Video, Says He Will Be ‘More Mindful’ of Personal Space | Joe Biden, in Video, Says He Will Be ‘More Mindful’ of Personal Space |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., trying to stem the escalating crisis over complaints from some women that his close physical contact made them uncomfortable, appeared in a new video on Wednesday vowing to “be more mindful and respectful of people’s personal space.” | Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., trying to stem the escalating crisis over complaints from some women that his close physical contact made them uncomfortable, appeared in a new video on Wednesday vowing to “be more mindful and respectful of people’s personal space.” |
| “In my career, I’ve always tried to make a human connection — that’s my responsibility I think,” Mr. Biden said in a two-minute video posted to his Twitter feed. “I shake hands, I hug people, I grab men and women by the shoulders and say, ‘You can do this.’” | “In my career, I’ve always tried to make a human connection — that’s my responsibility I think,” Mr. Biden said in a two-minute video posted to his Twitter feed. “I shake hands, I hug people, I grab men and women by the shoulders and say, ‘You can do this.’” |
| But he added: “Social norms have begun to change, they’ve shifted, and the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset and I get it. I get it. I hear what they’re saying.” | But he added: “Social norms have begun to change, they’ve shifted, and the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset and I get it. I get it. I hear what they’re saying.” |
| The video was his campaign’s fourth attempt to quell a rising tide of allegations from women who said they felt uncomfortable with the way Mr. Biden — who has been known throughout his political career for his tactile style of politics — had interacted with them in the past. | The video was his campaign’s fourth attempt to quell a rising tide of allegations from women who said they felt uncomfortable with the way Mr. Biden — who has been known throughout his political career for his tactile style of politics — had interacted with them in the past. |
| And it was a sign that Mr. Biden’s advisers were aware they had to do more than they have in the five days since a former Nevada assemblywoman, Lucy Flores, published an essay in which she described Mr. Biden touching her inappropriately and kissing her on the head in 2014, when he was vice president. On Tuesday, two more women told The New York Times that the former vice president’s touches made them uncomfortable. Mr. Biden’s aides said that after listening to the women who have criticized him, as well as many other female friends, family members and advisers, he indicated he wanted to address the matter directly. They said the former vice president paid particular attention to the comments of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a longtime friend of his who’s similarly rooted in an earlier political era, when she said Tuesday that “people’s space is important to them, and what’s important is how they receive it and not necessarily how you intended it.” | And it was a sign that Mr. Biden’s advisers were aware they had to do more than they have in the five days since a former Nevada assemblywoman, Lucy Flores, published an essay in which she described Mr. Biden touching her inappropriately and kissing her on the head in 2014, when he was vice president. On Tuesday, two more women told The New York Times that the former vice president’s touches made them uncomfortable. Mr. Biden’s aides said that after listening to the women who have criticized him, as well as many other female friends, family members and advisers, he indicated he wanted to address the matter directly. They said the former vice president paid particular attention to the comments of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a longtime friend of his who’s similarly rooted in an earlier political era, when she said Tuesday that “people’s space is important to them, and what’s important is how they receive it and not necessarily how you intended it.” |
| With his legs crossed, wearing a blue suit jacket over a white shirt with no tie, Mr. Biden stared directly into the camera as he issued his statement, which notably lacked a direct apology to any women whom he might have made uncomfortable. The hastily-made video, which appeared to be filmed on a phone, was recorded at Mr. Biden’s Northern Virginia home. | With his legs crossed, wearing a blue suit jacket over a white shirt with no tie, Mr. Biden stared directly into the camera as he issued his statement, which notably lacked a direct apology to any women whom he might have made uncomfortable. The hastily-made video, which appeared to be filmed on a phone, was recorded at Mr. Biden’s Northern Virginia home. |
| Mr. Biden’s campaign-in-waiting has not ruled out the possibility of a TV interview, but advisers indicated that he was more likely to address reporters when he delivers a speech to a union conference Friday in Washington. The aides spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. | Mr. Biden’s campaign-in-waiting has not ruled out the possibility of a TV interview, but advisers indicated that he was more likely to address reporters when he delivers a speech to a union conference Friday in Washington. The aides spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. |
| Mr. Biden is widely expected to join the Democratic presidential race this month. Though he has not yet announced he intended to run, he began his video in a manner that suggested his entry in the race is just a matter of time: “Folks,” he said, “in the coming month I expect to be talking to you about a whole lot of issues, and I’ll always be direct with you.” | Mr. Biden is widely expected to join the Democratic presidential race this month. Though he has not yet announced he intended to run, he began his video in a manner that suggested his entry in the race is just a matter of time: “Folks,” he said, “in the coming month I expect to be talking to you about a whole lot of issues, and I’ll always be direct with you.” |
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| The former vice president had already issued three prepared statements in the aftermath of Ms. Flores’s claims, but with more women emerging to relate their own experiences with him, both positive and negative, Mr. Biden and his small circle of advisers acknowledged that he had to make his voice heard. | |
| By having Mr. Biden issue a videotaped statement, his aides could get his message out directly and try to convey it in more personal terms, without him sit for a televised interview, where there would be the risk of misspeaking. | By having Mr. Biden issue a videotaped statement, his aides could get his message out directly and try to convey it in more personal terms, without him sit for a televised interview, where there would be the risk of misspeaking. |
| The former vice president is virtually certain to speak more about his behavior with women before he announces his candidacy because his staff does not want the first days of his campaign to be consumed with questions about the matter. It is unclear, however, whether he can defuse the issue if more women come forward to express their unease about previous encounters with him. | The former vice president is virtually certain to speak more about his behavior with women before he announces his candidacy because his staff does not want the first days of his campaign to be consumed with questions about the matter. It is unclear, however, whether he can defuse the issue if more women come forward to express their unease about previous encounters with him. |
| In the video Mr. Biden said he had “never thought of politics as cold and antiseptic.” | In the video Mr. Biden said he had “never thought of politics as cold and antiseptic.” |
| “I’ll always believe governing, quite frankly life for that matter, is about connecting with people. That won’t change. But I will be more mindful and respectful of people’s personal space,” he said. | “I’ll always believe governing, quite frankly life for that matter, is about connecting with people. That won’t change. But I will be more mindful and respectful of people’s personal space,” he said. |
| “The idea that I can’t adjust to the fact that personal space is important — more important than it’s ever been — is just not thinkable.” | “The idea that I can’t adjust to the fact that personal space is important — more important than it’s ever been — is just not thinkable.” |