Former Vice President Joe Biden is acknowledging his past behavior with women has made some people uncomfortable following complaints over the past week that he touched some without their consent.
In a video posted Wednesday on Twitter, Biden says, "Social norms have begun to change, they've shifted. And the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset."
Biden also said, "I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future."
These are Biden's first public remarks since former Nevada politician Lucy Flores wrote in New York Magazine on Friday that Biden approached her from behind and kissed the back of her head in 2014.
Since then, another woman has said Biden grabbed her face when he was thanking congressional staff at a 2009 event.
Biden is considering a 2020 Democratic presidential bid.
He did not directly apologize but seemed to be seeking to ease some people's discomfort.
On Friday, former Nevada politician Lucy Flores wrote in New York Magazine that Biden approached her from behind, touched her shoulders and kissed the back of her head in 2014.
Since then, another woman has said Biden grabbed her face when he was thanking congressional staff at a 2009 event.
Biden, a former longtime U.S. senator from Delaware, first said in a statement that he did not recall the episode that Flores initially described in the magazine piece and then in subsequent weekend interviews.
In the video Wednesday, Biden insisted that what he described as the compassion from where the affection comes will not change and again nodded to the steps he's taking toward running.
"But I'll always believe governing — life, for that matter — is about connecting, connecting with people," he said. "That won't change."
Biden also said that he would be more careful about his actions in the future.
"And I'll be much more mindful. That's my responsibility, my responsibility, and I'll meet it," Biden said.
And in so doing, Biden was tacitly acknowledging a nagging concern for some voters: that he cannot adapt.
"The idea that I can't adjust to the fact that personal space is important, more important than it's ever been, is just not thinkable," he said in closing. "I will. I will."