Joe Biden's history lesson off by 4 years and 1 president but otherwise pretty accurate

When Barack Obama took Joe Biden to be his lawfully vetted running mate, the freshman Illinois senator took the veteran Delaware senator loose lips and all. And Republicans took note.

The same day Obama tapped Biden, the famously verbose Delaware senator who's been in in the Senate since Obama was 11, the Republican National Committee launched a website to monitor Biden's future gaffes. But with so much attention focused on the shooting star of the GOP's vice presidential nominee, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and watching for her first big mistake, less attention has fallen on Biden's accumulating missteps.

During his first several weeks as the Democratic vice presidential candidate, Biden did a surprisingly good job of keeping his foot out of his mouth. Sure, he slipped occasionally (like the time he asked a crowd to welcome his running mate "Barack America" to the stage. Or the time he said "Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America"). But they're not the sort of bungles that start wars.

Now, however, the honeymoon appears over.

Biden has blundered badly several times in the past several days, often on issues relating to the economy.

He's been caught contradicting his running mate, which is among every political ticket's Ten Commandments of no-no's.

And on one occasion, he got his facts wrong. With voters closely watching and worrying about the financial crisis, these inconsistencies could have real consequences come Nov. 4, now less than six weeks away.

And they distract badly from the message the Obama campaign is trying to push on John McCain (namely, that the Arizona Senator is out of touch on the economy).

Biden made one mistake last week, when NBC's Meredith Vieira asked him whether the federal government should bail out ailing....

...insurance corporation AIG. Biden said no, the same position his old colleague John McCain took.

That would have been fine, except for the little fact that Obama had already endorsed the bailout, saying that he would not "second-guess" the government's attempt to save AIG. This morning, "Today's" Matt Lauer called Obama out on the contradiction. Obama patiently but firmly suggested Biden should have waited to respond.

A few days later, Biden had audiences cringing when he acknowledged on ABC's "Good Morning America" that the wealthy would pay higher taxes if Obama was elected president and that doing so would be "patriotic." He repeated the remark again on the campaign trail, and soon after, the Republicans were out with a TV spot deriding Biden and Obama for being tax-and-spend Democrats.

And last night, in an interview with “CBS Evening News,” Biden misspoke when he told anchor Katie Couric that today's leaders should take a lesson from the history books and follow former President Franklin D. Roosevelt's response to a previous national financial crisis.

Declared Biden: “When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened.'”

What's wrong with that, some might ask?

Well, for starters Republican Herbert Hoover was president when the stock market crashed in October 1929. Second, Roosevelt didn't take office until four years later. And, not to be picky, but there were also no televisions in use at the time. Radio was Roosevelt's favored medium.

Biden has made non-economic goofs as well. In last night's interview with Couric, he called one of his own campaign's TV ads "terrible."

"I didn't know we did it and if I had anything to do with it, we would have never done it," he said, referring to a commercial that mocked McCain for being computer illiterate.

That kind of honesty might hurt Biden, but it also has the potential to help. As our colleague Faye Fiore points out in her excellent profile of Biden, published in Tuesday's print editions of The Times, the senator's off-the-cuff demeanor is also part of his appeal. Hmm, "straight talk," where have we heard that before?

Fiore spent several days last week on the campaign trail with Biden, and the headline of her story speaks volumes about the character of the candidate:

"In-your-face time with Joe Biden"

-- Kate Linthicum

Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[tyler kent]

The trouble with Biden's remark about FDR is simply this: He did not "goof." He not simply mix up his facts. It was not a slip of the tongue, or an error. It was not a case of a faulty memory. It was, in fact, a pure fabrication. Biden simply made up the entire story!!! FDR was not president when the stock market crashed, and there were no televisions. Fact is, he made up a lie in order to give emphasis to what he thought was terrific rhetoric. The trouble here is that a candidate for vice president was quite willing to tell a lie on national television, all in the vain hope that he would look good. Biden is simply a liar whose future discourse cannot be trusted.

