Tara Reade Calls for Biden to Drop Out: Campaign Hasn’t Let Me ‘Speak Safely’

Author Tara Reade called on Joe Biden to drop out of the White House race Thursday in her first on-camera interview since accusing him of sexually assaulting her in 1993 while she served in his Senate office.

MK EXCLUSIVE: #TaraReade responds to #JoeBiden; calls for him to drop out pic.twitter.com/jxHAUYaWVU

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) May 7, 2020

A transcript is as follows: 

MEGYN KELLY: Let’s talk about what [Joe Biden] said, because he went on TV last Friday and said, “first of all, it never happened. Period, end of report. This did not happen.” He did say, in his view, “accusers should start off with the presumption that they’re telling the truth.” Do you think he’s afforded you that presumption?

TARA READE: No, it’s been stunning, actually, how some of his surrogates with the blue checks that have been saying really horrible things about me and to me on social media. He hasn’t himself, but there’s a measure of hypocrisy with the campaign saying it’s safe. It’s not been safe. All my social media’s been hacked, all my personal information has been dragged through.

Every person who maybe has a gripe against me, an ex-boyfriend or an ex-landlord or whatever it is, has been able to have a platform, rather than me, talking about things that have nothing to do with 1993. Even the whole thing about being called a Russian agent, that in particular. That incites people. I got a death threat from that because they thought I was being a traitor to America.

These are serious things. And his campaign is taking this position that they want all women to be able to speak safely. I have not experienced that.

KELLY: If he’s watching this, what do you want to say to him?

READE: I want to say, “You and I were there, Joe Biden. Please step forward and be held accountable. You should not be running on character for President of the United States.

KELLY: You want him to withdraw?

READE: I wish he would, but he won’t. But, I wish he would. That’s how I feel, emotionally.

KELLY: Do you want an apology?

READE: I think it’s a little late.