Sharon Bialek, who on Monday accused Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain of groping her in 1997, defended herself on Wednesday on MSNBC against a Chicago Sun-Times report that the two hugged recently at a Tea Party convention.
Michael Sneed, a Sun-Times columnist, authored the article on Tuesday. "They hugged each other backstage in a full embrace like old friends. She grabbed his arm and whispered in his left ear. She kept talking as he bent to listen, and he kept saying 'Uh, huh. Uh, huh,'" she wrote.
"Let me clarify. There was no hugging involved. There was an arm-elbow," she said, gesturing to her arm. She added that there were "many loud noises" backstage at the convention. "I simply grasped his elbow and leaned in towards him, and said a few words to him to acknowledge that he knew exactly who I was, and I will not share right now what I said to him."
"But he acknowledged who I was and acknowledged that he did in fact remember who I was," she said.
In a Tuesday interview with ABC News' Jonathan Karl, Cain said that he did not remember Bialek. "I don't remember this person by name, I don't remember that she worked at the education foundation. I didn't even recognize her." He added later, "I don't even know who this lady is." He said at a press conference later on Tuesday in Scottsdale, Ariz. of the allegations, "They simply didn't happen. They simply did not happen."
"His response disrespected me and millions of other women across the country who are violated in this same way in the workplace," said Bialek on MNSBC. "Mr. Cain--you missed a great opportunity of greatness."
