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We spent all of last week talking about Joe Biden and how handsy and inappropriate he is. We’ve always known that Biden likes to touch people, especially women and girls, and how it was a controversy just waiting to happen, basically. In the current era of Me Too, women finally feel like there’s a public space to finally say how creepy men like Biden are, and how their behavior is inappropriate, unprofessional and discomforting. So far, four women have come forward to talk about Biden touching their thigh or kissing their head or smelling their hair and touching noses with them. It’s enough.

Last week, Biden released a video where he tried to explain himself and that “the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset” and that he “gets it.” He does not get it. Still. And then this happened last Friday:

Joe Biden, in his first public comments since facing allegations of inappropriate physical contact, opened a speech Friday morning by cracking a joke about consent. The former vice president, who is deliberating a presidential campaign, took the stage at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ conference in Washington, DC, and hugged the union’s president, Lonnie Stephenson.

“I just want you to know I had permission to hug Lonnie,” he said, to applause and laughter from the mostly male audience. A few moments later, Biden invited a group of kids on stage, shaking their hands as they came up — but then put his arm around one child’s shoulder. “By the way, he gave me permission to touch him,” he said, again to applause and laughter from the crowd.

Biden told reporters after the speech that the comment about Stephenson wasn’t a joke. “I wasn’t joking, the president of the union put his arms around me, that’s how it’s always been,” he said. “That’s how people react.”

Asked by reporters if he feels he owes a direct apology to any of the women who have said he made them uncomfortable, he said “I made it clear that if I made anyone feel uncomfortable, I feel badly about that. It was never my intention, ever, ever.”

Pressed on whether that meant there should be a direct apology, he said, “I’m sorry I didn’t understand more. I’m not sorry for any of my intentions, I’m not sorry for anything that I have ever done. I’ve never been disrespectful intentionally, to a man or a woman.”

[From Buzzfeed]

As I continue to say, I believe him when he says he never intended to make anyone uncomfortable. But “intentions” in this situation are not the point. The point is that there are multiple women talking how THEY felt when Biden kissed them or grabbed them or stroked them. The point is that it’s not a f–king joke. Consent is not a joke. Women feeling like a powerful older man is pawing at them is not a f–king joke. It’s just more evidence that Biden needs to stay out of the race, Jesus.

Here’s a clip of Biden “joking” about consent and touching people.

And here’s the SNL skit – this was the cold-open for this weekend’s show. Jason Sudeikis seems to love playing Biden.

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Photos courtesy of Getty.