Joe Biden appeared this morning on Meet the Press, moderated by Tom Brokaw. In the opening series of questions, Brokaw probed Biden about the effect of Governor Sarah Palin's inclusion in the presidential campaign.
Brokaw asked generally how Biden would handle his upcoming debate with Palin, underscoring his question with the premise that it might be a delicate situation debating a woman. Biden responded with a rambling answer in which he stated that he debates women all the time in the U.S. Senate and had previously run against a formidable female opponent in one of his Delaware Senate races. Biden went on to say that he would have an easier time debating vice presidential runners-up Tom Ridge and Mitt Romney since he was familiar with their policy positions. Biden said he did not know Governor Palin's policy positions (video here).
BIDEN: ... what is new is I have no idea what her policies [are]. I assume they're the same as John's. I just don't know.
Biden further claimed he had not seen Palin's entire RNC speech (only the ending).
Literally seconds later, the questioning turned to Palin's immediate ability to energize the Republican base - and in particular to draw women to the campaign. Biden repeated the standard party line that Palin's policies were generally out of touch with many women, and in particular she was opposed to the policies of Senator Hillary Clinton.
BIDEN: ... I think it's kind of ... um ...demeaning to suggest that all women are going to vote for a woman just because she's a woman even when she is diametrically opposed to everything Hillary stands for. I mean ... I hear this talk about, you know, is she going to pick up Hillary voters. Well ... I ... so far I haven't heard one single policy position ... one single position that she has in common with Hillary.
Two points. First, it is implausible (and in fact political malpractice, to borrow a term) to consider that Joe Biden does not know Sarah Palin's policy positions nine days after she was tapped by John McCain. Has Biden not watched any television in the meantime? And if he has not yet boned up on his counterpart's policy positions, then when is he going to get around to it?
Secondly, Biden contradicted his own alleged ignorance about Palin's policy positions by almost immediately claiming that those same policy positions were "diametrically opposed" to those of Senator Hillary Clinton.
And most significantly, Brokaw did not challenge Biden on either point.
[note: quotes and video link added after-the-fact at 7:25 p.m.]
—Jason Aslinger is a private practice attorney in Greenville, Ohio.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
because it never hapened
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 08:50 ET by Mica the MagnificentWell, if Brokaw didn't notice the contradiction - it never happened, don't ya know.
I knew Sarah Palins positions on the issues, before I didn't know. - - Basically what Biden said.
Notice how when Brokaw,
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 10:23 ET by TENotice how when Brokaw, Schieffer, Blitzer and Stephanopolous have Democrats on their programs, the entire program is focused on asking the Democrat guest about Republicans (i.e., prompting the Democrat on their programs to attack Republicans) but when the guest is a Republican the entire program is devoted to having the Republican defend Republican postions. Did you see blithering idiot Schieffer this morning with McCain? The poor fool was in tears that Republicans questioned the idea that the "community organizer" possessed the "experience" necessary to be president.
Brokaw says...
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 08:54 ET by JoelCTTom Brokaw: "Senator Biden, with all due respect, you are coming across as a blithering idiot here. You don't know Palin's policy positions but you know they are diametrically opposed to Senator Clinton's positions? Have you already started drinking this morning? Did your handlers forget to give you your medicine?"
Sara noticed
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 09:44 ET by ThisnThatI guarantee that one person in this country took notice of Biden's contradictions, and she will use that in the upcoming VP debate. She's not a fool like Biden is; and Brokaw; and the rest of the Obama worshipers.
When you are a hunter, you learn how to kill your prey; dress it; and cook it until it's well-done. Biden is in the cross-hairs.
___________________________________
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
I think you're right
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 09:50 ET by Jason AslingerThisnThat, I think you nailed something here. The media have ignored all the obvious contradictions of Obama/Biden up until now, but the great equalizer is Sarah Palin who will now point them out in real time ... and in front of crowds of 15,000 or more. She already did it with Obama's surge statement to O'Reilly - and I see this morning that Stephanopolous is now asking Obama about it. Look for more to come.
X
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 12:44 ET by serfer62Dude you never overcook game meat. Never
People, stop expecting the
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 09:11 ET by msh1973People, stop expecting the msm to do their job...they will never confront a liberal Democrat on any issue.
They are doing their job don't you see?
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 09:37 ET by superconIt just isn't the job you think it is.
Their job is to get Barack Obama elected and they don't care who knows anymore.
To Democrats and liberals there is no future,no hope,no sunshine beyond November 4th 2008.Getting Barack elected is all that matters.They don't care about their reputation as their jobs are secure in their networks which support Barack as well.
They are merely doing what the bosses want.If he wins the election then it will all be worth it.
Victory in Iraq.
Liberals suck.
McCain for Preznint.
Thank you for monitoring the talking heads on Sunday ..........
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 09:11 ET by halfacarafe.........yawn, yeah whatever the talking heads are saying I'm really going to pay attention because of all the..............yawn........brillance and ability to get to the meat of the ..........yawn
Ah shit, I can't even fake it. Who cares what Tom Brokaw or Biden has to say.
This is just like a liberal
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 09:32 ET by motherbeltThis is just like a liberal saying "I've always said..." or "It's always been my position..." and then going on to say the complete opposite of their previous position on the issue.
And the MSM don't call them on that either.
Anybody Surpised by This?
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 09:36 ET by ChasvsBe afraid, be very afraid..but do not be surprised that the Liberals are editing the TRUTH from their message.
We know the enemy and they are the Liberals and their ever loving MSM friends.
Think you know the Truth about Obama? Not by half, and they want it that way!
