NY Times op-ed ‘I believe Tara Reade. I’m voting for Joe Biden anyway’ polarizes readers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The New York Times published a polarizing op-ed on Wednesday by a feminist author who plans to vote for Joe Biden despite believing that he has committed sexual assault, all because she can’t stand President Trump.
Author Linda Hirshman penned the piece headlined, “I Believe Tara Reade. I’m Voting for Joe Biden Anyway.” The author began by declaring she believes Tara Reade, who has accused presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden of sexual assault. Biden has denied any wrongdoing.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Let’s be clear: I believe Tara Reade. I believed Anita Hill, too,” Hirshman wrote before explaining that she once interviewed an adviser to Hill who told her that the Senate was a “boy’s club” back when Biden was the “bumbling” head of Judiciary Committee during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings.
“Democratic primary voters knew all about Mr. Biden’s membership in that boys’ club when there was still time to pick someone else. Alas,” Hirshman wrote. “So what’s a girl to do now?”
The liberal author of “Reckoning: The Epic Battle Against Sexual Abuse and Harassment” explained that discounting Reade’s claims, which she notes have “four corroborating witnesses,” would be “nonsense.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}NEW YORK TIMES OPINION WRITER: DEMOCRATS NEED TO PONDER BIDEN ALTERNATIVES
“So stop playing gotcha with the female supporters of Mr. Biden or the #MeToo movement, making them lie to the camera — or perhaps to themselves — about doubting her to justify their votes,” Hirshman wrote. “I’ll take one for the team. I believe Ms. Reade, and I’ll vote for Mr. Biden this fall.”
Hirshman admitted the choice would be difficult, noting she’s been a champion of women’s equality since 1963. She also claimed she “was one of a few establishment feminists to argue on behalf of Monica Lewinsky” as other liberal feminists like Gloria Steinem protected Bill Clinton.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}UNANSWERED QUESTIONS? BIDEN'S RESPONSE TO TARA READE ACCUSATIONS LEAVES MANY WANTING MORE ANSWERS
“So I hate, hate, hate to say the following,” she wrote. “Suck it up and make the utilitarian bargain.”
The Times opinion piece goes on to explain that Biden is most likely going to be the Democratic nominee regardless of Reade’s claims, and she wants a Democrat in the White House because of her loathing of President Trump.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Biden, and the Democrats he may carry with him into government, are likely to do more good for women and the nation than his competition, the worst president in the history of the Republic,” she wrote. “Compared with the good Mr. Biden can do, the cost of dismissing Tara Reade – and, worse, weakening the voices of future survivors – is worth it.”
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Hirshman then admitted she would sacrifice Reade for the “good of many.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Media Research Center pointed out that “the same Linda Hirshman” once criticized Biden’s history of “hugging, boob vicinity touching, sniffing, whispering, rubbing, kissing” in a 2019 Politico piece.
“The problem for Hirshman is that her sense of opportunism lurches from one side to another,” MRC director of media analysis Tim Graham wrote.
“The Times would surely note a lot of social conservatives in the last cycle staunchly opposed Donald Trump until they didn't,” Graham added. "But they probably shouldn't sputter that the Christian Right is backing Mr. Access Hollywood Tape when they're posting shameless articles like this.”
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The piece completely polarized Twitter, as some praised the author for her honesty, some completely condemned her views on the topic and others declared it the end of the #MeToo era:
Others praised the author's honesty:
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}While many praised the honesty, one journalist condemned it.