Schultz on Biden accusations: ‘Why is this coming up now?’

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz on Thursday questioned why women with allegations of inappropriate behavior committed by former Vice President Joe Biden chose to wait until now to come forward.

During an appearance on Fox News for a town hall, Schultz maintained that he was not “questioning” the women’s stories, but rather raising concerns about the timing of the accusations from seven women who allege Biden touched them in inappropriate manners during events over the years. None of the women have alleged that the former vice president committed a crime.

{mosads}“The only thing I would ask is one question: Why is this coming up now?” Schultz asked Fox News host Martha MacCallum.

“I’m not questioning the women on any level. But it’s concerning to me that all of a sudden, on the eve of whether he was going to announce or not, this is all of a sudden coming up. It’s concerning,” he continued.

Schultz went on, claiming there was “no reason” he saw not to believe Biden’s multiple female critics, who have called his behavior inappropriate but not to the point of criminality.

“There’s no reason for anyone to believe that these women are not telling the truth. But it’s really up to voters whether or not Vice President Biden is qualified to run. I think this kind of behavior is certainly inconsistent with how to behave, and how to respect women. And it’s concerning,” Schultz said.

“However, Vice President Biden has served the country for 40 years. [He] has been vice president for eight years,” he added.

Biden is widely expected to enter the race for the White House and has sat at the top of national polling ahead of other announced contenders in the Democratic presidential primary.

In a video message released after a former Nevada state assemblywoman detailed her experience with Biden, the former vice president pledged to be “much more mindful” of personal space amid the “shifted” boundaries of modern society.

“Social norms have begun to change, they’ve shifted, and the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset, and I get it,” Biden said in the video. “I hear what they’re saying. I understand it. I’ll be much more mindful. That’s my responsibility, and I’ll meet it.”