Aside from a video that he tweeted this week in an attempt to explain himself, Joe Biden has been silent since many accusations of unwanted touching were made — until today, that is. At the start of a speech to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the former VP decided breaking the ice with a joke was best:

.@JoeBiden hugs union leader on being introduced to address @IBEW. "Just want you to know, I had permission," he told union audience. pic.twitter.com/u2L98pzGYA — Mark Knoller (@markknoller) April 5, 2019

Well that’s one way to approach it:

At start of his address to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Joe Biden jokes, “I just want you to know, I had permission to hug Lonnie.” https://t.co/Hvgxjgk9fw pic.twitter.com/19rJgEA1L5 — ABC News (@ABC) April 5, 2019

Biden takes the stage in Washington at his first event since several women have voiced discomfort about his touching. “I just wanted to let you know I had permission to hug Lonnie,” he says of hug with union’s president. pic.twitter.com/PGy6VQn6EG — Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) April 5, 2019

After taking the stage and hugging @IBEW president Lonnie Stephenson, @JoeBiden tells the crowd, “I just want you to know, I had permission to hug Lonnie.” The overwhelmingly white, middle-aged male crowd laughs and applauds. — Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) April 5, 2019

It sounds like this approach could be Biden’s “thing’ now, because the IBEW president wasn’t the only person he used that “joke” about:

Later, Biden spots young children in the crowd and invites them onstage: They approach, he shakes each hand. As he sends them off, he puts his arm around the taller boy and tells the crowd, “He gave me permission.” Crowd laughs. He says, “I like kids better than people.” — Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) April 5, 2019

Biden invites kids to join him on stage to watch his speech. Hugs one kid and says, "by the way he gave me permission to touch him." "Everyone knows I like kids better than people," said Biden, clearly wary of tactile politics. pic.twitter.com/YRJU9ahVa1 — Mark Knoller (@markknoller) April 5, 2019

Joe Biden gives a young boy a hug at a Friday speech joking "he gave me permission to touch him" pic.twitter.com/ROZd0hCRan — Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) April 5, 2019

Biden calls kids up on stage, puts his arm around a boy and says "by the way, he gave me permission to touch him" pic.twitter.com/XkfrgtwYC8 — Yahoo News (@YahooNews) April 5, 2019

That’s… awkward.

He’s like an Impractical Jokers punishment yet he feeds himself the bad lines. https://t.co/K5qkzmxGxv — TheRightWingM ?? (@TheRightWingM) April 5, 2019

Biden’s approach wasn’t appreciated by many:

Oh, cool. Joe Biden just mocked accusations of inappropriate touch by joking that he “had permission” to hug the man who introduced him on stage. Glad he takes his “growth” seriously. — J. Dylan Sandifer (@jdylan901) April 5, 2019

At an event just now, Joe Biden hugged the IBEW president and then joked: "I just want you to know. I had permission to hug Lonnie.” He might have "apologized," but his flippant attitude shows he has no interest in engaging with this issue. A shame.https://t.co/mhSuRSmvbc — Andrea González-Ramírez (@andreagonram) April 5, 2019