Stacey Abrams defends Biden amid allegations, says 'perfection' can't be 'litmus test', people should 'forgive'
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Failed Georgia governor candidate Stacey Abrams came out in support of former Vice President Joe Biden amid inappropriate conduct allegations, saying “we cannot have perfection as a litmus test.”
Abrams, who lost the election in November but has so far refused to concede, has been rumored as Biden’s potential running mate when he joins the 2020 race for the White House, though she has said she is not interested. On Thursday, Abrams defended Biden after multiple women came forward with their stories detailing Biden’s inappropriate physical contact.
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She said during an interview on MSNBC that she appreciates Lucy Flores, a former Nevada politician who first accused Biden of impropriety, for telling her story, but noted that she also has “deep respect” for the former veep.
“We cannot have perfection as a litmus test,” Abrams reacted when asked about Biden’s apology video released on Thursday, where he pledges to improve his behavior.
“We cannot have perfection as a litmus test.”
“The responsibility of leaders is to not be perfect but to be accountable, to say, 'I've made a mistake. I understand it and here's what I'm going to do to reform as I move forward.' And I think we see Joe Biden doing that,” Abrams said.
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Biden “acknowledged the discomfort he has caused” and explained his behavior while affirming “that he will do something different going forward,” she continued.
“And I think that’s what we should be looking for because we're going to find out things about everybody running for office, whether it’s for the presidency or for school board, and we have to as a people be ready to forgive,” she added.
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“And I think that’s what we should be looking for because we're going to find out things about everybody running for office, whether it’s for the presidency or for school board, and we have to as a people be ready to forgive.”
In the same interview, Abrams again ruled out reports that she discussed with Biden their joint entry into the 2020 race.
“I have had conversations with Joe Biden about him running for president, about me running for president, about me running for Senate, about me running for dog catcher,” she said.
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She explained that the rumors of the two of them running together were started by “well-wishers who got excited about seeing us together,” yet she finds “deeply problematic that they are making things up”
“I do not believe you run for second place,” Abrams added, noting that she will only enter the race as a presidential candidate.