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| Joe Biden’s Visit to ‘The View’: Recap and Analysis | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is sitting down with “The View” for his first extended interview since announcing his third run for president on Thursday. The show, hosted by an all-female panel, is an interesting choice of venue for the 76-year-old Democrat: Mr. Biden entered the race weeks after several women came forward to say his interactions with them had made them uncomfortable, and he is facing a fresh round of criticism for his treatment of Anita Hill during the 1991 confirmation hearings of Justice Clarence Thomas (and for a recent conversation with Ms. Hill that she found wanting). | Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is sitting down with “The View” for his first extended interview since announcing his third run for president on Thursday. The show, hosted by an all-female panel, is an interesting choice of venue for the 76-year-old Democrat: Mr. Biden entered the race weeks after several women came forward to say his interactions with them had made them uncomfortable, and he is facing a fresh round of criticism for his treatment of Anita Hill during the 1991 confirmation hearings of Justice Clarence Thomas (and for a recent conversation with Ms. Hill that she found wanting). |
| Responding to the hosts’ questions about Ms. Hill, Mr. Biden said, “I’m sorry she was treated the way she was treated.” And pressed to apologize for his physical interactions with women, he offered, “I’m sorry I invaded your space.” | Responding to the hosts’ questions about Ms. Hill, Mr. Biden said, “I’m sorry she was treated the way she was treated.” And pressed to apologize for his physical interactions with women, he offered, “I’m sorry I invaded your space.” |
| [Read more: Mr. Biden declined to directly apologize to Ms. Hill.] | |
| Below, we’re following his appearance, with live analysis and observations, watching closely for how he begins to make the case that he is the Democrat best positioned to take on President Trump next year. [Refresh this page for the latest.] | Below, we’re following his appearance, with live analysis and observations, watching closely for how he begins to make the case that he is the Democrat best positioned to take on President Trump next year. [Refresh this page for the latest.] |
| Sydney Ember: Biden walked on stage, then the show immediately cut to a commercial break. So not much happening yet. | Sydney Ember: Biden walked on stage, then the show immediately cut to a commercial break. So not much happening yet. |
| First question, on return: What took you so long to get into the race? He said presidential campaigns are long enough anyway. | First question, on return: What took you so long to get into the race? He said presidential campaigns are long enough anyway. |
| Matt Flegenheimer: He came out to “We Take Care of Our Own” by Bruce Springsteen — a song used often by Barack Obama back in the day. Subtle! | Matt Flegenheimer: He came out to “We Take Care of Our Own” by Bruce Springsteen — a song used often by Barack Obama back in the day. Subtle! |
| Alex Burns: Biden is immediately asked about Charlottesville, Va., reiterating the criticism of President Trump from his announcement video and saying that right now, “The rest of the world, they look at us like, ‘My God.’” | Alex Burns: Biden is immediately asked about Charlottesville, Va., reiterating the criticism of President Trump from his announcement video and saying that right now, “The rest of the world, they look at us like, ‘My God.’” |
| And he explains he asked President Obama not to endorse him because he didn’t want it to “look like he was putting his thumb on the scale here.” Biden says he was “incredibly proud to have served” beside Obama, and in a clear implied contrast with Trump, boasts that their administration had no major scandals. | And he explains he asked President Obama not to endorse him because he didn’t want it to “look like he was putting his thumb on the scale here.” Biden says he was “incredibly proud to have served” beside Obama, and in a clear implied contrast with Trump, boasts that their administration had no major scandals. |
| Matt: Joy Behar tees up a Biden special, suggesting the general election will come down to Pennsylvania. | Matt: Joy Behar tees up a Biden special, suggesting the general election will come down to Pennsylvania. |
| “I am from Scranton,” he says, before joking that Philadelphia is “a suburb of Wilmington,” his longtime home. (“I know it’s not,” he clarifies.) | “I am from Scranton,” he says, before joking that Philadelphia is “a suburb of Wilmington,” his longtime home. (“I know it’s not,” he clarifies.) |
| Biden then riffs on honoring the dignity of blue-collar work. “When’s the last time we went out and thanked the guy who saved the sewer from overflowing and getting into your basement?” he asks. | Biden then riffs on honoring the dignity of blue-collar work. “When’s the last time we went out and thanked the guy who saved the sewer from overflowing and getting into your basement?” he asks. |
| Sydney: Biden is asked what the biggest difference would be between Obama’s White House and his own. He waxes poetic a bit about how the two shared the same political philosophy and how they had lunch together once a week. | Sydney: Biden is asked what the biggest difference would be between Obama’s White House and his own. He waxes poetic a bit about how the two shared the same political philosophy and how they had lunch together once a week. |
| Then, he gets to the point, making sure to underscore that it wouldn’t just be more of the same (which some in the party are wary of): “On a philosophic basis, it’s about moving to the future,” he said. “It’s not about recreating what we did.” | Then, he gets to the point, making sure to underscore that it wouldn’t just be more of the same (which some in the party are wary of): “On a philosophic basis, it’s about moving to the future,” he said. “It’s not about recreating what we did.” |
