This is a great statement from Joe Biden

[highplainsdem]

47. Flores was ALREADY feeling uncomfortable because of stage fright and unwashed hair.

She mentioned the unwashed hair twice in her essay attacking Biden and starting this mess, so she was obviously uncomfotable about it, and obviously wondering if Biden could have smelled that her hair wasn't clean, since she assumed he was "inhaling" her hair.

I'm concluding that she had stage fright because she mentions taking deep breaths to prepare herself to go onstage, which is something people do to counter stage fright. I'm guessing Biden would have noticed her suddenly taking deep breathhs and would have attributed that to either stage fright, which would have been bad enough, or possibly hyperventilating before a panic attack.

So he responded quickly in a way meant to be reassuring. (Putting his hands on her shoulders, and possibly kissing the top of her head, though after heaing about how many people were backstage and considering how noisy it would likely have been with audience noise as well, I'm guessing now that he could have whispered some reassurance she didn't hear because she was very self-conscious about her hair.)

It's a shame his attempt to reassure her apparently backfired, and now she's weaponized it.

But she was edgy and uncomfortable before he laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. And we know that from her own account of what she claims happened.