So... let's try to sum up what we know about this whole Tara Reade thing...

[DetlefK]

Biden is known to be a handsy guy who likes to grab and hug people.

Tara Reade says she was sexually assaulted in the 1990s.

In one version she says she filed an official report about it with HR, but didn't mention that it was Biden. In another version of the story she says that she filed a report but it wasn't actually an official report with HR.

The molestation-scene she describes is similar to one from a romance-novel her father wrote.

She publicly praised Biden as recently as 2017.

She described Putin as the perfect mix of strong and sensual.

Top-notch journalists like Ronan Farrow had looked into her story and then decided not to write an article about it, because there are too many holes in it.

There was an op-ed by a former prosecutor where he said that he would not prosecute this case if it were brought before him, because there are too many holes in it.

When Biden called on the government-archives to dig up that report she supposedly had filed back then, she backed out of a TV-interview at the last minute.

She was a Bernie-fan.

Tara Reade did an interview with Megyn Kelly where she ruled out doing a lie-detector-test to back up her allegations.

She got a lawyer who is a Trump-donor.

She got a second lawyer who used to be an editor for russian state-propaganda outlet Sputnik News.

[Walleye]

1. You know they will do this to any candidate we have who looks like a winner.

If we let this smear succeed, get ready for the next one. Why isn’t there more reporting on what a Putin-lover she is?

[DownriverDem]

27. Please be sure to mention

E Jean Carroll v Donald J Trump https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/30/nyregion/e-jean-carroll-trump-dna.html

[Walleye]

43. Yes, please, a little good old American fair play

[beachbumbob]

2. this is an "issue" that has ZERO impact on all of us that want trump and GOP GONE and for good

[Takket]

3. Also...

The Senate archives refused to release records at Biden’s request over “privacy concerns” for any potential complaint filer. To my knowledge Reade has not yet informed the Senate that they have her permission to release the documents.

[CincyDem]

4. Request denied by the Secretary of the Senate...formerly McTurtle's Dir of Member Affairs '09-'15.

I doubt Reade's permission is required here. More likely, McConnell knows exactly what's in those documents and has decided it's more politically valuable to keep the sealed.

IMHO.

[Amishman]

8. plus I really doubt the Republicans want a precedent set for releasing these records

Gotta keep the skeletons in the closet!

[lagomorph777]

75. GOP "members" have so many affairs, they need a director of affairs?

Sheesh.

[sunonmars]

6. I think we have a bot in our midst......

[redstatebluegirl]

13. More than a few lately but yes .

[DetlefK]

11. Daily Mail? Seriously?

[Raster]

12. you mean the husband that beat her... the one she actually filed charges against?

That husband?

[kcr]

16. "though it does not mention her current allegations against the presumptive presidential nominee"

Try again.

[Hav]

18. Aww, you try so hard.

Bernie will never ever be President. Never. The voters have rejected him twice. Stop with the smears and accept reality.
There is nothing at all that supports her rape charges. Do you know why? Because she made it up in 2020 to help Bernie.

[madeup64]

56. Or for money?

Perhaps her Bernie supporter is part of the charade.
Or it Bernie's stance on Iraq, Bankruptcy bill and overall progressive voting record compared to Biden's? It can be hard to get over a good progressive losing...
Directing your ire back on Bernie is as unhelpful as my comment above about the voting record.
1. Focus on the facts - her story has been exceedingly inconsistent over the last 2 years
2. We can defend Biden and still be respectable people.
3. Trump is the enemy and who our anger is best directed at.
I think Stacey Abrams statement actually was a very Fair but unequivocal defense of Biden. That is how we should aspire to respond because we're not racist, hateful, ignorant selfish greedy human beings.

[calimary]

71. Welcome to DU, made-up64.

I keep wondering what the answer is to:

Why didn't Reade come forward during ANY of the other times Joe Biden was on the ballot somewhere. His numerous Senate campaigns. His handful of unsuccessful runs for President. His TWO rounds of campaigns as President Obama's VP.

Where was she then? Did she just wake up one morning and decide that NOW was the time to try to weaken trump's likely challenger in November, all of a sudden?

