An Awkward Kiss Changed How I Saw Joe Biden, by Lucy Flores, The Cut, March 19, 2019
Lucy Flores was running as a Democrat for Luitenant Governor of Nevada when Joe Biden arrived at a rally to support her. As she points out, he wasn’t there as her friend or mentor; he was there because she was the best person running for the job.
As I was taking deep breaths and preparing myself to make my case to the crowd, I felt two hands on my shoulders. I froze. “Why is the vice-president of the United States touching me?”
I felt him get closer to me from behind. He leaned further in and inhaled my hair. I was mortified. I thought to myself, “I didn’t wash my hair today and the vice-president of the United States is smelling it.
And also, what in the actual fuck? Why is the vice-president of the United States smelling my hair?”
He proceeded to plant a big slow kiss on the back of my head.
My brain couldn’t process what was happening. I was embarrassed. I was shocked. I was confused.
There is a Spanish saying, “tragame tierra,” it means, “earth, swallow me whole.” I couldn’t move and I couldn’t say anything.
I wanted nothing more than to get Biden away from me. My name was called and I was never happier to get on stage in front of an audience.
Biden has long defended his behavior – with Ms. Flores, as well as the many many other women (and some men) who Biden has been photographed nuzzling over the years – by saying that he thought he was providing support and comfort with his physical touches.
