In a recent interview on “Tom Shattuck’s Burn Barrel,” former U.S. Senator Scott Brown (R-NH) opened up about a heated exchange with then-Vice President Joe Biden. Brown recalled feeling compelled to warn Biden after an incident where he believed Biden overstepped boundaries with his wife.
Shattuck initiated the conversation by mentioning Biden’s declining popularity in the polls. Among the issues cited was a growing discomfort with Biden’s “hair sniffing” tendencies. Shattuck pressed Brown, suggesting that many women found such actions from Biden off-putting. He added, “You’re familiar with him. What’s your take?”
Brown acknowledged his knowledge of Biden, hinting at the president’s health issues. “The signs we see, like dementia or early Alzheimer’s, are evident in Biden,” Brown noted. He went on to express his dismay at the state of U.S. leadership, lamenting the challenges deterring potential leaders: “It’s disheartening that our nation can’t do better, especially given the current deterrents in politics.”
Revisiting an anecdote Brown shared years earlier, Shattuck asked if Biden had been overly familiar with Brown’s wife, Gail. Probing further, he asked if Biden had been “sniffing Gail’s hair” or if he had been overly tactile. Brown simply responded, “Yes.” He then shared that he had sternly warned Biden about his behavior. “I made it clear he needed to stop,” Brown stated, emphasizing that he had directly addressed Biden about the perceived impropriety.
Biden’s personal behavior, particularly the “hair-sniffing,” has been a point of contention for some time. Various media outlets have showcased videos and photos that highlight this habit. Moreover, allegations from several women have emerged, accusing Biden of inappropriate physical contact. While some attribute such actions to Biden’s age, defending him by saying, “That’s just his nature,” these explanations have not pacified all critics.
But do these behaviors genuinely affect the voters’ perception? A recent poll suggests they do. Surveying over 1,200 participants, a notable 77% deemed it completely improper for a male politician to sneakily sniff a woman’s hair. The sentiment isn’t restricted to a specific age group; an even more significant 85% of baby boomers found it wholly inappropriate, a percentage higher than that of millennials. These figures signal that justifications provided by some factions might not be resonating with a large segment of the electorate.