I'm sorry. This SMELLS. Something smells REALLY BAD here. Certainly doesn't spell fresh and new. It reeks - like old garbage left out during a heatwave.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. They're hoping for a "me-too" / Franken outcome.

Don't look at the source of the accusation, just focus on the purge.

I hope this one fails. We don't need a Franken re-do.

[RVN VET71]

21. Kirsten Gillibrand just doesn't have the clout anymore, does she?

I wonder how she's been approached for an opinion on the spurious charges. I'd bet she's instructed her staff not to respond to any requests for an interview.

[madaboutharry]

26. Gillibrand issued a statement.

She said she believes Joe Biden and supports Biden for president.

[RVN VET71]

35. Wow, just wow.

[CousinIT]

9. More...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213367525

And she's now using a big Trump supporter/friend as a lawyer. Gee. I wonder why?

[JHB]

10. All of the above

Link to tweet

Frances Langum
Yarn
@bluegal
THIS is why the law firms to which Reade was referred by #MeToo
... did. not. take. her. case.

Feminist, activist, committed lawyers who *want justice for their clients* listened to her, and said, "Pass."

It happens. You depose someone and there are too many red flags.

[wryter2000]

30. If I weren't already convinced

That would do it

[niyad]

42. If I remember correctly, the former prosecutor who wrote recently said that when she spoke to

the lawyers to whom MeToo referred her, she was interested in getting a publicist, not an attorney.

[Aviation91]

17. Come On Now!

I absolutely don't understand why some people are still giving this allegation oxygen! Her story continues to change every hour on the hour! She may have told some folks but just because she said it, doesn't make it true! It's truly sad but I really believe she was fixated on Joe Biden and I believe she may have taken his touching her shoulder/neck to mean he was interested in her. Joe Biden was grilled on MSNBC about her allegation. He denied it and I firmly believe him. People keep saying he needs to do more. What should he do? How do you defend yourself against something that you know NEVER happened? Everybody keeps "soft-shoeing" around her story because they are afraid to really question her like Joe was questioned. This is a person that obviously for anyone to see, has serious issues! It's sad too that she keeps leading people down these rabbit holes!! She is really hurting the #Metoo Movement because it makes people start to suspect legitimate victims out there! I don't know, maybe she's after money, I can't say. I believe she just wants attention! No sexual assault victim I have ever known or who has been sexually harassed would EVER "praise" the person that did it!

[PatSeg]

28. Very well said

Welcome to DU!

"I really believe she was fixated on Joe Biden and I believe she may have taken his touching her shoulder/neck to mean he was interested in her." Very interesting perspective. I could easily see a young, impressionable woman feeling that way. I've known unstable people who have misinterpreted attention from a figure of authority. In one case, it was about a college professor and ended up with a restraining order.

[Aviation91]

52. Thank You!

It really was the praising of Joe Biden that just doesn't seem like a person that has been assaulted or sexually harassed. The way she has acted and things she has put out on Twitter made me come to the conclusion that she was fixated on Joe Biden and he probably never gave her the attention she expected or wanted. Then too, some of the people he had during his years as Senator may have gone on to the Obama Administration with him and she wasn't one of them. I think it's simply revenge!

[PatSeg]

53. I think you nailed it

Plus I think some political operatives may have stepped in and took advantage of her apparent vulnerability. Meanwhile, she appears much to unstable to carry off such a ruse.

[karynnj]

74. She started in late 1992 and left in August 1993.

The most believable reason was she was told to leave because she did not fit.

[calimary]

72. Welcome to DU, Aviation91.

Excellent points.

Wonder who's paying her (not that I don't have my suspicions...)

[LymphocyteLover]

19. saying that her goal for Biden is to drop out, kind of gave the game away

it's sickening to me, considering the stakes of this election.

[Chakaconcarne]

20. about what I expected...nothingberder.

and what's shitty is this is going to affect other legitimate cases..

f'ing bastards

[videohead5]

22. Not only did she change her story

But her brother also did after saying he remembered her saying Biden touched her shoulder and neck then a few days later said Biden touched her under her skirt. Her friend did the same thing accept it took a year then she claims she remembered Reade telling her about Biden touching her under her skirt.