| Alex: Biden literally laughed off a question about his age, and encouraged voters to judge him by his performance as a candidate. “See if I have the energy and the capacity,” he said. | Alex: Biden literally laughed off a question about his age, and encouraged voters to judge him by his performance as a candidate. “See if I have the energy and the capacity,” he said. |
| In perhaps the biggest news of the interview so far, he flatly ruled out pledging to serve just one term, a proposal that some of his advisers suggested as a way of taking the edge off the idea of electing a president approaching 80. But Biden gave a direct “no” on the subject, adding with a smile that it’s possible Americans would give him only one term. | In perhaps the biggest news of the interview so far, he flatly ruled out pledging to serve just one term, a proposal that some of his advisers suggested as a way of taking the edge off the idea of electing a president approaching 80. But Biden gave a direct “no” on the subject, adding with a smile that it’s possible Americans would give him only one term. |
| But he gave a fairly rambling answer to the question of how he could represent the future, listing a number of areas where he’d been active on policy — like passing the Violence Against Women Act and taking on genocide in the Balkans — and conjuring the image of a future where cancer has been cured and people will “be flying across America in less than an hour and a half.” | But he gave a fairly rambling answer to the question of how he could represent the future, listing a number of areas where he’d been active on policy — like passing the Violence Against Women Act and taking on genocide in the Balkans — and conjuring the image of a future where cancer has been cured and people will “be flying across America in less than an hour and a half.” |
| Sydney: Now comes what we’re expecting to be the tricky part of the interview: He’s addressing the allegations from several women that his interactions with them made them uncomfortable. | Sydney: Now comes what we’re expecting to be the tricky part of the interview: He’s addressing the allegations from several women that his interactions with them made them uncomfortable. |
| Matt: Biden is asked about the stories of women who said they felt uncomfortable. Is he sorry? | Matt: Biden is asked about the stories of women who said they felt uncomfortable. Is he sorry? |
| “I have to be, and everybody has to be, much more aware of the private space of men and women,” he says. “I am much more cognizant of that.” | “I have to be, and everybody has to be, much more aware of the private space of men and women,” he says. “I am much more cognizant of that.” |
| He describes the kind of real-time processing he has tried to engage in recently — including whether he should have hugged the TV hosts. “I actually thought in my head when I walked out here,” he says. “I mean, do I? We’re friends. But I have to be aware of it. I have to be more cognizant.” | He describes the kind of real-time processing he has tried to engage in recently — including whether he should have hugged the TV hosts. “I actually thought in my head when I walked out here,” he says. “I mean, do I? We’re friends. But I have to be aware of it. I have to be more cognizant.” |
| When he seems to be stopping short of an unqualified apology, Joy Behar pushes. “Nancy Pelosi wants you to say, ‘I’m sorry I invaded your space.’” | When he seems to be stopping short of an unqualified apology, Joy Behar pushes. “Nancy Pelosi wants you to say, ‘I’m sorry I invaded your space.’” |
| “I’m sorry I invaded your space,” Biden says. | “I’m sorry I invaded your space,” Biden says. |
| It is his job to “read better,” he adds, though he seems like he wants to say more. “It was inappropriate that I didn’t understand, that I assumed,” he says. “Look, I was — anyway.” He cuts himself off. | It is his job to “read better,” he adds, though he seems like he wants to say more. “It was inappropriate that I didn’t understand, that I assumed,” he says. “Look, I was — anyway.” He cuts himself off. |
| Sydney: One thing I’m struck by is that it took the hosts multiple tries before he finally said the words some people were waiting to hear: “Sorry I invaded your space.” It’s not clear whether this will satisfy those who were not happy with how he’s dealt with the allegations so far, which has included joking about them. His apology was direct, but it took him a while to get there. It seemed almost flip. | Sydney: One thing I’m struck by is that it took the hosts multiple tries before he finally said the words some people were waiting to hear: “Sorry I invaded your space.” It’s not clear whether this will satisfy those who were not happy with how he’s dealt with the allegations so far, which has included joking about them. His apology was direct, but it took him a while to get there. It seemed almost flip. |
| Alex: This is a very genial format for Biden to address a whole bunch of difficult issues for his candidacy, including his age and his physical manner with women. The questions are getting served up pretty gently and without a lot of follow-up, and sometimes the hosts are expressing sympathy with his answers, as Ana Navarro just did on the question of Biden and women’s personal space. I’m left wondering how Biden will respond to less-warm questioning on the same subjects. His answer on his ideas for the future, for instance, was totally vague. | Alex: This is a very genial format for Biden to address a whole bunch of difficult issues for his candidacy, including his age and his physical manner with women. The questions are getting served up pretty gently and without a lot of follow-up, and sometimes the hosts are expressing sympathy with his answers, as Ana Navarro just did on the question of Biden and women’s personal space. I’m left wondering how Biden will respond to less-warm questioning on the same subjects. His answer on his ideas for the future, for instance, was totally vague. |
