Al Roker’s man crush on Vice President Biden took a new and unusual turn on Friday’s Today.
Speaking with co-hosts Natalie Morales and Willie Geist, the NBC weatherman (jokingly?) expressed his desire to, “make the pitch [for Biden to co-host Today] wrapped in a box. I'm going to deliver myself on the front steps. Big bow in a box. He's going to open it. Mr. Vice president.” [See video after jump.]
Wouldn't pretending to be a sign-language interpreter to get on stage with the vice president be an easier gimmick to pull off?
Roker is one of the many members of the media invited to the vice presidential mansion for a Christmas party, so he can celebrate his bromance with the Vice President in person. Geist joked that, “It's going to be sad when the Secret Service dives on you and locks you up” clearly reminding the audience that Roker’s love of Biden is almost an obsession.
Not surprising, this is not Roker’s only instance where he has shown to be a Biden fanboy, as my colleague Kyle Drennen noted. Back on Inauguration Day, he shouted out at the veep from the ropeline along Pennsylvania Avenue, getting Biden's attention and a handshake. [see video below]
I’m sure Al Roker popping out of a box is just what Biden wants this Christmas.
See relevant transcript below.
NBC
Today
December 13, 2013
9:04 a.m. Eastern
AL ROKER: In fact, maybe Joe Biden can get this for the president. Because I know he has been shopping.
WILLIE GEIST: He has been shopping.
NATALIE MORALES: It's hard to find a gift for the president.
GEIST: Yeah. It is. My favorite part of the story is that TMZ was hanging out on Capitol Hill. Who knew they were covering the Hill now. The reporter from TMZ asking Vice President Biden as he walked the hallways there if he's hard at work shopping for President Obama.
UNKNOWN REPORTER: Have you gone Christmas
JOE BIDEN: Are you kidding me?
UNKNOWN: How hard is it to shop for
BIDEN: By the way, we exchange
UNKNOWN: Okay.
BIDEN: And he gave me a great
UNKNOWN: How hard is it to pick out gifts?
BIDEN: Well, it's hard but since we
GEIST: You ask Joe Biden a question,
ROKER: He tells it. Straight up.
MORALES: So now you know what to get the vice president. Cause you’ve got a little holiday party to go to.
ROKER: I am. They have got the vice president and Dr. Biden having a holiday party for media down in Washington.
MORALES: Since your best buddies now.
ROKER: I'm going down.
GEIST: Are you going to make the pitch?
ROKER: I'm going to make the pitch wrapped in a box. I'm going to deliver myself on the front steps. Big bow in a box. He's going to open it. Mr. Vice President.
MORALES: That will get security.
GEIST: It's going to be sad when the Secret Service dives on you and locks you up.
ROKER: For that three seconds.
GEIST: Locks you up forever.
MORALES: We’ll come bail you out we promise.
