Joe Biden jokes about touching complaints, and says he isn't sorry

Former Vice President Joe Biden kicked off his appearance at a union event with a crack about the criticism of his touchy tendencies.

He came on stage and hugged IBEW President Lonnie Stephenson, BuzzFeed reports. “I just want you to know I had permission to hug Lonnie,” he said.

This is Biden’s first public event since several women said he has touched them in a way that made them feel uncomfortable.

Cameron Joseph (@cam_joseph)

@JoeBiden now inviting kids up onstage from the crowd. "All those kids, you want to come up on the stage, you can come up, it’s okay.”

Putting his arm around a young boy in footage aired on CNN, Biden also said, “By the way, he gave me permission to touch him.”

Joe Biden faced questions about complaints from women who say he touched them in a way that made them uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry I didn’t understand more,” he told reporters when asked about requests that he apologize, according to footage aired on CNN. “I’m not sorry for any of my intentions. I’m not sorry for anything that I have ever done. I’ve never been disrespectful intentionally to a man or a woman.”

Biden answered questions after appearing at a union event where he joked about the allegations, hugging the union president and noting that he had permission to hug him. The comment has already been criticized as tone deaf but Biden said he was sincere.

“I literally think it is incumbent upon me and I think everybody else to make sure that if you embrace someone, if you touch someone, it’s with their consent - regardless of your intentions, if you’re trying to bring solace, if you’re trying trying to welcome them,” Biden said.

He said he wasn’t surprised to see Donald Trump post a video mocking him about the allegations. “It doesn’t surprise me. He doesn’t have time to do his job. But look, everybody knows how Donald Trump is,” he said.

Biden said the criticism from some women will change the way he interacts with people on the campaign trail. “I think it’s going to have to change,” he said.