The Joe Biden Gaffe Express almost ran off the tracks Thursday. Fortunately, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was there to explain to America exactly what the Vice President meant when he told NBC's Matt Lauer people shouldn't fly on airplanes or ride the subway because of the recent swine flu outbreak.
Just hours after Biden made these comments on the "Today" show (video embedded right), Gibbs was asked about them by ABC's Jake Tapper.
Here is the marvelous exchange (video embedded below the fold with transcript h/t TVNewser):
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JAKE TAPPER, ABC: My other question has to do with remarks that Vice President Biden made this morning on television. Representatives of the travel industry have accused the Vice President of coming close to fear-mongering because of his comments, and I'm wondering if you wanted to clarify or correct or apologize for the remarks that he made.
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Well, I think what the Vice President meant to say was the same thing that again many members have said in the last few days and that is if you feel sick, if you feel are exhibiting symptoms, flu-like symptoms -- coughing, sneezing, runny nose -- that you should take precautions, that you should limit your travel. I think he just, what he said and what he meant to say.
TAPPER: With all due respect, and I sympathize with you trying to explain the Vice President's comments, but that's not even remotely close to what he said. He was asked about if a member of his family was...
GIBBS: Jake, I understand what he said, and I'm telling you what he meant to say...
[Laughter]Nice.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.
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TAPPER: "Captain Gibbs,
April 30, 2009 - 20:48 ET by BuxomAnnieMcGreggorTAPPER: "Captain Gibbs, Captain Gibbs......"
GIBBS: " Yes, First Mate Tapper..... what is it?"
TAPPER: "Sir... we've completely OVERSHOT Earth and are now entering the atmosphere of URANIS!"
GIBBS: "Oh... that bad, huh? I thought I was doing a pretty good job"
[Laughter]
"We retort..... you decide."
GIBBS: Jake, I understand
April 30, 2009 - 20:52 ET by TN MomDay 101: Team Obama is
April 30, 2009 - 21:02 ET by bigtimerDay 101: Team Obama is coming apart at the seams...
I just hope there is no such thing as any super-glue invented that can put those seams that are unraveling back together again.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
bt
April 30, 2009 - 21:05 ET by TN MomNot to worry. "The horse is out of the barn"
hahaha!
The dope corrects the goofball
April 30, 2009 - 20:53 ET by slickwillie2001The transcript doesn't do this justice, you have to watch the video to get the true effect of Gibbs fumbling backdown of what Joe said. The WH press corps is beginning to laugh at Gibbs, somewhat a threshold to cross. I expect it will get worse.
you're right slick
April 30, 2009 - 21:00 ET by candanceReading the transcript doesn't compare. Gibbs looked like even he couldn't hide it being a lie.
Gibbs looked like even he
April 30, 2009 - 21:08 ET by TN MomGibbs looked like even he couldn't hide it being a lie.
Gibbs was girding Biden's loins?!
Robert Fibbs (sic) should
April 30, 2009 - 21:32 ET by celatorRobert Fibbs (sic) should be given a little slack here. After all, his native language is Political Gobbledegook and he is struggling to master normal American English. He's spinning as fast as he can! ;+}
No citizen's right to life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, or property is safe as long as Obama is President of the United States.
that Biden is a heartbeat away
April 30, 2009 - 21:16 ET by jondelwichefrom the nuclear trigger is: scary
BTW, they better hope the
April 30, 2009 - 21:17 ET by TN MomBTW, they better hope the swine flu goes doesn't spread to pandemic level six. What would happen if Biden is right about avoiding confined places/air travel while President TelePrompter only advises Americans to "wash your hands"?
Souter out
April 30, 2009 - 21:18 ET by slickwillie2001Fox News just said David Souter retiring at end of this USSC term.
Oh goody, we'll get somebody
April 30, 2009 - 21:25 ET by bigtimerOh goody, we'll get somebody to the left of him... if that's even possible.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
a better question
April 30, 2009 - 22:17 ET by Cho Yi FanAfter the answer that Gibbs gave Trapper someone should have followed up with the question:"Is Uranus bigger than Pluto".
I never thought we'd see
May 1, 2009 - 00:38 ET by fitzfongI never thought we'd see another White House Press Secretary as obnoxious and incompetent as Scott McClellan. I may have to reconsider.
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." -Winston Churchill
A Trend?
May 1, 2009 - 00:54 ET by Sabre16This seems to be becoming a trend. Joe Biden opens his mouth, and then the White House tells us what he really ment to say.
This could really turn out to be a fun four years, comedy wise. The whole destruction of the country makes for a bad hair day though.
