Barack Obama on Bill Cosby Rape Accusations: Cannot Revoke Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Barack Obama spoke about the sexual assault allegations surrounding Bill Cosby at a press conference on Wednesday. Obama said that giving a person a drug and then having sex with them is, explicitly, rape. However, he said, there is currently no mechanism to take away Cosby's Presidential Medal of Freedom.

More than two dozen women have come forward accusing Cosby of sexual misconduct over the past several decades. Cosby has continually denied these allegations and has not been convicted. His wife, Camille, came forward recently and said that while he cheated on her, Cosby is not a rapist.

Obama was speaking to the press on Wednesday about the Iranian nuclear deal, but responded to a reporter's question about Cosby's Presidential Medal of Freedom. Former President George W. Bush awarded the medal to Cosby in 2002. The Promoting Awareness/Victim Empowerment (PAVE) group started a petition on the White House's website to revoke the medal, which got over 10,000 signatures and had support from politicians like Sen. Kristen Gillibrand.

Obama said that there is no precedent for revoking a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

"This country, and any civilized country, should have no tolerance for rape," Obama said. He added that "if you give a woman, or a man, for that matter, without his or her knowledge a drug and then have sex with them, that's rape."

Despite Cosby's denials, court documents from a 2005 case, which were revealed last week, showed that Cosby admitted he had obtained Quaaludes with the intent to give them to women and have sex with the women. Following that revelation, Walt Disney World decided to remove a statue of Cosby from their Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame plaza.

Some of Cosby's accusers have joined together to attempt to have more court documents revealed, potentially showing evidence and testimony from previous allegations. They also would like to meet with Cosby's wife to speak with her in person and tell their side of the story.