Joe Biden took to Twitter to share a message where he promised to be more "respectful and mindful" of personal space amid allegations of inappropriately touching women.
Biden stated, "I'll always be direct with you. But today I want to talk about gestures of support and encouragement that I've made to women and some men that have made them uncomfortable. In my career, I've always tried to make a human connection...I shake hands, I hug people, I grab men and women by the shoulders and saying, 'You can do this,'" Biden said, adding that "scores, if not hundreds" of people had come to him looking for some kind of support, justifying his tendency to embrace people.
"It's just who I am. And I've never thought of politics as cold and antiseptic, I've always thought of it [as] about connecting with people," he explained. However, he acknowledged that the definitions of what is considered socially acceptable behavior are changing.
"Social norms have become to change, they've shifted. And the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset. And I get it," said Biden, who has been involved in politics for over 45 years. "I hear what they're saying. I understand it. And I'll be much more mindful. That's my responsibility. My responsibility, and I'll meet it."
