On 'The View': Jill Biden says Joe Biden heard women 'loud and clear' on unwelcome touching
"I think it's so courageous for these women to come forward," Biden said.
In an appearance on ABC's "The View," Jill Biden, the wife of 2020 candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden, said that her husband heard the message "loud and clear" from women who said he has made them feel uncomfortable in the past with unwelcome touching.
"I think it's so courageous for these women to come forward," Biden said. She then added. "Think things have moved forward in a positive way. Joe heard that message. He heard it loud and clear."
In their first interview since announcing his candidacy, the couple sat down with ABC's "Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts late last month and addressed issues from Biden's past that have drawn criticism.
Biden defended her husband, saying that in the 44 years she's known him, she's never previously heard negative stories.
"I think what you don't realize is how many people approach Joe. Men and women, looking for comfort or empathy," she said. "But going forward, I think he's gonna have to judge -- be a better judge -- of when people approach him, how he's going to react. That he maybe shouldn't approach them."
She said she had also experienced past situations where she felt men had invaded her space, and did not speak up, but that things are different now.
"I just sorta stepped aside. I didn't address it. I -- like you said -- I mean, things have changed. There was a time when women were afraid to speak out," Biden said. "I can remember specifically it was in a job interview … if that same thing happened today, I'd turn around and say, "What do you think you're doin'?" So I think it's-- it's totally different."
Biden, who is currently a college professor at the Northern Virginia Community College, spoke about her reaction to the recent school shooting in Colorado that left one dead and eight injured.
"I just think we have to do more about guns," Biden said before adding how she prepares her students for a potential active shooter in her classroom. "I know as a teacher, and I know there are other teachers here, first day in my classroom I have to say to my students, 'If there is a shooter, this is what we do. This is how you handle it. Get in your mind a path of escape.'"
She also said that her husband if elected as president in 2020 is "going to work so hard" on gun reform in the country.
When former Vice President Joe Biden appeared on ABC's "The View" after announcing his 2020 presidential bid the conversational got emotional as Biden consoled Megan McCain whose father was diagnosed, and later died, due to the same cancer Biden's late son had.
Biden spoke to the women on "The View" about how she personally has coped with the loss of their child Beau Biden.
"You know, going through loss is just really tough," she said. "I wake up every day and I think of our son."
She added that her recent campaign visit with Joe Biden to South Carolina at an African-American church has helped her begin to restore her faith, which she said was "shaken" due the grief of losing their son.
"I walked into the black church and everybody was singing and there was joy," Biden said. "The woman next to put her hand on my hand and she said I want to be your prayer partner. I thought prayer partner? What's a prayer partner? I thought it was so kind. I thought that maybe God was saying to me, 'Hey Jill, it's been four years. Come back."
ABC News' Molly Nagle contributed to this report.
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