MacCallum: Pelsoi's answer about Biden accusations 'unacceptable'
New poll shows voter reaction to Biden allegations; Martha MacCallum weighs in.
"The Story" host Martha MacCallum called the legitimacy of the #MeToo movement into question on "Bill Hemmer Reports" Wednesday after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., declared the allegations against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden a "closed issue".
"I do find it very interesting to watch Nancy Pelosi say, 'I believe him, he said it didn't happen and I support him ... I've known a long time and that's it,'" MacCallum said. "That kind of answer was completely unacceptable, as we all know, when it came to Brett Kavanaugh.
"I think this raises very important questions about the #MeToo movement," MacCallum added, "which I think had a very valid premise that I think went very sadly off-track when we started getting into the territory of believing all women or believing all of any group in this situation."
"I think this raises very important questions about the #Metoo movement which... had a very valid premise that I think went very sadly off-track."
During a Tuesday interview with MSNBC’s Ari Melber, Pelosi was asked whether she considered the allegations of sexual assault by former Senate staffer Tara Reade to be a “closed issue.”
“Well, it is for me,” Pelosi responded. "I have said I am proud to support Joe Biden for president. I believe him when he says it didn't happen. But I also believed him when he said, ‘Let them look into the records.’ And that's what they should do ... but I'm not going to answer this question again."
Pelosi's hope to declare the story "closed" has been shared by top women's groups and champions of the #MeToo movement, many of whom have remained silent on the allegations levied against the former vice president, but stanchly supported Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of attempted rape when he and Ford were teenagers in the mid-1980s.
PELOSI DECLARES READE- BIDEN ALLEGATIONS A 'CLOSED ISSUE'
"We’re getting into some pretty tricky territory and it doesn’t look too good in the rearview mirror," MacCallum said.
"It should all be about due process, and I think, unfortunately, it drives a stake into the heart of this movement in many ways, because what are you going to do now?"
"I think it starts to neutralize that issue as you head into this election, especially since you have a lot of people that say, 'I believe Tara Reade but I support Joe Biden anyway,'" MacCallum added.
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With the election roughly seven months away, the Biden campaign is focused on uniting the Democratic party, but Reade's allegations have driven "a wedge" between Biden and the rest of the party, MacCallum explained.
"I don't think this is going to go away, but politically one of the problems for Joe Biden is that he's in a moment where he needs to unify the party, he needs to bring in a lot of the supporters of Bernie Sanders, some of the younger voters who are going to have a harder time I think in some cases with this story," MacCallum argued.
"When he should be bringing everyone together, this is driving a wedge between people in his own party and [he] also has to store enthusiasm and passion for his candidacy ... this is a roadblock for him as well."
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