Former Vice President Joe Biden has created a public relations “vacuum” with his refusal to personally answer a former staffer’s allegation that he sexually assaulted her, according to New York writer Rebecca Traister. And, as a result, she noted that his prominent female political supporters are being forced to answer for the charges against him.

Traister joined MSNBC’s Chris Hayes on Wednesday to discuss the latest news about the explosive claim by Tara Reade that Biden digitally penetrated her in assault when she was an aide to then-Senator Biden in 1993. Traister had just written a magazine essay on Monday called “The Biden Trap,” which criticized the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee for expecting progressive women colleagues who have been strong advocates of the the #MeToo movement to confront — and defend — his behavior to the press.

“What this is creating is a kind of a perfect storm where the women who are being asked to support his opponent are now being asked to answer for these charges,” Traister pointed out. “In part because of the vacuum created by Joe Biden who is not yet really directly answering these questions, and certainly, not doing what I wish he would, which is to say: ‘Please direct your questions about these allegations to me, and not the women that are out there offering their support to my candidacy.'”

Hayes echoed Traister’s call for Biden to step forward and answer the allegations in person.

“The man in question, the nominee, the former vice president, is going to have to address them,” Hayes said, agreeing, “and not have Stacey Abrams or anyone else, or [Sen.] Kirsten Gillibrand do that. Rebecca Traister, your piece was fantastic and thank you for making time tonight.”

Watch the video above, via MSNBC.