Hillary Clinton is standing up for Joe Biden after a controversy over his “touchy-feely” interactions with woman, and the former Democratic nominee says Biden’s critics need to “get over it.”
Clinton spoke out this week about the frontrunner to succeed her as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, pushing back against what she saw as an attempt to cut down the candidate who seems to have a good chance at defeating Donald Trump in 2020. Clinton said that too many people relish in the chance to tear down a person, comparing it to a sport.
Hillary Clinton added that the accusations against Biden pale in comparison to the dangers posed by Trump.
“We can pick apart anybody. I mean, that’s a great spectator sport. But this man who’s there in the Oval Office right now poses a clear and present danger to the future of the United States. So get over it,” Clinton in an interview with People . “Look at the candidates, look at what they’ve accomplished, look at what they have fought for — and vote for anybody to get rid of Donald Trump.”
Several woman had come forward earlier this year to say that Joe Biden gave unwanted touches and kisses on the head, which they found uncomfortable. The behavior led many to describe Biden as “too touchy,” and the former vice president has apologized for the incidents. But he then stoked more controversy when he made jokes about his behavior shortly afterward.
Clinton defended Biden’s character, saying in the interview that he is a “thoroughly decent human being who has served our country honorably and well for decades.”
Despite losing some of his standing in polls in recent weeks, Joe Biden remains the frontrunner to win the Democratic nomination in 2020, and has performed well against Trump in hypothetically head-to-head polling. He has emphasized a message of defeating Trump, saying he is the best-equipped candidate to thwart Trump’s re-election bid.
As he rose to the top of polling for 2020, Joe Biden has become a target for many on the right. Many seized on the accusations that he fails to respect the personal space of others, though Biden appeared to weather the controversy when it arose in the spring and remained the frontrunner in polling .
Donald Trump has continued to take aim at Joe Biden, who is now at the center of the Ukraine controversy. Trump faces an impeachment inquiry for allegations that he pressured Ukraine into investigating the business dealings of Biden’s son, Hunter.