[Gothmog]

23. Putin is pushing this story

Link to tweet

[blitzen]

24. Why? It's old, discredited news, and Trump is a serial rapist. Let's get the media to...

repeat the latter at least as many times as they repeat the Reade claim. Actually, 25 or so more times, with a multiplier, to reflect the gravity of Trump's depravity.

[yardwork]

25. Putin does not want Biden back in the White House.

The Obama administration was tracking Putin closely. The last thing Putin wants is Biden back in the White House.

The goal is to create enough uncertainty about the Democratic candidate to depress turnout.

[Walleye]

45. This

[R B Garr]

29. Thanks for this. She also said she wants Biden to

drop out of the presidential race. Sanders lost bigly to Biden, but her grandiosity thinks she can override millions of voters.

[ehrnst]

34. Bingo. (nt)

[hurple]

31. Don't forget...

Last edited Fri May 8, 2020, 11:02 AM - Edit history (1)

There is an accuser of Dr Fauci who has gone on record proclaiming that trump's people paid her to make a false accusation.

Do not think that is not connected. It is.

[roscoeroscoe]

36. Fauci, Dr. Fauci right?

eom

[hurple]

40. Oops...

It's this dang tiny keyboard on my phone.

Misspelling corrected. 😁

[Laura PourMeADrink]

38. Yes, and why isn't this biggest story of day?

[rzemanfl]

32. The only thing she left out of her made up story was:

"Afterwards, he went to the cafeteria and got some buttered toast."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loving_(novel)

[Ohioboy]

33. I can't help but think this is a scam to divide the Democrats

Trump has so many sexual allegations against him that get ignored, but Democrats hold each other to a higher set of values. The republicans and their ilk know this. They are hoping the Democrats will eat their own, as was done with Al Franken. That's my opinion.

[LenaBaby61]

39. "I can't help but think this is a scam to divide the Democrats."

You know the FAR left is still all over this story like white on rice, and in other quarters ...

Lisa Bloom:

“I believe you, Tara Reade. You have people who remember you told them about this decades ago. We know he is ‘handsy.’ You’re not asking for $. You’ve obviously struggled mightily with this. I still have to fight Trump, so I will still support Joe. But I believe you. And I’m sorry.”

Didn't Bloom represent Harvey Weinstien at one point?

Lord have all of the mercies, some of these hypocrites

[Laura PourMeADrink]

37. Not to quibble but she said she would take lie detector test if he did. Why does this have to be a

100% true allegation or 100% false allegation. Why can't it be something different? Something not criminal but something infinitely more common and not illegal? i.e. they did engage in sexual activity of some sort, she became obsessed with him, he rebuked her? PR says don't admit you had anything to do with her at all or it adds credence to allegation.

[Walleye]

46. I don't believe it. Unless putting a friendly arm around someone is sexual activity

[Laura PourMeADrink]

51. Well if they paid someone to lie about Fauci...if they

Tried to bribe Ukraine,. Anything is possible. Hard to talk about it here since we are supposed to automatically denounce her and anyone who brings it up. Just saying, grey is much more common than black or white.

[madeup64]

57. Thank you

This is how we liberals should be. Personally I feel the Bernie angle certainly helps to stir the divide.

Would love a statement like this from Biden's camp:
"Joe Biden has answered these questions and agreed to records releases to help clear his good name. Nobody wins in this situation if people threaten, abuse or in any way urge harm to Ms. Reade. Sexual assault is a heinous and serious offense and our country did not treat it with the seriousness it needed for far too long. That's why Senator Biden stopped up and admitted that at times in the past he violated women's personal space and made them feel uncomfortable without realizing how it made them feel. No one in our country will ever be able to say they made every right decision in their life but the good ones are the ones that stand up and admit when they are wrong and also show some class when defending themselves against false claims. That is how a president should act, buy leading with accepting responsibility acknowledging that in situations like these even if Vice President Biden never intended to purposely make anyone feel like this what matters is how did it make them feel and how can he help make it better. And Vice President Biden looks forward to this debate with President Trump where in perhaps he can learn something from Vice President Biden in how a president acts and accepts responsibility and continues to try to be better. We certainly look forward to President Trump responding to the 20 alleged sexual assault incidents that have been levied against him especially considering his complete willingness to brag about sexually assaulting women and how much women love it. President Biden would prefer to brag about an exponential increase in Covid 19 testing."

