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Ari Fleischer reacts to a new regulation issued by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to strengthen protections for college students accused of sexual assault
Tara Reade is speaking out on-camera for the first time since she came forward with her allegation that former Vice President Joe Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993, saying she wishes Biden would drop out of the presidential race.
In a preview clip released Thursday, Megyn Kelly started by quoting Biden, who himself recently denied Reade's claims.
"He did say in his view, accusers 'should start off with the presumption that they're telling the truth.' Do you think he has afforded you that presumption?" Kelly asked.
"No," Reade responded. "I mean, it's been stunning, actually, how some of his surrogates with the blue checks, you know... his surrogates have been saying really horrible things about me and to me on social media. He hasn't himself, but there's a measure of hypocrisy with the campaign saying it's safe. It has not been safe. All of my social media has been hacked, all of my personal information has been dragged through, every person that maybe has a, you know, gripe against me -- an ex-boyfriend or an ex-landlord, whatever it is -- has been able to have a platform rather than me, talking about things that have nothing to do with 1993."
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She explained, "Even with the whole thing with being called a Russian agent, that in particular, that incites these people. I got a death threat from that because they thought I was being a traitor to America. I mean, these are serious things. And, his campaign has taken this position that they all want women to be able to speak safely. I have not experienced that."
"If he's watching this, what do you want to say to him?" Kelly asked.
"I want to say, 'You and I were there, Joe Biden. Please step forward and be held accountable. You should not be running on character for the president of the United States."
When asked if she wanted Biden to withdraw from the 2020 race, Reade said, "I wish he would. but he won't, but I wish he would. That's how I feel emotionally."
Also in the preview clip, Reade also said it's "a little late" for Biden to apologize.
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In a second preview clip, Reade told Kelly that she "believed" past survivors who have come forward including Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct in 2018, but called for a "conversation" instead of a "hashtag."
"Does Joe Biden get due process? " Kelly pressed the Biden accuser. "Does he get the chance to vet these claims and defend himself? Is that okay?"
"I think he's been doing that, right?" Reade responded. "He's had a chance for more platforms than I have."
Kelly then pointed to people who found Blasey Ford as "credible" for going under oath, subjecting herself to cross-examination and taking a polygraph test.
"Would you go under oath?" Kelly asked.
"Absolutely," Reade quickly answered, later offering the same response about her willingness to be cross-examined.
However, regarding a polygraph test, she challenged Biden to take one as well.
"I'm not a criminal. Joe Biden should take the polygraph," Reade told Kelly. "What kind of precedent does that set for survivors of violence? Does that mean we're presumed guilty and we all have to take polygraphs? So, I will take one if Joe Biden takes one, but I'm not a criminal."
In a statement to Fox News, the Biden campaign pointed to "inconsistencies" from Reade in various reports.
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"Women must receive the benefit of the doubt. They must be able to come forward and share their stories without fear of retribution or harm - and we all have a responsibility to ensure that," Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said. "At the same time, we can never sacrifice the truth. And, the truth is that these allegations are false and that the material that has been presented to back them up, under scrutiny, keeps proving their falsity."
Last week, Biden finally broke his silence about 1993 allegations made by Reade, telling MSNBC the alleged sexual harassment and assault "never happened."
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