Media double standard? Comparing coverage of allegations against Biden, Kavanaugh
Reaction from award-winning journalist Lara Logan, host of 'Lara Logan Has No Agenda' on Fox Nation, and Joe Concha, media reporter for The Hill.
The Washington Post was slammed late Monday night for its bizarre framing of the latest developments that emerged surrounding the allegations made by Tara Reade against former Vice President Joe Biden.
Reade, who came forward last month accusing then-Senator Biden of sexual assault when she was a Senate staffer in 1993, has had more corroborating evidence surface in recent days.
A "Larry King Live" clip from 1993 purportedly showing Reade's mother calling into the show anonymously and alluding to her daughter's "problems" with a "prominent senator" was brought to light on Friday. And on Monday, two more people, a former neighbor and a former colleague of Reade's, came forward to back her claims after conversations they had back in the 90s.
However, a piece published by the Post raised eyebrows with its original headline that read, "Developments in allegations against Biden amplify efforts to question his behavior."
Not long after it was published, a new headline appeared in the report, "Trump allies highlight new claims regarding allegations against Biden."
"Some allies of President Trump pointed Monday to new claims by a woman who said she was told about sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden decades ago, renewing attention to questions about the past behavior of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee," Washington Post reporter Matt Viser began.
The transcript of the "Larry King Live" clip was first reported by The Intercept, the outlet founded by progressive journalist Glenn Greenwald, and conservative watchdog group the Media Research Center later found the clip in its archives. Rich McHugh of Business Insider, who previously worked at NBC News after having had collaborated with Ronan Farrow on the Harvey Weinstein scandal, was the journalist who broke Monday's bombshell report.
As far as actual "Trump allies," the Post cites tweets made by the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., in reaction to the developments and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who simply said the Biden allegations should be as scrutinized as the one leveled against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 confirmation.
NEIGHBOR, COLLEAGUE REPORTEDLY BACK BIDEN ACCUSER TARA READE'S CLAIMS
The report went on to note that it has "been a topic for other top Democrats," pointing to remarks made by potential VP candidates Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer despite the widespread silence among top Democratic lawmakers about the allegations.
Viser, who was one of the reporters behind the paper's first report about Reade's claims on Easter Sunday, also mentioned the misconduct allegations President Trump has faced.
The Post was widely panned on social media, some even pointing out the drastically different coverage Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh received when he was accused of misconduct during his 2018 confirmation.
"As an editor, I regard this headline as a hate crime and I will be pressing charges first thing in the morning," Washington Examiner executive editor Seth Mandel reacted on Twitter.
Biden himself has not addressed the claims from Reade, but his campaign vehemently has denied the allegations. Biden's deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement: "What is clear about this claim: it is untrue. This absolutely did not happen."
Reade on Monday confirmed to Fox News the accuracy of how her conversations with former next-door neighbor Lynda LaCasse and former colleague Lorraine Sanchez were described, and she expressed her deep gratitude toward them for coming forward.
"I am touched that they would step forward knowing the targeted harassment I have received since I made my history with Joe Biden public. I appreciate their candor and bravery," Reade said in a statement.
Earlier, a friend of Reade's claimed to have been told about the alleged assault at the time it happened but chose to remain anonymous, and her brother, Collin Moulton, recalled Reade describing an incident with Biden involving a "gym bag." The friend and Moulton both gave interviews to the Intercept.
LaCasse told Business Insider: "I remember her saying, here was this person that she was working for and she idolized him. And he kind of put her up against a wall. And he put his hand up her skirt and he put his fingers inside her. She felt like she was assaulted, and she really didn't feel there was anything she could do."
LaCasse said Reade was "upset" when she told her about the allegation and "the more she talked about it, the more she started crying." She said she remembered urging Reade to file a police report but did not recall specific details from the alleged incident, such as the location or remarks Biden allegedly made to Reade.
"I don't remember all the details," LaCasse told Business Insider. "I remember the skirt. I remember the fingers. I remember she was devastated."
LaCasse, a retired staffer of San Luis Obispo General Hospital, said she lived in the same apartment complex as Reade in Morro Bay, Calif. She recalled how the two of them had talked about "violent stories" they've experienced, which was when Reade told her "about the senator that she had worked for and he put his hand up her skirt."
"I personally am a Democrat, a very strong Democrat," LaCasse said. "I'm for Biden, regardless. But still, I have to come out and say this."
Reade's former neighbor said she "volunteered" to come forward, saying, "If this was me, I would want somebody to stand up for me. It takes a lot of guts to do what she's doing."
"I have to support her just because that's what happened," LaCasse continued. "We need to stand up and tell the truth."
Sanchez, who was working as a staffer for California State Senator Jack O'Connell, said she mentored and worked with Reade between 1994 and 1996.
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Sanchez said she did not recall Reade referring to Biden by name but remembered "reassuring her that nothing like that would ever happen to her here in our office, that she was in a safe place, free from any sexual harassment."
"It takes great courage and strength to come forward," Sanchez said in praising Reade. "It's much easier to keep silent. However, I also understand the duty we have as women to share our story regardless of who the perpetrator may be."
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