| Matt: When asked about his treatment of Anita Hill when he was overseeing the Clarence Thomas hearings, Biden’s answer gets at the frustration among many in the party with his semi-apology to Hill: He doesn’t seem to think she should have, or could have, done anything all that differently. | Matt: When asked about his treatment of Anita Hill when he was overseeing the Clarence Thomas hearings, Biden’s answer gets at the frustration among many in the party with his semi-apology to Hill: He doesn’t seem to think she should have, or could have, done anything all that differently. |
| “I did everything in my power to do what I thought was within the rules,” he says. | “I did everything in my power to do what I thought was within the rules,” he says. |
| Sydney: Here’s the line that will get attention: “I don’t think I treated her badly.” Many might disagree. | Sydney: Here’s the line that will get attention: “I don’t think I treated her badly.” Many might disagree. |
| Biden did express regret throughout the exchange on Hill, but he didn’t own his role in the hearings in the way some have hoped he would: A lot of what he said was in the passive voice. “I’m sorry she was treated the way she was treated,” he said at one point. “There were a lot of mistakes that were made across the board and for those I apologize,” he said at another. | Biden did express regret throughout the exchange on Hill, but he didn’t own his role in the hearings in the way some have hoped he would: A lot of what he said was in the passive voice. “I’m sorry she was treated the way she was treated,” he said at one point. “There were a lot of mistakes that were made across the board and for those I apologize,” he said at another. |
| Matt: One observation, as Biden wades through some of the tougher subjects under gentle questioning: As ever, he projects a very unrehearsed vibe. That’s part of the appeal, of course, but it can be pretty dicey to improvise on something like Anita Hill. A few times, he’s stumbled down rhetorical side streets before deciding to turn back around. This last discussion ended with: “Some of you may remember — well, anyway.” And that was that. | Matt: One observation, as Biden wades through some of the tougher subjects under gentle questioning: As ever, he projects a very unrehearsed vibe. That’s part of the appeal, of course, but it can be pretty dicey to improvise on something like Anita Hill. A few times, he’s stumbled down rhetorical side streets before deciding to turn back around. This last discussion ended with: “Some of you may remember — well, anyway.” And that was that. |
| Alex: Again, the daytime-talk format here is making this easier on Biden than a normal interview. Joy Behar introduced the subject of Anita Hill by reminding people that Biden voted against Clarence Thomas’s confirmation and suggesting, “We can clean this up right now.” Behar ended the segment by proposing that Hill and Biden appear on “The View” together. And it’s striking that, even in this context, Biden still seems so unsteady addressing the criticism from Hill and others. | Alex: Again, the daytime-talk format here is making this easier on Biden than a normal interview. Joy Behar introduced the subject of Anita Hill by reminding people that Biden voted against Clarence Thomas’s confirmation and suggesting, “We can clean this up right now.” Behar ended the segment by proposing that Hill and Biden appear on “The View” together. And it’s striking that, even in this context, Biden still seems so unsteady addressing the criticism from Hill and others. |
| Sydney: This is Biden in his element: talking about grief. | Sydney: This is Biden in his element: talking about grief. |
| “How many of you have lost someone to cancer? Raise your hand,” he says, talking about his son, Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015. | |
| Many people I’ve talked to, both men and women, have told me Biden consoled them and counseled them through tough periods in their lives. | |
| Matt: From our colleague Michael Grynbaum, who’s in the studio: “Lotta actual tears in audience on that one.” He says Behar, McCain and Biden are passing around tissues at the table. | Matt: From our colleague Michael Grynbaum, who’s in the studio: “Lotta actual tears in audience on that one.” He says Behar, McCain and Biden are passing around tissues at the table. |
| Alex: It’s hard to overstate how central his family’s tragedies are to the way many Americans see Biden. I was at a campaign speech Biden gave in Rhode Island last fall and there were audible gasps from people in the audience when he talked about the death of his first wife and daughter. This is more than talk-show sentimentality — it’s part of why he is seen by voters as such a deeply sympathetic figure, and why some people are probably going to be more willing to trust his intentions and forgive his missteps than they would be for other candidates. | |
| Sydney: And it’s over. At times, Biden seemed inarticulate, rambling and stumbling over his words. There was no discussion about policy. People who like Biden will come away still liking him. People who were waiting for more might come away disappointed. | |
| Matt: What we didn’t hear much of: policy, ideology, a detailed roadmap. (Though we did get this semi-guarantee: Soon, “your kids are going to be flying across America in a matter of less than an hour and a half.”) What we did hear: an often fraught and long-winded tour of Biden’s potential vulnerabilities, despite the accommodating format and some helpful guidance from the hosts. |