On Monday's installment of MTP Daily host Katy Tur finally discovered Tara Reade's allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault against her former boss and presumptive Democratic nominee for president Joe Biden. Unfortunately for viewers who may have been previously unaware of the allegations due to the media going radio silent on the issue, Tur waited until just moments before President Trump's daily COVID-19 press conference to talk about the allegations, meaning viewers were not able to get the complete story.
Despite having the entire 5:00 hour and other MSNBC hosts having all day, Tur waited towards the end of the show to ask NBC reporter Ali Vitali, "We did just get a two-minute warning from the White House and people are starting to file in. So, if I have to interrupt, I do apologize. What do we know about this allegation?"
Vitali reported how Tara Reade was one of multiple women to come forward last year, "saying that they were touched inappropriately and felt uncomfortable by Joe Biden" and that now the allegations have expanded, "to say that she was sexually assaulted by Biden in a corridor of the capitol complex in the spring of 1993 when she brought him a gym bag. Now, I've spoken with Reade multiple times since she made those allegations. And Mike Memoli and I, who also reported this story with me, have also spoken with five people who really --"
It was at that point that Tur interrupted, "I'm so sorry. I do have to interrupt you. We're seeing -- we're seeing -- Ali Vitali, I'm sorry, I have to interrupt. The president of the United States has taken the podium. It is now one month since he declared a national emergency. Let's listen."
At least MSNBC could say they were victims of their own incompetence, unlike the New York Times, whose editor Dean Baquet admitted that an article on the subject was edited at the behest of the Biden campaign and argued that the media blackout of the controversy was because people, such as the media, weren't talking about it nearly as much as the allegations surrounding Brett Kavanaugh.
Here is a transcript for the April 13 show:
MSNBC
MTP Daily
5:48 PM ET
KATY TUR: And all of that is happening as we are also starting to get our first look at the results from last week's chaotic Wisconsin primary, where voters went to the polls in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. NBC's Ali Vitali has been reporting on the allegation against Biden. She joins me now along with NBC's Shaq Brewster, who has been following both the Sanders campaign and the election results in Wisconsin.
Ali, I do want to start with you. We did just get a two-minute warning from the White House and people are starting to file in. So, if I have to interrupt, I do apologize. What do we know about this allegation?
ALI VITALI, NBC NEWS NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: Katy, Tara Reade, as you mentioned, worked as a staff assistant in Joe Biden's office from late 1992 until mid-1993. Over that time, she says she was sexually harassed and now that story has expanded to include an instance of sexual assault.
This story happened in two parts. Reade first came forward in April of 2019 as the same time as other women like Lucy Flores were coming forward, saying that they were touched inappropriately and felt uncomfortable by Joe Biden. At the time, you'll remember he said he was going to be a little bit more cognizant of people's personal space.
But then in March, Tara Reade expanded her story to say that she was sexually assaulted by Biden in a corridor of the capitol complex in the spring of 1993 when she brought him a gym bag. Now, I've spoken with Reade multiple times since she made those allegations. And Mike Memoli and I, who also reported this story with me, have also spoken with five people who really --
TUR: Ali Vitali, I'm so sorry. I do have to interrupt you. We're seeing -- we're seeing -- Ali Vitali, I'm sorry, I have to interrupt. The president of the United States has taken the podium. It is now one month since he declared a national emergency. Let's listen.
