January 22, 2009
VP and Dr Biden were on Oprah (1-19-09). They were having a nice little chat until Dr Biden leaked a secret that I'm sure barry wanted never to get out. It must be a family thing. She said her husband had the choice between Secretary of State and Vice President. Enlightening. We know that Sen Clinton was never in the running for VP. So it appears she was never on barry's short list for either.
Who was the other choice? Richardson? Kerry? And what kind of leader gives the decision to the person he will be appointing? That's what's most bizarre. Recall that it was the most important barry made as it was his first decision and he turfed it in his usual fashion. It's quite funny in a way and then add in VP Biden's not very well taken joke yesterday about Chief Justice Roberts' memory concerning the Oath of Office. (Take #2). I find him very refreshing. He says what's on his mind and calls it like he sees it and it seems his wife too.
Barry wants transparency? There's no one more transparent than Biden...or his wife it seems.
Biden was discussing his VP job with Oprah. How he said he needed some time to take to "Jillie" to see what was best for the family. He then went on to joke that "besides, we have public housing now".
Oprah then asked Dr Biden why she thought it would be good for the family.
JILL (6:00): Because I think--Joe had the choice to be secretary of state or vice president.
Came right out. She was looking at Oprah and saw hubby react and she stopped.
JOE: Shhhh!
JILL looked at the audience - who was loving it - and said no big dealwise: Well. Ok. He did.
OPRAH: It's ok. It's ok.
JOE, red-faced with his lupine grin laughed and hugged her and said: That's alright. Go ahead.
OPRAH: Why did you say it was good for the family?
JILL: So I said, 'Joe, if you're secretary of state, you'll be away...we'll never see you...you know. I'll see you at a state dinner once in awhile. But I said, if you're vice president, the entire family - because they worked so hard for the election -can be involved. They can come to our home. They can go to events, they can be with us all the time.' And that's what's important to us.
Joe sat there with his frozen smile probably happy it wasn't him. Oprah ever the professional and friend of barry went right past it. Problem is she asked if he was "worried about being number two since he wanted to be number one."
JOE: I think Barack was worried about it!
He couldn't help himself either. Their conversations at home must be interesting. Dr Biden is a beautiful woman. Hard to believe she is 57. Must be all that running. They look like they have a lot of fun together.
Then came the expected Joe Biden spokesperson statement. From WSJ's SUSAN DAVIS:
Elizabeth Alexander: Like anyone who followed the presidential campaign this summer, Dr. Jill Biden knew there was a chance that President-elect Obama might ask her husband to serve in some capacity and that, given his background, the positions of Vice President and Secretary of State were possibilities.
Dr. Biden's point to Oprah today was that being Vice President would be a better fit for their family because they would get to see him more and get to participate in serving more. To be clear, President-elect Obama offered Vice President-elect Biden one job only — to be his running mate. And the Vice President-elect was thrilled to accept the offer.
An interesting and conflicting note:
However ABC News notes that today was not the first time a Biden suggested the state job had been offered. In an Oct. 20 New Yorker article, Biden is quoted discussing his options with Obama, who noted his interest in foreign policy.
"[Obama] wasn't offering me this, but he said, 'Would you rather be Secretary of State instead of Vice-President?' And I thought a lot about that," Biden told the magazine. He said he consulted with his own advisers who said he'd be better as a running mate. "They convinced me that I could have more influence on policy as a Vice-President with Barack," Biden said.
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