claim: A picture shows Vice President Joe Biden groping Stephanie Carter, wife of former Defense Secretary Ash Carter, during a government ceremony.
origin: An image purportedly showing Vice President Joe Biden groping a womanâ€™s breast during an official government ceremony was recirculated on social media in October 2017 after hundreds of women stepped forward to accuse filmmakers, reporters,Â politicians, presidents, and men from various other industries of sexual harassment: This image has been manipulated.Â It uses a photograph that former White House reporter Nedra Pickler took in February 2015 during the swearing-in ofÂ Defense Secretary Ash Carter. The original image showed Biden with his hands on Stephanie Carterâ€™s shoulders: < Carter vows to make decisions about sending troops into harmâ€™s way with greatest care pic.twitter.com/ygQVFUSbXS â€” Nedra Pickler (@nedrapickler) February 17, 2015 > The manipulated image originally appeared on the web site World News Bureau, a â€œsatireâ€ web site that carries the following disclaimer: < This is fictitious satire and any resemblance to persons, places, or events is coincidental. > The original image, showing Bidenâ€™s hands on Carterâ€™s shoulders, stirred a good deal of controversy in 2015. Several outlets criticized Biden for getting a little too close to Carter during the ceremony.Â NBC NewsÂ even asked if Biden was a â€œVeep Creepâ€ due to the incident: < Veep Creep? Bidenâ€™s Odd Move at Carter Ceremony Vice President Joe Biden was swearing in new Defense Secretary Ash Carter when he got up close and personal with the wife of the man who now runs the most powerful military in the world. As Carter began speaking in the Roosevelt Room, Biden beckoned Stephanie Carter from across the room, then put both hands on her shoulders as her husband thanked Biden for presiding over the ceremony. Bidenâ€™s hands lingered for roughly 20 seconds until he leaned in and whispered in her ear. > You can glimpse the moment in the following video. Biden places his hand on Carterâ€™s shoulders around the 12:30 mark: Ash Carter later said that he laughedÂ about the incident and said that he and Stephanie were great friends with the Bidens:Â < â€œOh, I laughed. I laughed. I laughed. They know each other extremely well, and weâ€™re great friends with the Bidens,â€ he said in anÂ interviewÂ aired Tuesday with NBCâ€™s Savannah Guthrie on the â€œTodayâ€ show. Carter was traveling to his high school alma mater for a speech on the future of the armed forces. Carterâ€™s wife later said she was not offended by the vice president putting his hands on her shoulders and whispering in her ear, but Bidenâ€™s actions drew close scrutiny on social media and late-night talk shows. >