Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Susan Collins (Maine) are defending former Vice President Joe Biden amid allegations from four women that he touched them inappropriately, according to HuffPost.
Biden’s style is that of a “glad-handing politician,” Graham, a close Senate ally of President Trump’s, told the publication.
{mosads}“Maybe at times he’s done some things that make people feel uncomfortable, but it matters to me what his intent is,” Graham told reporters Wednesday. “I just think he’s a good guy. I think he means nothing bad by this.”
Collins said the former vice president is “a very friendly, affectionate individual who is a natural toucher” and said she had “never found him to be inappropriate.”
Biden served in the Senate with Graham from 2003 to 2009 and with Collins from 1997 to 2009.
Four women have accused Biden of touching them inappropriately, including former Nevada assemblywoman Lucy Flores, who said Biden kissed the back of her head and sniffed her hair in 2014.
Biden has denied that he did anything inappropriate, but promised to listen to his accusers.
Numerous allies and former colleagues of Biden have defended his conduct, including former Missouri Sen. Jean Carnahan (D), who said Tuesday that Biden has a “deep desire to share in the lives of others.” Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) called Biden a “warm, tactile person” earlier this week.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said that while Biden’s conduct did not “disqualify him” from the presidency, the former VP “has to understand, in the world that we’re in now, that people’s space is important to them.”
Biden has not yet announced a run for the Democratic presidential nomination but has consistently led the field in polling, usually followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).