-It was just a year and a half ago
that Washington was completely convulsed,
overturned by the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation battle.
Democrats set a very clear standard at the time --
they believe women.
Well, now, suddenly, a very similar case has emerged.
Tara Reade says Joe Biden sexually
assaulted her in the early 1990s.
But the case is being handled very differently.
-There's something unusual going on in the world of media.
Tucker Carlson, the Fox News host,
is starting to make sense with respect
to his criticisms of top Democrats.
Now that the accusations are against Joe Biden,
the presumptive Democratic nominee for President,
there's been a shift of tone among top Democrats.
-We're here to show our solidarity.
We're here to show our respect for all women who have a case.
And I do, uh, support Joe Biden.
I'm satisfied with how he has responded.
I know him.
I was proud to endorse him the other -- on Monday.
-You believe Judge Kavanaugh is lying.
-He said that he wanted a fair process.
And to me, that obviously means allowing
for some limited investigations, a background information check,
where you simply go and you check with the people
that these women said were there.
And it is a lot different to have to be interviewed
by an FBI agent under oath, basically,
than it is when you're just talking perhaps
to a reporter off the record.
All women in these cases have the right to be heard
and have their claims thoroughly reviewed.
And in this case -- and your listeners
should look at the story --
there was a thorough review by The New York Times,
and I think that's very important to have,
especially involving public figures.
-Now, we expect politicians to circle wagons,
but the media has to always be watchdogging those politicians
and shouldn't enable any of this activity.
A year ago, Reade told some news outlets
that there had been some unwanted
touching from Joe Biden.
She amplified the story to include sexual assault.
That was in late March on Katie Halper's podcast.
As a warning, this graphic content may upset some viewers.
-He just had me up against the wall, and the wall was cold.
And I remember he -- It happened all at once.
The gym bag -- I don't know where it went.
I handed it to him, it was gone, and then his hands were on me,
and underneath my clothes.
And, yeah, then he went -- oh!
-- he went down my skirt, but then up inside it,
and he, uh, penetrated me.
-Now, The New York Times and The Washington Post
hopped on the story by investigating.
It took 2 1/2 weeks or so, but they investigated the story.
Here, the prominent television broadcasters
have something to answer for.
From the time that Reade made her allegations
on the podcast on March -- that was released on March 25th,
all the way through late April, into very early May,
several TV news organizations had a chance to press
Biden on these allegations, but they did not.
-Even as this country faces a pandemic,
there is also a presidential election under way.
Joining me now, former Vice President and 2020
presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Thank you so much for joining us, sir.
Very much appreciate it.
-Thank you for having me. -Mr Vice President,
experts are saying things are gonna get a lot worse.
-Listen to your scientists and your experts.
You have some very good people with you.
Let them speak, and don't mislead.
-Former Vice President and Democratic
presidential candidate Joe Biden,
thank you so much for your time, sir.
Appreciate it. -They asked no questions.
NewsBusters reports that NBC, MSNBC, CNN, and ABC
all had interviews with Biden over the several weeks
after her allegations surfaced on the podcast,
but didn't ask a single question about those allegations.
-Former Vice President Joe Biden.
Mr Vice President, thanks so much for being with us.
How are you? How's your family?
-Well, thank God, I'm doing well.
-We're in the middle of a pandemic.
That is the number-one story for just about everyone.
It's understandable that news organizations
would have their priorities,
but it took a fair amount of time, pressure,
and some tumult before Biden was sitting in front --
at least, virtually in front --
of a journalist whose number-one focus and agenda
was to ask him about the Tara Reade allegations.
-Would you please go on the record with the American people?
Did you sexually assault Tara Reade?
-No, it is not true.
I'm saying unequivocally, it never,
never happened, and it didn't.
It never happened.
-Do you remember her?
Do you remember any types
of complaints that she might have made?
-I don't remember any type of complaint she may have made.
It was 27 years ago, and I don't remember,
nor does anyone else that I'm aware of.
And the fact is that I don't remember.
I don't remember any complaint ever having been made.
-In putting the question to Biden, Mike Brzezinski
was sort of breaking the ice for major television networks.
You'll see, in the coming weeks and months, those networks
continuing to press Biden on these questions --
many of the same questions that Brzezinski pressed him on.
Remember, he is a candidate for President of the United States.
It is his job to answer tough,
awkward, uncomfortable questions.
Make him do it.