|
People close to Biden insist he was simply speaking of his personal beliefs, not trying to push the president to reveal his. "Joe was being Joe," said Ed Rendell, the Democratic former governor of Pennsylvania. "He probably wasn't thinking about the fact that the president was going to make a statement about it on his own." And for some White House aides, that was exactly the problem. There was a plan and Biden hadn't stuck to it. Biden's words set off a scramble in the White House. A transcript of his interview with NBC's "Meet the Press," taped on Friday, landed on the desks of some top Obama aides in the West Wing. Highlighted in yellow were his comments on gay marriage. Suddenly it was Biden being showered with accolades by liberals for his bold stance on gay right issues, not Obama, the president responsible for pushing through the repeal of the military's ban on openly gay service members and ordering the government to stop enforcing the Defense of Marriage Act. Cleaning up Biden's mess wasn't new to the White House. His penchant for gaffes is legendary in Washington and was cause for some concern during the selection process for Obama's running mate. But over time, Biden's slip-ups became more of a running joke than a policy problem. There was the time he was caught by cameras using an expletive to show his excitement over passage of the president's health care overhaul. And the time he offered his blessings to the deceased mother of the Irish prime minister, only to quickly remember that she was, in fact, alive. Getting ahead of the president on a politically sensitive issue like gay marriage is hardly just a gaffe. But aides say Biden won't be punished for his remarks. While Obama headed to the West Coast on Thursday, Biden was at the White House headlining an event with student groups and higher education organizations. And he'll soon be back out on the campaign trail raising money for the Obama-Biden ticket.
[Associated
Press;
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching & Learning | Home and Family | Tourism | Obituaries
Community |
Perspectives
|
Law & Courts |
Leisure Time
|
Spiritual Life |
Health & Fitness |
Teen Scene
Calendar
|
Letters to the Editor