Biden called law professor over 1990s harassment hearing

White House hopeful Joe Biden called Anita Hill -- the woman at the centre of emblematic sex harassment hearings three decades ago -- to voice regret for "what she endured," US media reported.

The former vice president, who launched into the 2020 race Thursday, has long faced criticism over the aggressive questioning of Hill during the 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Clarence Thomas, which Biden chaired.

His phone call earlier this month appeared to be an attempt to defuse a key vulnerability for the Democratic candidate, who faces accusations of touching women inappropriately.

In a statement to several media, the Biden campaign said he and Hill "had a private discussion where he shared with her directly his regret for what she endured and his admiration for everything she has done to change the culture around sexual harassment in this country."