AOC on Tara Reade's allegations against Biden: 'Certainly seems as though something has happened' — but I'm still going to vote for him

Democrats are having a hard time knowing how to process and handle the sexual assault claims Tara Reade lodged recently against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden without looking like hypocrites.

Some, like Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), are simply dismissing Reade and her claims and coming to Biden's defense despite having trumpeted the mantra of "believe all victims" during the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court hearings.

Others are being a bit more cautious — like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.).

What's that now?

AOC, who has yet to endorse Biden, appeared on NPR's "Morning Edition" this week and was asked about the Reade accusations.

The lawmaker, who supported socialist Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders during the Democratic primaries, said that she's worried that if Democrats rush to take sides, they'll look hypocritical and alienate voters.

"There have been investigative journalists that have corroborated certain aspects of her account — that is undeniable — [and] have raised questions about other aspects of her account," she said, NPR reported.

AOC later told the outlet that the "messy" Reade-Biden story is "not clear-cut."

"It certainly seems as though something has happened. I'm not sure," she added, according to NPR. "Frankly, this is a messy moment, and I think we need to acknowledge that — that it is not clear-cut."

But she did say she still plans to vote for him, though she has declined to endorse him — so far.

Where is the real impact?

Asked how the Reade case impacts her thinking on how strongly she would support Biden this fall, AOC said the real impact is on survivors and that the current response to the charges has been insufficient.

"It's very important to speak about what this moment means for survivors across the country," she replied. "I think a lot are watching how our leadership and our culture and our media respond to this, and I don't think that the response, overall, has been sufficient.

"It's very difficult because this is in a hyper-politicized zone, right?" she continued. "Instead of focusing on her account, instead of focusing on her story as a survivor, people are fast-forwarding to the political implications. Do you want Trump to win? Will you be voting for Joe Biden? And that denies justice in this situation."

AOC said people should be asking what it is Reade wants, what she's seeking. According to the New York socialist, "it sounds like she simply wants to be heard."