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This is a hell of a story on Biden, Anita Hill, and how his campaign is preparing for what comes next. nytimes.com/2019/04/26/us/…
"aides to Mr. Biden began preparing for criticism from women and liberals who they felt were unlikely to support him anyway"
When Joy Behar said to Biden that "I’m sorry for the way you were treated" was an insufficient apology to Hill, he replied "I’m sorry for the way she got treated."
Ah.
"Biden does not believe he personally mistreated Ms. Hill. And Ms. Hill’s continued criticism of Mr. Biden since his call with her has only affirmed the view of some in his orbit that he is in a no-win situation—that no measure of regret will ever be sufficient for her."
"Biden does not believe he personally mistreated Ms. Hill. And Ms. Hill’s continued criticism of Mr. Biden since his call with her has only affirmed the view of some in his orbit that he is in a no-win situation—that no measure of regret will ever be sufficient for her."
"'Those who are attacking him about this are not going to change their minds about him,' said Anita Dunn, an adviser to Mr. Biden."
"even some of his allies have little explanation for why he did not move more swiftly to attempt a rapprochement with Ms. Hill"
Raise your hand if you know why.
Raise your hand if you know why.
"He and his advisers have wrestled for months with the question of how to address Democratic concerns about his record without transforming his candidacy into a protracted apology tour."
"in the weeks leading up to his announcement Thursday there was no broader strategic discussion with his inner circle about whether to call her and what to say"
"Advisers to Mr. Biden fielded suggestions last fall that Mr. Biden contact Ms. Hill during the confirmation hearings of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. Mr. Biden and his team did not take up the idea."
This piece is bonkers. It's sourced almost entirely from inside the campaign and his inner circle, but the portrait it paints of him and his crew is damning in a dozen different ways.
"I didn't do anything wrong and I have nothing to apologize for and they won't accept my apology anyway and there's nothing I can do to change their mind so screw them" is a hell of a way for a Dem presidential campaign to be thinking about feminist activists in spring 2019.
It’s one thing to think that. It’s one thing to say it behind closed doors. But to have it be your campaign’s messaging? Sheesh.
On both Anita Hill and the handsiness thing, folks I’m hearing are overwhelmingly at least as concerned with how he’s handling the situation as with the underlying conduct. More, in many cases.
In a 20-person primary, everyone’s gonna have three groups of candidates: Hell Yeah, Hell No, and Meh. Turning Mehs into Hell Nos in bulk is a weird strategy.
Thinking more about this quote. The way you avoid turning an apology into an apology tour is to make a solid, clear, forthright apology the first time.
Biden's in the Kevin Hart situation right now. "Will you apologize?" "I already addressed that." "But you didn't apologize." "I addressed it." "So no apology?" "I addressed it."
Headline: "HART AGAIN REFUSES TO APOLOGIZE"
Headline: "HART AGAIN REFUSES TO APOLOGIZE"
