For days now, former Vice President Joe Biden has been buried underneath accusations of inappropriate physical contact with at least two women and a pile of highly questionable photos of him touching women who appeared uncomfortable. But have no fear, Democrats were sprinting to help their colleague and the CBS Evening News was willing to give them a platform.
With anchor Jeff Glor announcing that CBS congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes “spoke with congressional Democrats,” the Tuesday report began with Delaware Senator Chris Coons defending Biden from a photo where the former VP was caught grabbing and getting really close to Coon’s young daughter:
COONS: It is a big part of who he is that he hugs people and connects with people and talks to people.
NANCY CORDES: Delaware Senator Chris Coons came to his mentor's defense today. Coons insisted his daughter was not disturbed by this televised nuzzle from former Vice President Joe Biden in 2015.
COONS: There was a huge bank of cameras, about 50, and Joe, who knows her, leaned forward and whispered some encouragement, telling her she was doing great, that she looked wonderful.
“Did his actions make her feel uncomfortable,” Cordes asked, to which Coons responded: “No, my children have known Joe Biden their whole lives.” CBS never addressed the visibly uncomfortable look on the girl’s face or how she pulled away when Biden went for a kiss on the cheek.
Cordes seemed to lament how, “with a presidential bid on the line, Mr. Biden's intimate style is now taking a toll.” She only offered a few fleeting seconds for the accusations against him. “The controversy cropped up after two Democrats, former Nevada State Assemblywoman Lucy Flores and former congressional staffer Amy Lappos, described unusual encounters with Mr. Biden,” she said.
The “unusual encounters” included claims Biden sniffed and kissed Flores’s hair and rubbed noses with Lappos.
Cordes made sure to note how “Mr. Biden’s team pushed back, issuing quotes from female friends, aides, and colleagues who said he never once crossed the line. Mr. Biden himself said it was never his intention to make anyone uncomfortable.” CBS rarely acknowledged the women who stepped forward to defend Justice Brett Kavanaugh against the lies and smears.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi waded into the Biden conversation on Tuesday when she declared that his creepy actions didn’t disqualify him from running for president. But Cordes downplayed that part to focus on Pelosi urging Biden to join her so-called “‘straight-arm club,’ keeping at least this much distance between himself and colleagues and supporters so that there are no awkward moments in the first place.”
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CBS Evening News
April 2, 2019
6:38:26 p.m. Eastern [2 minutes 16 seconds]JEFF GLOR: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today advised former Vice President Joe Biden to keep his distance after two women accused him of touching them inappropriately. Nancy Cordes spoke with congressional Democrats.
[Cuts to video]
SEN. CHRIS COONS: It is a big part of who he is that he hugs people and connects with people and talks to people.
NANCY CORDES: Delaware Senator Chris Coons came to his mentor's defense today. Coons insisted his daughter was not disturbed by this televised nuzzle from former Vice President Joe Biden in 2015.
COONS: There was a huge bank of cameras, about 50, and Joe, who knows her, leaned forward and whispered some encouragement, telling her she was doing great, that she looked wonderful.
CORDES: Did his actions make her feel uncomfortable?
COONS: No, my children have known Joe Biden their whole lives.
CORDES: But with a presidential bid on the line, Mr. Biden's intimate style is now taking a toll.
SEN. JOHN KENNEDY: Do I consider it inappropriate to smell someone's hair, to get so close that I smell their hair? Yes!
CORDES: The controversy cropped up after two Democrats, former Nevada State Assemblywoman Lucy Flores and former Congressional staffer Amy Lappos, described unusual encounters with Mr. Biden.
AMY LAPPOS: He was talking to me while he was rubbing my nose with his.
CORDES: Other Democratic presidential hopefuls steered clear today. As Mr. Biden’s team pushed back, issuing quotes from female friends, aides, and colleagues who said he never once crossed the line. Mr. Biden himself said it was never his intention to make anyone uncomfortable. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took her long-time ally to task today, urging him to say more.
NANCY PELOSI: To say, I'm sorry that you were offended is not an apology.
[Cuts to video]
CORDES: Pelosi added that none of this disqualifies Mr. Biden from a White House bid, but she did suggest that he join her in what she called “the straight-arm club”, keeping at least this much distance between himself and colleagues and supporters so that there are no awkward moments in the first place, Jeff.
GLOR: Okay. Nancy Cordes, thank you very much.
