For those who believe the accusations against Biden but who grasp the unique danger Trump represents to this country, it’s best to ignore the kind of black-and-white analysis that dominates our public discourse. Here’s the truth: You can believe Tara Reade and still support Joe Biden, even if you view him as an imperfect vessel for removing a dangerous maniac from the White House. If this were the primary, then the calculus would be different. But it’s not.

Most of the people I know who are deeply wrestling with this issue are women. Something I’ve noticed is that women are often pushed to be absolutely pure and above reproach in order to have moral authority. I know in the past I twisted myself into pretzels trying to meet the standards of moral consistency set by people (usually men) who in hindsight were themselves raging hypocrites who never held themselves to the same strict standards to which they hold everyone else.

Just like Ford, Tara Reade should be heard and her accusations deserve investigation. Biden should cooperate with that investigation. He has asked the National Archives to release the records of any complaint against him, should one exist.