Many Democrats who once loudly proclaimed that we must believe all women when it comes to sexual assault allegations are now changing their tune. Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a potential vice presidential pick, is one of them.
CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Whitmer on Sunday why she believes Joe Biden’s denial of the alleged assault but did not extend the same courtesy to Justice Brett Kavanaugh over allegations from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.
“Just because you’re a survivor doesn’t mean that every claim is equal,” she said.
“I have read a lot about this current allegation, I know Joe Biden, and I’ve watched his defense and there’s not a pattern that goes into this and I think for these reasons, I’m very comfortable that Joe Biden is who he says he is,” she said on “State of the Union.”
“And you know what? That’s all I’m going to say about it. I really resent the fact that every time a case comes up all of us survivors have to weigh in. It is reopening wounds and it is, take us at our word, ask us for our opinion, and let’s move on.”
I believe Dr. Ford
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) September 27, 2018
Far more women have come forward and credibly said that Biden has touched them inappropriately or made them feel uncomfortable.
— (((AG))) (@AGHamilton29) May 3, 2020
It’s obvious that they just aren’t willing to apply the same standard to anyone they like or agree with politically that they applied to BK.
A New York Times opinion piece calling on Democrats to come up with a plan B for the 2020 election explains why Reade's claims have been convincing.
Those who believe her point out that reporters were able to locate a 1993 clip of “Larry King Live” which features Ms. Reade’s mother calling in to ask an attorney who represented whistle-blowers about what her daughter’s options were, after having serious problems with a “prominent senator”; that a then-neighbor of Ms. Reade’s has confirmed she spoke with Ms. Reade about the incident in the mid-1990s; that her brother and friends remember a contemporaneous disclosure as well.
I have my own impressions regarding Ms. Reade’s allegations, but no one — save Ms. Reade and Mr. Biden — knows with certainty whether her claims are true. What I can assert with firm conviction is that Democrats ought to start considering a backup plan for 2020. (NYT)
Reade claims the assault took place in 1993 when she worked as a staffer for the then-senator. Biden denied the allegations on Friday saying it “absolutely did not happen.”