Biden jokes about accusations, targets union voters

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Former Vice President Joe Biden made light Fiday of his recent controversy about crossing physical boundaries with women, and he signaled in a resolute speech to union activists that’s he’s ready to run for president as a moderate Democrat in party that has been drifting left.

Biden, 76, opened his speech to a conference of electrical workers joking that he had “permission” to hug the union leader who introduced him. He later repeated the quip about a boy he invited up on stage. The remarks won cheers from the overwhelmingly male audience, but angered some of the activist women Biden has sought to convince he “gets” their concerns about his famously touchy-feely, and some say dated, style.

During his speech at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers conference and afterward to reporters, Biden defended his focus on the “personal connection” in politics.

“I’m sorry I didn’t understand more. I’m not sorry for any of my intentions,” he told reporters. “I’m not sorry for anything I’ve ever done – I’ve never been disrespectful, intentionally, to a man or a woman.”

Biden all but declared he intended to join the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, telling reporters he’s “putting everything together, man.” He noted his lawyers had warned him to speak carefully about his intentions but said he expected to “be standing before you all relatively soon.”

He also suggested his strategy. In a nostalgia-soaked speech, Biden made clear he would position himself outside the progressive wing of the party and seek support from traditional Democrats and the working-class voters who backed Donald Trump in 2016.