Joe Biden says we need to ‘keep punching’ at domestic violence

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Joe Biden really put his fist in his mouth this time.

The former vice president had a cringe-worthy moment late in Wednesday’s fifth Democratic presidential primary debate when he used the words “keep punching at it” to answer a question about violence against women.

Asked what could be done to address sexual violence and harassment against women, Biden said he authored the original Violence Against Women Act and that its reauthorization needs to pass. He also talked about changing the culture on college campuses and touted the “It’s on Us” movement created in the Obama administration.

“No man has a right to raise a hand to a woman in anger, other than self-defense and that rarely ever occurs,” he said. “So we have to just change the culture. Period.”

Then he maybe took it too far, adding, “And keep punching at it and punching at it and punching at it,” making matching punching motions with his fist.

Some in the audience in Atlanta appeared to snicker — but Biden, 77, didn’t get it.

“No, I really mean it,” he said. “It’s a gigantic issue.”

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