WASHINGTON _ Former Vice President Joe Biden, working to push past controversy dogging his presidential campaign-in-waiting, spoke to a friendly union audience Friday and tried to use humor to deflect criticism of his hands-on approach to politicking.
After being introduced by union President Lonnie Stephenson, Biden joked, "I want you to know I had permission to hug Lonnie."
The light comment was received with applause and whistles from the mostly male audience, a conference of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Later, in comments to reporters, Biden made clear that although he's listening to criticism, he doesn't intend to apologize for past conduct.
"It wasn't my intent to make light of anyone's discomfort. I realize my responsibility is to not invade the space of anyone who is uncomfortable in that regard and I hope it wasn't taken that way."
Asked if he owed women an apology, Biden indicated that he did not think so.
"I made it clear, if I made anyone uncomfortable, I feel badly about that," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't understand more. I'm not sorry for any of my intentions. I'm not sorry for anything I have ever done. I've never been disrespectful intentionally, to a man or a woman."
The tone flew in the face of critics who have said Biden should be more apologetic about his displays of affectionate behavior in public life that several women have stepped out to say made them feel uncomfortable.
After the speech, Biden talked to reporters and tried to suggest his comment about hugging the union president was not making light of people's concerns.
"I wasn't joking," he said. "The president of the union put his arms around me. That's how it's been."
Asked if he expected more people would come forward with criticism of his behavior, he said, "I wouldn't be surprised. But I've had hundreds of people contact me and say the exact opposite."
He indicated that he would soon be announcing his decision to run for president, a decision he's been hinting at for weeks.
"I am very close to making the decision to stand before you all relatively soon," he said.
His speech to the labor group was Biden's first public appearance since he addressed the issue in a video in which he said that "social norms" have changed over the 40 years he's been in politics. He promised in the video to change his ways, being more respectful of people's "personal space" and dialing back his habit of touching people he meets.
Some found fault with the video because Biden did not apologize for his past behavior, and said he would have more work to do to make amends to women who had been offended.
Biden supporters said he had nothing to apologize for because his behavior was a well-intentioned gesture from an emotional and caring man. Some in the union audience agreed, and said Biden was being held to an absurdly high standard when President Donald Trump has engaged in much more offensive behavior.
"At least he's not on the record saying he grabbed a woman's crotch," said Kimberly L'Heureux, president of a Detroit local of the electrical workers union, referring to a video of Trump making crude comments that was released in 2016.
"I think it's just an anti-Biden campaign of negativity."
Phil Barnett, an electrical worker from Saginaw, Mich., said Biden was welcome there because "he's more middle of the road. I'm hoping he will listen to workers."
Barnett said he thought criticism of Biden's behavior toward women was unfair, based on the photos and videos he has seen. "I didn't see anything out of line," Barnett said. "He's been held to a much higher standard."
