On Friday afternoon's edition of The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino, former DNC boss and Fox News contributor Donna Brazile labored aerobically to avoid saying she believed (or didn believe) Tara Reade's allegation of sexual assault by Joe Biden in 1993. Perino picked up the line of questioning from (fellow) former Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer, but neither was having much success in getting her to spill. Even her dogs tried to get her off the hook. Watch:
DONNA BRAZILE: I have heard from Tara Reade. I have not heard from Joe Biden. That's why I was grateful to hear from him today. She has already spoken. Maybe not on network TV or cable television, but I'm glad that she will get another opportunity to tell her story --
ARI FLEISCHER: Do you believe Tara Reade?
BRAZILE: What's important during this, yes, we have heard, she's been on Democracy TV. [Democracy Now]
FLEISCHER: -- Do you believe Tara Reade?
BRAZILE: She's given interviews, we've heard from her, but we respect women. That's -- the bottom line is respect women --
DANA PERINO: Donna, Ari is trying to ask you, Donna, do you believe Tara Reade?
BRAZILE: There's no hypocrisy here. You respect women, you believe women. They have a right to tell their story.
PERINO: Do you believe Tara Reade?
FLEISCHER: Do you believe Tara Reade? [Dogs start barking]
BRAZILE: I'm sorry. [to dogs] I know you like Dana Perino, but you have to stop that, I'm on Fox.
PERINO: Donna, I don't want to let you off the hook here.
BRAZILE: I believe that Joe Biden is telling the truth, I also believe that Tara reade who first said it was sexual harassment, and now says it's sexual assault. I believe she has every opportunity to be respected and to tell her story.
So there you have it. "I believe Joe Biden is telling the truth" does answer the question. She believes Biden, and not Tara Reade.
