Bill Cosby and President George W. Bush at White House in 2002(Photo: H. DARR BEISER, XXX USAT)
WASHINGTON — President Obama suggested Wednesday he is not inclined to revoke the Presidential Medal of Freedom for Bill Cosby, saying there is no precedent for such a step — but also said the claims against the comedian would amount to rape.
While declining to discuss the specifics of the Cosby case, Obama did say that drugging women and having sex with them shouldn't be tolerated.
"I'll say this: if you give a woman — or a man, for that matter — without his or her knowledge, a drug, and then have sex with that person, that's rape," Obama said. "I think this country, any civilized country, should have no tolerance for rape."
There is no mechanism, Obama said, for revoking the medal. "And, as you know, I tend to make it a policy not to comment on the specifics of -- of cases where there might still be, if not criminal, then civil issues involved," he said.
Obama made the remarks at a White House news conference that dealt mostly with questions about the recent nuclear deal with Iran.
USA TODAY
Victims group calls on Obama to revoke Cosby medal
Victims' organizations and some lawmakers have called on Obama to revoke the Presidential Medal of Freedom for Cosby. A petition is pending on the White House website.
President George W. Bush presented the Medal of Freedom in 2002, citing his long career and his work on behalf of education.
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