While America’s attention is mostly consumed by the coronavirus pandemic, a story that would normally be a bombshell is flying under the radar: an accusation of sexual assault against the Democratic Party’s almost-certain presidential nominee. Yet even accounting for our extraordinary situation, Alexandra Tara Reade’s allegations against Joe Biden have gotten remarkably little notice — no mention in the New York Times or Washington Post, for example. Nor has she received widespread support from feminists. Actress and #MeToo activist Alyssa Milano issued a statement saying that she still endorses Biden and that believing women “should not come at the expense of … giving men their due process and investigating situations.”
Should Reade’s accusations be taken more seriously? And if not, what does that mean for the Democrats’ post-#MeToo commitment to the principle of believing and supporting women who come forward as sexual assault survivors?
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