That’s a real good point, the thing is, other news sources have the same kind of cockeyed headline:
And yes, if one wants to say Newsweek etc. are no better, I agree basically with that.
Looks like CBS (maligned here) is calling it “inappropriate touching” in the headline which is what people tend to remember:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actress-heather-lind-accuses-george-h-w-bush-of-inappropriate-touching/
The list goes on.
All I can think of, is that if one is in a wheelchair and someone is next to you getting the picture taken, touching could happen that was inadvertently done.
Just saying that, no one has brought that up, especially if it is with a frail old man. The off-color joke though, leaves some smoke in the situation.