[Demsrule86]

41. She passed a bad check while working for Biden...and likely was fired or did not get a permanent job

for that reason. She has also stolen and lied...and claimed harassment by multiple people...in short she is a grifter who loves Sanders and Putin. None of this is Sen. Sanders fault...let me make that clear. This is a BS attack by the right and some Sander's deadenders on twitter.

[madeup64]

59. Thank you

As a Sanders supporter here is what matters to me; if I want any legislation that Sanders supports to happen how the fuck does voting for anyone not named Biden accomplish that?

[Lock him up.]

63. And Sanders understands that by fully endorsing Biden.

Bernie Sanders endorses Joe Biden for president - CNNPolitics

Apr 14, 2020 - Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for president, pledging to help him defeat... https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/13/politics/bernie-sanders-endorses-joe-biden/index.html

About the OP:
The same week Tara stopped working for Biden's office she was charged with passing bad checks
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213406934

[jalan48]

44. This is how Republican's undermine our candidates. Next we will see anti-Biden ads showing him

touching women and children at past political events. His actions will take on a new meaning in the public's mind due to what is being set up now. I think our only way to fight it is to run similar ads about Trump and his past sexual indiscretions.

[DENVERPOPS]

65. Agreed

Look at the Swift Boaters and the incredible damage they did to an honored war hero.........with their 100% lies......

[Yavin4]

47. Shows Republican panic

They only way to stop Biden is to drive up his negatives. Hillary had high negatives because the Republicans had 25 years of creating false narratives from the murder of Vince Foster to her emails. Not so with Biden.

[Politicub]

48. She embellishes her story daily. That tells me that

she is attention-seeking and is intoxicated by the attention. She reminds me of a certain orange-hued man in that regard.

[ScratchCat]

49. Has anyone "Connected the dots"?

Dollars to donuts, this is all Rudy could drudge up on Biden and at some point.... someone will spill their guts and this will be directly linked back to Trump.

[madeup64]

55. Read the Vox article below

Very informative about the facts of the allegations and the story shifting.

[samplegirl]

50. I don't really care

Democrats need to sweep this under the rug. Just another vicious ploy.

[madeup64]

54. Very good article on Vox

I'll admit that with the other handsy allegations I had a hard time believing Biden. I felt like the left were being hypocrites. This article is a pretty fair and balanced way of reporting on the Reede situation from a female reporter who does a very good job of saying here's what I found and here's what the problems are with her story and why many media outlets. It seems maybe at one time there may have been an inappropriate comment or maybe a shoulder rub or something. But as someone who was not a big Biden supporter it seems pretty apparent that sexual assault allegations are not true. And the right-wing fuckary really stinks to high heaven.

But let's not be right wing monsters and say awful comments about her physical appearance. That's not what we liberals do. We're better than that. It seems pretty apparent she has had some shitty relationships and no woman deserves to be treated like it sounds like she has been treated by some men in her life. We certainly have the right to call a spade a spade and defend Biden from these allegations but we don't have to stoop to that level. And keep in mind do you think Trump really wants to make a big deal about this allegation?

And any right-winger that you come across be it on social media, family or friends that want to say anything about that my retort will be "I'm sorry aren't you supporting pr*sident pussy grabber" I really wish that Biden's surrogates good respond like that to be honest.

https://www.vox.com/2020/5/7/21248713/tara-reade-joe-biden-sexual-assault-accusation

[Caliman73]

77. Agreed on all points.

As far as Trump wanting to make a bid deal about the allegation, my answer would be YES. He does, and he does because this is a strategy he has used in the past. He attacked Hillary Clinton's integrity despite him being a known liar his entire life. He went after the Clinton Foundation despite his own Foundation being a front for personal enrichment. He went after some obscure Russian uranium sale which with Clinton was not even involved, while he has extensive history of dealing with Russia.

Trump has no shame. He would go after Biden for this allegation even though he has had more than 20 accusers and is currently in court with 2 women for sexual assault.

