The argument
Some supporters of Donald Trump's re-election argued against Joe Biden by pointing to allegations and behaviour they said showed disrespect towards women. The most serious was the claim made in 2020 by Tara Reade, a former staffer, who alleged that Biden had sexually assaulted her in 1993 when she worked in his Senate office. Biden categorically denied the allegation, and it was not corroborated; news organisations that investigated it reached differing conclusions and several reported they could not substantiate it. Proponents of this argument nonetheless held that the allegation should weigh heavily, and contrasted the attention it received with the scrutiny applied to accusations against other figures. Beyond that specific claim, the argument pointed to a long-documented pattern of Biden's physical conduct — touching, embracing and standing close to women and girls at public events in ways that several women later said made them uncomfortable. In 2019, before the campaign, a number of women raised these concerns publicly, and Biden released a video acknowledging that norms about personal space had changed and pledging to be more mindful. To proponents of this argument, this record indicated a man who did not adequately respect women's boundaries or treat them as equals. From this standpoint, these allegations and behaviours were disqualifying, especially for voters who regarded the character and conduct of a president towards women as central. It should be noted that the central assault allegation was denied and never substantiated, and the broader conduct was contested in its interpretation. Still, on this argument, proponents concluded that Joe Biden's record towards women counted against him, and that Donald Trump should be re-elected instead.
Premises
Counter-arguments
Opponents reply that the central assault allegation was categorically denied and never substantiated — several news investigations could not corroborate it — so treating it as disqualifying inverts the presumption of innocence the argument's own proponents would demand elsewhere. On the pattern of tactile conduct, they note Biden acknowledged the concerns and pledged to change, and that discomfort at close physical contact, while a legitimate criticism, is a different order of charge from 'sexual predator.' They also point to the tu quoque problem: Trump himself faced numerous, in some cases more serious, allegations of sexual misconduct, so voters weighing the candidates on their treatment of women did not obviously find the contrast favoured Trump.
Rejecting the premises
[Rejecting P1] The Reade allegation was categorically denied and could not be corroborated by investigators, so treating it as established enough to disqualify sets aside the presumption of innocence. [Rejecting P2] Biden acknowledged the concerns about physical closeness and pledged to change; unwanted-proximity complaints are a lesser charge than 'sexual predator' and do not by themselves establish that label. [Rejecting P3] Trump faced numerous and in some cases graver allegations of sexual misconduct, so the comparison of the two candidates' records toward women does not clearly favour him.