Be afraid, be very afraid. ACT NOW to STOP Obama-Biden!
ASSUME
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 10:29 ET by totalkaosdaveTotalKaosDave
I'm sorry, but you're assuming Brokaw knew the original points, and therefore, the contradictions. The more I see and hear MSM, the more I am convinced of their utter incompetence and intellectual shortcomings. Please do not overstate their intellect or intellectual honesty.
FoxNews and Axelrod
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 10:50 ET by Gat New YorkI was watching FoxNews Sunday and Wallace was interviewing David Axelrod.
Axelrod could not give a straight answer and kept giving typical Obama talking points. But Wallace kept interrupting him to get him to answer the questions he was asking, which Ax elrod could not.
Biden Contradicts Biden
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 10:59 ET by TheHistorianBiden is going to do a Kerry; hold a debate with himself. He contradicted himself on a lot today. First was, he never proposed splitting Iraq. Second, he will not impose his own beliefs on life beginning at conception because "other people have different views". Too bad he doesn't have that kind of belief when it comes to dealing with issues such as taxes and Supreme Court nominations in the Senate.
Just to clarify what Biden wanted in Iraq, below is a link to one of his editorials in the Washington Post. His position on MTP today was "nuanced" from this one, and enough different that he could easily have a debate with himself. He points to Bosnia as a perfect model; does anyone else doubt that he is a cross between Admiral "Wrongway Peachfuzz" (Rocky and Bullwinkle) and COL Klink (Hogan's Heroes). I agree with Hogan's words on Klink being appropriate to Biden when he was disarming a bomb, "I didn't know which wire to cut, but I knew you would choose the wrong one". This summarizes Joe Biden's history on Thomas, Alito, Iraq, Bosnia, and most of the other foreign policy issues on which he has pontificated.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/23/AR200608...
"What experience and history teach is
this - that people and governments never have learned anything from history,
or acted on principles deduced from it."
G. W. F. Hegel
First, the plan calls for
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 11:10 ET by motherbeltFirst, the plan calls for maintaining a unified Iraq by decentralizing it and giving Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis their own regions. -Biden
A "unified" Iraq by giving three groups their own regions?
And if that's not dividing it up, why would the world need to
convene an international conference that would produce a regional nonaggression pact -Biden
He's already debating himself.
Biden's unintelligible
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 12:01 ET by Ten7sGenerally, Biden's answers are unintelligible, and what's more, he knows it. He takes two things for granted a.) that the MSM won't really challenge him and that b.) the audience will assume that they are somehow deficient b/c they can't understand his gibberish. That's Biden's stock and trade, nonsense presented with conviction, which increases in proportion to the untenablity of his position.
That's Biden's stock and
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 13:45 ET by stratmanNo truer words have ever been written on NewsBusters.
Excellent.
RRAM Tough!
Kill, Baby, Kill
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 12:36 ET by BarkerSecond, he will not impose his own beliefs on life beginning at conception because "other people have different views".
Well Joe, some people believe life begins at forty. Is it above your pay grade to allow killing all of the younger generation?
Second, he will not impose
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 12:45 ET by NewsbusterbrownSecond, he will not impose his own beliefs on life beginning at conception because "other people have different views".
Is a fetus a human or not? If you think it's human, who cares about other people having different views?
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
If no one knows when life begins...
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 16:18 ET by ExZonie...then conscience dictates that we must err on the side of life and protect unborn children from deliberate destruction.
Hillary Lost
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 11:02 ET by Nortoor did Joe forget that Obama is his running mate! Joe, you might as well get used to it, HC is not who is the least qualified or experienced in this race, but the socialist at the head of your ticket, so cut out the comparisons to HC.
Biden could be
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 13:48 ET by kilrodBiden could be out in the morning?? This may sound like i'm just trying to start a rumor, but; They are sending hil out on the attack against Palin, and on the gma wk-end show this morning, they did a nice piece on Palin but the attitude and body language of the host was smirky, snarky, arrogant and smug. Then at the end of the show the guy host said gma would have a major announcement and they acted purty pleased with themselves. My first thought was, they had something bad on Palin, and it could be. Then i got to thinking, maybe bidens out and hil is in, and biden just don't know it yet??? Who knows?? Maybe i'm just spooky and gun-shi and lettin my imagination get away, but somethin seems to be in the wind. I know, it coulld not even be political, but?????????????????
kilrod
Remember, only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American Soldier
LIEberals like Biden and Barry
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 17:57 ET by LionKingProv 12:22
22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal truthfully are His delight.
NKJV
Sunni---Shiite
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 19:56 ET by txcoI saw this interview...at one point the smartest man on earth got Sunni and Shitte mixed up. Will the MSM make a big deal of it like they did when John McCain did that?????
I have to give Joe credit..he sure has white teeth!!!
I believe it was Noel
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 21:55 ET by Rush FanI believe it was Noel Sheppard, who shortly after Tom Brokaw replaced Tim Russert on Meet the Press, commented that Brokaw looked ‘tired’. I watched Meet the Press today and Tom Brokaw looked very, very tired. He had very little of the enthusiasm that Tim Russert brought to the show.
I’m looking forward to the liberal Brokaw retiring permanently again as he has planned after the election. If General Electric decides to improve NBC’s appalling reputation, someone outside of NBC who is fair and balanced should be selected, someone with the fairness of a Brit Hume or Chris Wallace.
------------------------------------------------------------------
NewsBuster blogger Reaver shared this link to an excellent article with the subtitle: Sarah Palin, a climate skeptic and energy booster, knows more about Canada-U.S. issues than Joe Biden