[madeup64]

58. Dems need to have a unified voice to respond

Deny but be a good human being about and focus it right back on Trump and his shortcomings. "We prefer a President who, like President Obama stressed, was a President to everyone, not just to Stephen Miller and the Charlottesville tiki torch brigade."

I've got to imagine the Obama Administration looks pretty fucking amazing compared to the trump admin right now by a lot of people who wouldn't have thought that way 6 months ago. We need to remind voters of that.

Focusing on how Biden isn't a soulless monster like Trump and actually has the ability to show empathy and concern for everyday citizens should be a constant refrain from the campaign from here till November. I don't think that many of the independent voters will have a hard time seeing that contrast.

Stop focusing on the fuckery we can't stop and letting it divide it. No holds barred time, Trump is a failure that failed America. Trump is a traitor who parrots Putin on attacking our eletions. Trump is going to take away what's left of Obamacare while 30 million are out of work he lied about his plan. Trump is a liar who isn't worth a fraction of what he says and is why he fights release of his tax returns. (Be funny to throw in a quip that Bernie probably is worth more) Trump charged our gov't millions for secret service hotel rooms. Trump doesn't care about your mom/dad grandma/grandpa dying.

[OKNancy]

60. Even Michael Tracey thinks she full of bull*

There is so much more too. Her various frauds and grifting, and the latest is the charge of a bad check days before she left Biden's staff.

[OKNancy]

61. New lie

Link to tweet

[live love laugh]

62. Where's the summary of Trump's assault allegations?

[Lock him up.]

64. She allegedly committed a criminal act the same week she got out of the Senate

The same week Tara stopped working for Biden's office she was charged with passing bad checks

>> https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213406934

[True Blue American]

66. Vox Reporter

On case from the beginning.

https://www.vox.com/2020/5/7/21248713/tara-reade-joe-biden-sexual-assault-accusation

[manicdem]

67. Thanks for the writeup

Gives me some points to make against my rightwinger neighbor who keeps trying to relate it to Blasey Ford even though they're totally different cases.

[George II]

68. She first claimed she quit in August '93 then said she was fired (or was it the other way around?)..

The documented fact is that on Monday, Aug 2 she was charged with check kiting in San Luis Obispo, five days before she quit/was fired.

If she was fired that would have clearly been justified, she worked in a financial position in the Biden office at the time. If she quit, they may have given her that option.

Here are two documents from Twitter:

[blakstoneranger]

69. No Let's Not---LETS IGNORE HER PERIOD!!

Why, because until the media and all the #metoo movement people get to the bottom of why the president of the most powerful country in the world is accused by 23 women of sexual harrassment and has NOT BEEN HELD ACCOUNTALBE, I really don't care what read has to say or what any republicans who are behind this has to say.

The republicans have no limits to what trump can do. There is literally no standards, no expectations, no values that trump has to abide by. Now all of a sudden here comes some women (once again) with a complaint against biden and now we have to apply all these high moral standards to biden. Suddenly biden has a bar that has been set that he cannot cross (trump doesn't have one).

THIS STORY IS A HYPED UP CON GAME FORMULATED BY THE TRUMP CAMPAINGN, RUSSIANS, AND ANGRY BERNIE SANDERS SUPPORTERS. AND IF WE DON'T LET IT GO, WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO 4 MORE YEARS OF TRUMP. THE WOMAN IS FULL OF SHIT!!

[Harry Walpurgisnacht]

70. See Reply #69's Title Above

The less said about this Teller of Varying Tales, the better!

[ehrnst]

73. Her complete about faces on her story discredit her more than anything. (nt)

[oldsoftie]

76. As for a lie detector, usually a "victim" isnt given one.

And they're not admissible in court for a reason; they're NOT reliable. I wouldnt take one either.

[totodeinhere]

78. There is one small factual error in your comment. She said she would take a lie detector test if

Joe Biden takes one. Of course this is more a matter of semantics since I'm pretty sure that Joe will not aggree to take a lie detector test. And I think he would be right to refuse.

[Thekaspervote]

79. Could we PLEASE stop posting about this fanatical women.. each time posted it gives it legs

PLEASE STOP!!!