The ladies of ABC's The View expressed serious doubts Monday about the allegation of inappropriate touching against former Vice President Joe Biden, saying Biden had not behaved inappropriately with them and questioning the motives of Nevada Democrat Lucy Flores.
Whoopi Goldberg led the segment by saying, "Joe is a hands-on kind of guy" and saying she takes Flores "at her word" that she felt uncomfortable being touched from behind and kissed by Biden. However, Goldberg and the other hosts said this does not rise to the level of sexual assault and Biden was just being himself.
"It's a long way from smelling your hair to grabbing your hoo-ha," co-host Joy Behar said, using a slang term for vagina. "We all know Joe Biden. He's been here. When I met him in Florida before he was vice president, he's so friendly. He's a close talker. He comes right up into your face and you're thinking, 'I hope my breath is good.'"
"It would be unfortunate if we got rid of everybody who's just an affectionate kind of person," Behar added.
Co-host Sunny Hostin also defended Biden but said she's "sort of in the middle" on the issue, saying he should be cognizant of the power dynamic at play and has hopefully learned not to touch strangers without hesitation.
"I don't know if we'll see anymore smelling of hair and kisses on the forehead," Hostin said.
Goldberg vociferously disagreed.
"That pisses me off," Goldberg replied. "I don't want Joe to stop doing that."
"I don't either," co-host Meghan McCain interjected, comparing him favorably to former President Bill Clinton and her father, the late Sen. John McCain. "There's a certain kind of retail politician that loves people. I would put Bill Clinton in that category, I would put my father in that category, and I would certainly put Joe Biden in that category."
Co-host Abby Huntsman questioned Flores's motives for coming out about this, as she's expressed support for other Democratic 2020 candidates Beto O’Rourke and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.).
"I always wonder when these things come out, what is the motive for this person? Is it simply to let people know 'I was uncomfortable,' which you could have done in private? Or is it because you want someone else to win and you want him to have doubts about actually announcing for the presidency?" she asked.
Huntsman added that she worries about men and women being unable to shake hands if the #MeToo movement goes too far.
"I've had concerns about the #MeToo movement from the beginning, about getting to this place where you can't have normal interactions with each other. This was uncomfortable and that's her place. Are we going to get to a place where we can't shake hands or hug each other?" she said.
McCain also questioned Flores's motives.
"I’m sorry but she was a Bernie Sanders supporter in 2016. She was just seen at Beto O'Rourke events," McCain said.
It was pointed out that Flores said her decision to go public was "political" in the sense that Biden was a political figure and she felt it necessary to come forward. McCain said political differences with Biden could still inform her decision.
"If she's a Bernie or Beto person, maybe she feels more inclined now," McCain said.
Goldberg and McCain both agreed they had interacted with Biden and not been treated inappropriately.