Trudeau is Groping at Straws

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is digging a hole for himself.

Earlier in the month, Trudeau was confronted about a 2000 incident at a music festival in British Columbia in which an unnamed female reporter accused him of groping her. At the time, Trudeau said he did not "remember any negative interactions that day at all."

As I noted this did not strike me as a denial.

Nor does his latest statement on the matter today following a meeting with new Ontario Premier Doug Ford at Queen's Park in Toronto. Trudeau told reporters:

I’ve been reflecting very carefully on what I remember from that incident almost 20 years ago. I do not feel that I acted inappropriately in any way. But I respect the fact that someone else might have experienced that differently.

Experienced what exactly? And if he doesn't feel he acted inappropriately in any way then why can't he just simply deny the accusation?

Chances are something happened. Something about which he is too embarrassed to talk about and might not be so proud of doing. Something that would have got another Liberal MP suspended from caucus.

Robyn Urback of the CBC noted on Twitter that Massimo Pacetti was booted from the Liberal caucus under similar circumstances. She stated that Pacetti was banished for "an encounter he thought was completely welcome and wanted was perceived differently by the woman." Urback would tweet another salient point:

Anyway, this has always been the crux of the issue: one standard for Trudeau, another one for everyone else.

The best Trudeau can do is say that he messed up, apologize and accept a reprimand by the Liberal caucus. It would probably be enough for the issue to recede. But groping becomes to Trudeau what e-mails became to Hillary Clinton then he is in very big trouble which will only get worse every times he opens his mouth. If Trudeau insists on taking a Clintonesque approach to the matter then he will be groping at straws.