On Friday, MSNBC’s Morning Joe conducted the first exclusive interview with presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden about the sexual assault allegations leveled against him by former Senate staffer Tara Reade. The exchange became quite contentious as co-host Mika Brzezinski repeatedly called out Biden’s hypocrisy and demanded that more records from his Senate career be released to thoroughly investigate the claims.
Right at the top of the interview, Brzezinski asked directly: “She says in 1993, Mr. Vice President, that you pinned her against the wall and reached under her clothing and penetrated her with your fingers....did you sexually assault Tara Reade?” Biden responded: “No. It is not true. I’m saying unequivocally it never, never happened. And it didn’t.”
Brzezinski spent a good portion of the nearly 20-minute segment pointing to comments from Biden hyping accusations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, but now being highly skeptical of Reade’s claims:
You were unequivocal, Mr. Vice President, back in 2018 during the Kavanaugh controversy and hearings. And you said that women should be believed. You said this, “For a woman to come forward in the glaring lights of focus nationally, you’ve got to start off with the presumption that at least the essence of what she is talking about is real. Whether or not she forgets the facts, whether or not it’s been made worse or better over time.” She’s going to be going on national television on Sunday. Tara Reade is coming forward in the glaring lights, to use your words, should we not start off with the presumption that the essence of what she’s talking about is real? She says you sexually assaulted her.
Later, she pressed: “Given the fact that you have said in the past that if a woman could goes under the lights and talks about something like this, we have to consider that the essence of this is real. Is the essence of what she is saying real? Why do you think she’s doing this?” Biden complained: “I’m not going to question her motive or get into that at all. I don’t know why these she’s saying this. I don’t know why after 27 years, all of a sudden, this gets raised. I don’t understand it.”
Brzesinski didn’t let him off the hook: “But Mr. Vice President, as it pertained to Dr. Ford, everyone wanted – high-level Democrats said she should be believed, that they believed it happened. You said if someone like Dr. Ford were to come out, the essence of what she is saying has to be believed, has to be real. Why? Why is it real for Dr. Ford but not for Tara Reade?”
Clearly frustrated, Biden declared: “These claims are not true. There’s no – they’re not true. I don’t know what else I can say to you.” Brzezinski assured: “Well, I’m going to try to ask many different ways.” She then brought entire Democratic Party to account for its hypocrisy on the scandal:
Stacey Abrams said during the Kavanaugh hearings, “I believe women. I believe survivors of assault should be supported and their voices heard. Kirsten Gillibrand tweeted, “Do we believe women? Do we give them the opportunity to tell their story? We must be a country that says ‘yes’ every time.” They now both support you. Nancy Pelosi falls into this category too, as well as many other leaders in the Democratic Party. Are women to be believed? Are women to be believed unless it pertains to you?
Biden could be heard making an exasperated sigh.
Brzezinski followed up: “But why is it different now? Do you regret what you said during the Kavanaugh hearings?”
In addition to hammering Biden’s hypocrisy, Brzezinski also urged that the former Vice President’s records from his entire Senate career be released and carefully examined for any evidence of misconduct:
The New York Times has investigated this exhaustively, they didn’t find any of your former staff members were able to corroborate the details of this allegation. She did file a police report a few weeks ago with the D.C. police. But since you want to set the record straight, why limit this only to Tara Reade? Why not release any complaints that had been made against you during your Senate career?
However, she notably never asked Biden about video uncovered by NewsBusters showing a women appearing to be Reade’s mother calling in to Larry King Live in 1993 and corroborating her daughter’s claims against the then-Senator.
Brzezinski specifically pressed Biden on why his records stored at the University of Delaware had been sealed to the public:
Your Senate documents at the University of Delaware were supposed to go public and then they were resealed, the access was changed. I know that you are saying any HR complaints could be in the National Archives. But why not reveal your Senate documents that are being held in Delaware? I know there’s 1,800-plus boxes. But if she believes and she alleges that the complaints may be hidden there, why not strive for complete transparency? Why was the access to those documents sealed up when they were supposed to be revealed?
After Biden asserted that “they weren’t supposed to be revealed,” Brzezinski asked: “So for complete transparency, why not push for release of any documents with Tara Reade’s name on them? Whether it’s at the University of Delaware or the National Archives?”
Toward the end of the exchange, she returned to the issue:
BRZEZINSKI: Are you certain there was nothing about Tara Reade in those records and if so –
BIDEN: I am absolutely certain.
BRZEZINSKI: Why not approve a search of her name in those records?
BIDEN: Approve a search of her name?
BRZEZINSKI: Yes, and reveal anything that might be related to Tara Reade in the University of Delaware records.
BIDEN: There is nothing. They wouldn’t – they’re not there. You know, I don’t understand the point you’re trying to make. There are no personnel records by definition.
BRZEZINSKI: The point I’m trying to make is that you are approving and actually calling for a search of the National Archive’s records.
BIDEN: Yes.
BRZEZINSKI: Of anything pertaining to Tara Reade. I’m asking why not do the same in the University of Delaware records which have raised questions because they were supposed to be revealed to the public and then they were sealed for a longer period of time. Why not do it for both sets of records?
Considering how long it took the liberal media to finally cover the scandal or even ask Biden a question about it, Brzezinski seemed to at least be trying to make up for lost time. The real question is, do the press continue to pursue the story or attempt to quickly move on?
Here is a transcript of Brzezinski’s May 1 questions to Biden regarding Reade’s allegations:
8:02 AM ET
(...)
