Intercepted

May 6 2020, 5:01 a.m.

THE DEMOCRATIC AND Republican parties are set to run candidates for president in 2020 who have been accused by women of sexually assaulting them. This week on Intercepted: Two dozen women have accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct, harassment, and assault, including rape. Trump has responded by denigrating, mocking, and attacking his accusers. Eight women have made allegations of misconduct against Joe Biden, and one of them has accused him of sexual assault. Biden, who is running on a campaign to restore dignity and honesty to the White House, emphatically denies that he assaulted his former staffer Tara Reade and has sought to explain away his conduct toward his other accusers by portraying his unwanted touching as his way of being affectionate. The New Republic’s Melissa Gira Grant discusses Reade’s allegations, Biden’s response, and the broader discourse in the media and the Democratic Party surrounding the actions of the presumptive nominee toward women.

Former Nevada lawmaker Lucy Flores says Biden touched her inappropriately, kissed her head, and sniffed her hair when he was campaigning for her. She says she didn’t report it to the Obama White House at the time for fear of retaliation or rejection, but when Biden began to run for president, she felt an obligation to speak out. Flores was soon followed by seven other women sharing similar stories. She discusses her experience with Biden, what it means that the Democratic Party is standing by him, and the impact of a choice between Trump and Biden.