Here in Texas, we're right
May 1, 2009 - 01:09 ET by ConservativeRexHere in Texas, we're right in the middle of crawfish boil season. I haven't seen anyone crawfish like Gibbs did today in quite a while.
Holla Rex!
May 1, 2009 - 10:01 ET by MeowMeowFellow Texan here! Seconding crawfish season remark. :)
Ahhh, Crawfish;
May 1, 2009 - 10:11 ET by boomerconEat da Tail, an suck da head. That's how you treat them little backward scootin mudbugs.
Say...that might work for ol tokin joe as well!
Would have to be an improvement.
Crawfish Festival '09, Spring, Texas, Yeehaww!
White House To-Do list
May 1, 2009 - 01:36 ET by rightwingidiotJoe Biden - open piehole, stick both your fat f__kin feet in, say something amazingly stupid.
Robert Gibbs - open piehole, stick both your fat f__king feet in, say something amazingly stupid.
Barry "you better" Obeyme - open piehole, stick both your fat f__kin feet in, say something amazingly stupid.
Hey, I just noticed sumpthin, they all have the same To-Do list. Go figure.
Gibbs has an impossible
May 1, 2009 - 05:54 ET by HockeyKidGibbs has an impossible job. You can't possibly cover for the idiots he works for without coming off looking like the world's biggest (or third biggest) boob.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
LOL
May 1, 2009 - 06:36 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsWow, I didn't relize Biden was a foreigner and we needed an interpreter to tell us what he was saying.
D
Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.
Jake Tapper is
May 1, 2009 - 10:00 ET by MeowMeowmy new hero. He strikes me as the type who is willing to call out people in the BHO administration, but would do the same thing if a Republican were in office. Which means....WOW! He's actually a good reporter, doing his job. He's one of the only ones, too.
Too bad guys with his standards of fairness can't be teaching journalism at colleges nationwide.
Good paying jobs are hard to find these days
May 1, 2009 - 10:39 ET by QueenMumIf Gibbs had a real job, he'd have been given the boot months ago. I wonder if he even communicates with the Dear Leader at all. Gibbs is clueless. Sometimes I honestly feel sorry for the guy. Anyone with any semblance of self-respect would have stepped down from the job by now. I'd have much more respect for someone who was willing to admit that they weren't up to the job. But who wants to give up a good government job, eh? (Note: I exempt the U.S. military from the overall characterization of government jobs.)
Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of the tribe. Civilization is the process of setting man free from men. - Ayn Rand
QM,
May 1, 2009 - 10:43 ET by AgnosticYou have to admit that Scott McClellan held on for a long time. Plus, as someone who has a job that is about to be placed in a very precarious position due the EPA over reaching on their authority I am a bit sympathetic to those that hold on to their job as tight as they can.
A person may be won over with logic and reason but the masses must be bought with spectacle and platitudes. - 2008 Elections
Agnostic: I appreciate your
May 1, 2009 - 10:57 ET by QueenMumAgnostic: I appreciate your position. But wouldn't you think that someone who could put "worked for the Obama administration" on their resume' would have a leg up on the competition. I guess you're not expecting to find one of those "green jobs" that the Dear Leader is going to "create"? (mildly sarcastic) ;)
But seriously. We're talking about the spokesperson for the POTUS. Tough job market or not, that person should be held to a higher standard than Gibbs exemplifies.
Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of the tribe. Civilization is the process of setting man free from men. - Ayn Rand
Queen,
May 1, 2009 - 11:07 ET by AgnosticYou have to admit though that in this case Scott had an advantage over poor Mr. Gibbs in that Scott could just right an anti-Bush book and make money on the talk circuit as long as the left chose to tolerate him but if Gibbs steps down from the Obama administration it better be as a martyr or he will be crucified in the media.
I do have a 'green' job but it is apparently not the proper shade of green since the EPA has announced that it intends on forcing out all effecient plants in order to promote new plants that pollute more per pound but the environmentalist like the new style of plant because it looks better. Okay that last part is my opinion because the government never really has stated why the EPA is supporting a system that actually polutes more.
A person may be won over with logic and reason but the masses must be bought with spectacle and platitudes. - 2008 Elections
Good point, Ag. With Obama
May 1, 2009 - 11:15 ET by QueenMumGood points re: McClellan vs. Gibbs, Ag.
And with Obama in the White House, the EPA is on course to destroy the American economy. The stupidity of the left's environmental agenda is psychotic.
Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of the tribe. Civilization is the process of setting man free from men. - Ayn Rand