Joe Biden was on the receiving end of a saucy shout out from a female supporter Tuesday, and his response brought out laughs from the crowd.
A woman at a campaign event in Henderson, Nevada yelled, “You can hug and kiss me anytime, Joe!”
It was a clear reference to the groping allegations that temporarily stymied Biden’s launch of a 2020 presidential bid earlier this year.
Several women accused Biden of inappropriately touching them and making them feel uncomfortable, a torrent that started with former Nevada Assemblywoman Lucy Flores who alleged the potential 2020 candidate inappropriately kissed her and smelled her hair.
Biden, whose response to the issue has been lacking in many of those women’s eyes, countered by making the sign of the cross and adding, “That’s very nice, thank you.”
WATCH: A woman just yelled at Biden that he can “kiss [her] anytime!” at event in NV. Biden responded by doing the Sign of the Cross: @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/2REYPvsCjv
— Bo Erickson (@BoKnowsNews) May 7, 2019
NBC News reporter Mike Memoli notes that the whole thing played out “not far from where Biden was introduced by Lucy Flores in 2014.”
Funny or No?
While Biden may have delivered a humorous response when hit with the statement out of the blue, we’re wondering how it will play to those already fuming over his past lack of remorse.
Last month, in his first speech following the spate of allegations, Biden joked that he “had permission to hug” the man who introduced him to the crowd.
WATCH: Former Vice President Joe Biden joked that he “had permission to hug” IBEW president Lonnie Stephenson during his remarks at a union conference today.
His joke was met with laughs and cheers from the crowd. Learn more: https://t.co/XcnqrGD8pa pic.twitter.com/TKHumUVcui
— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) April 5, 2019
He then followed that up by telling reporters after the event that “I’m not sorry for anything that I have ever done.”
President Trump mocked Biden over the allegations, sharing a video of the former vice president’s response to the situation complete with edits of ‘Sleepy Joe’ approaching himself from behind, grabbing his shoulders, and sniffing his hair.
WELCOME BACK JOE! pic.twitter.com/b2NbBSX3sx
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 4, 2019
Biden’s comments, previously dismissed as being the witty comedy work of good ol’ Uncle Joe, may not play as well in the #MeToo era.
His history of being handsy with women and children has been an open secret for some time. Biden even has a history of making female Secret Service agents uncomfortable by skinny dipping or walking around the house without clothes.