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: I want to get right to the allegation made against you by Tara Reade. So, the former Senate aide accuses you of sexual assault. And, please, to our viewers, please excuse the graphic nature of this, but I want to make sure that there is no question as to what we’re talking about. She says in 1993, Mr. Vice President, that you pinned her against the wall and reached under her clothing and penetrated her with your fingers. Would you please go on the record with the American people, did you sexually assault Tara Reade?
JOE BIDEN: No. It is not true. I’m saying unequivocally it never, never happened. And it didn’t.
(...)
8:05 AM ET
BRZEZINSKI: The New York Times has investigated this exhaustively, they didn’t find any of your former staff members were able to corroborate the details of this allegation. She did file a police report a few weeks ago with the D.C. police. But since you want to set the record straight, why limit this only to Tara Reade? Why not release any complaints that had been made against you during your Senate career?
BIDEN: I’m prepared to do that. To the best of my knowledge, there’s been no complaints made against me in terms of my Senate career, in terms of my office and things that have been run. Look, this is an open book. There’s nothing for me to hide. Nothing at all.
BRZEZINSKI: You were unequivocal, Mr. Vice President, back in 2018 during the Kavanaugh controversy and hearings. And you said that women should be believed. You said this, “For a woman to come forward in the glaring lights of focus nationally, you’ve got to start off with the presumption that at least the essence of what she is talking about is real. Whether or not she forgets the facts, whether or not it’s been made worse or better over time.” She’s going to be going on national television on Sunday. Tara Reade is coming forward in the glaring lights, to use your words, should we not start off with the presumption that the essence of what she’s talking about is real? She says you sexually assaulted her.
(...)
8:07 AM ET
BRZEZINSKI: Your Senate documents at the University of Delaware were supposed to go public and then they were resealed, the access was changed. I know that you are saying any HR complaints could be in the National Archives. But why not reveal your Senate documents that are being held in Delaware? I know there’s 1,800-plus boxes. But if she believes and she alleges that the complaints may be hidden there, why not strive for complete transparency? Why was the access to those documents sealed up when they were supposed to be revealed?
BIDEN: Well, they weren’t supposed to be revealed.
(...)
8:09 AM ET
BRZEZINSKI: Right, but there are claims and concerns and reports in Business Insider and she claims that possibly a complaint or some sort of record of this might be at the University of Delaware. So for complete transparency, why not push for release of any documents with Tara Reade’s name on them? Whether it’s at the University of Delaware or the National Archives?
(...)
8:10 AM ET
BRZEZINSKI: Given the fact that you have said in the past that if a woman could goes under the lights and talks about something like this, we have to consider that the essence of this is real. Is the essence of what she is saying real? Why do you think she’s doing this?
BIDEN: I’m not going to question her motive or get into that at all. I don’t know why these she’s saying this. I don’t know why after 27 years, all of a sudden, this gets raised. I don’t understand it.
(...)
8:11 AM ET
BRZEZINSKI: But Mr. Vice President, as it pertained to Dr. Ford, everyone wanted – high-level Democrats said she should be believed, that they believed it happened. You said if someone like Dr. Ford were to come out, the essence of what she is saying has to be believed, has to be real. Why?
BIDEN: No, what I said was –
BRZEZINSKI: Why is it real for Dr. Ford but not for Tara Reade?
(...)
8:13 AM ET
BIDEN: At the end of the day, it has to be looked at. These claims are not true. There’s no – they’re not true.
BRZEZINSKI: Mr. Vice President –
BIDEN: I don’t know what else I can say to you.
BRZEZINSKI: Well, I’m going to try to ask many different ways. Stacey Abrams said during the Kavanaugh hearings, “I believe women. I believe survivors of assault should be supported and their voices heard. Kirsten Gillibrand tweeted, “Do we believe women? Do we give them the opportunity to tell their story? We must be a country that says ‘yes’ every time.” They now both support you. Nancy Pelosi falls into this category too, as well as many other leaders in the Democratic Party. Are women to be believed? Are women to be believed unless it pertains to you?
(...)
8:14 AM ET
BRZEZINSKI: But why is it different now? Do you regret what you said during the Kavanaugh hearings?
(...)
8:17 AM ET
BRZEZINSKI: Are you certain there was nothing about Tara Reade in those records and if so –
BIDEN: I am absolutely certain.
BRZEZINSKI: Why not approve a search of her name in those records?
BIDEN: Approve a search of her name?
BRZEZINSKI: Yes, and reveal anything that might be related to Tara Reade in the University of Delaware records.
BIDEN: There is nothing. They wouldn’t – they’re not there. You know, I don’t understand the point you’re trying to make. There are no personnel records by definition.
BRZEZINSKI: The point I’m trying to make is that you are approving and actually calling for a search of the National Archive’s records.
BIDEN: Yes.
BRZEZINSKI: Of anything pertaining to Tara Reade. I’m asking why not do the same in the University of Delaware records which have raised questions because they were supposed to be revealed to the public and then they were sealed for a longer period of time. Why not do it for both sets of records?
(...)
8:18 AM ET
BRZEZINSKI: I’m just talking her name, not anybody else in those records, a search for that. Nothing classified about the President or anybody else. I’m just asking why not do a search for Tara Reade’s name in the University of Delaware records?
BIDEN: Look, I mean, who does that search?
BRZEZINSKI: The University of Delaware? Perhaps you set up a commission that can do it? I don’t know. Whatever is the fairest way to create the most transparency.
(...)