[Longbow17]

And to think, Dan Quayle was laughed off the national stage for just mis-spelling POTOTO!! Can we say "Media Bias"?

[BJ]

Why won't the media focus on what the real problem is, which if what's happening now on Wall Street?

Why not just fund Freddie and Fannie, and use these institutions to buy up homeowners' mortgages, and retool their rates, so that homeowners can keep their homes, start making payments on them, so there will be money flowing in again? At least this way, the homeowners will be helped directly, instead of diverting the bailout to the large companies?

Then, the Treasury can pick and choose companies that deserve to be bailed out, OR are worth bailing out, with the profits going back to the taxpayers.

I know it sounds simplistic, and I may not know what I'm talking about, but at least I know where the money's going and to whom it's going, this way.

[If you cant sell'em..confuse'em]

Allthough Obama is a much more consumate at distorting
the facts,he and Biden share the same propensity for
bold face lies and lust for an obsolete socialistic utopian
nanny state. Our choice is between a moderate conservative ticket and extreme left-wing duo of liars that
wont hesitate to sabotage our free enterprise system to
justify the implementation of debilitating burocratic policys
in all phases of our lives.

[bob dunn]

Roosevelt's first "Fireside Chat" occurred on March 12, 1933, concerning the bank crisis of that time. Although it was transmitted through radio, rather than TV, and happened four years after the market crash of 1929, Joe Biden's reference to Roosevelt's communication with our country through the available medium was and is correct on the fundamental issues of the day. The fact that the first archived chat dealt with the bank crisis, in light of our current meltdown, should not be lost on your hyper-critical bloggers who are apparently perfect in every way.

[bob dunn]

Perhaps the columnist could have placed the fireside chats in historical perspective to the attentive reader. The first of the archived fireside chats by Roosevelt occurred on March 12, 1933, and the topic was the bank crisis of the day. in comparison to the present crisis, I hope this irony is not lost on the LA Times or her sanctimonious bloggers. Regarding the heart of the issue, a president's communication with the nation about a looming financial crisis, using the available medium of the time, Joe Biden's remarks were appropriate.

[OMEGA]

He going to end up making Dan Quayle, look good.... If the Obama/Biden ticket wins.

I do like the fact he speaks his mind, but damm he has a hard time getting his facts straight, maybe he not as smart as he thinks he is.

[Patsy Bruce]

Joe Biden is a joke. Hillary must be laughing her head off.

[Don]

Can you imagine if Sarah Palin had said this? It would be front page news on every newspaper in America and the lead story on every news channel. Biden says it and the only liberal rag to print it is the LA Times which includes an excuse for him.

You still think media bias is made up?

You still think the Repubs are making it all up?

Go to google...click news... and type in Biden
You will not find one mention of this story.

Now do the same but type in Palin All you see is negative articles, especially from the LA Times.

How sad that your candidate is so bad that he is still only a few points up even with the entire press corp on his side...He must really be awful

[J.Charles]

I Love Joe. The reason people pick on him is the exact reason they should not. He does not speak like a politician. He speaks like a real person, and a darn intelligent one 90% of the time. It's like looking at a diamond. If you focus on the inclusions and imperfections, then you are missing the brilliance of the stone. I mean, c'mon. After 8 years of listening to an idiot like W, even Biden's so called "gaffes" are refreshing. At least he knows all the important foreign leaders on a first name basis. Bush and now Palin have never even been outside the US before asking Americans to entrust them with the nation's standing in the world. And we all know how it worked out 8 years ago. Go Joe! You're the man and I trust you more than any of these clowns.

[Dan O]

What a moron... One heart beat away from the President and we get Rain Man.

[Larry]

Bob Dunn and J. Charles: Your spin is exactly what's wrong with politics today and why the American People want to vote the riff-raff out. Biden invents a story, with TWO provable doozies, and you want it seen as "essentially correct" or "refreshing." Pathetic. And I'm an Obama supporter who darn well knows Hillary should be in the VP slot. You don't get it yet, do you. WE'RE TIRED OF BEING LIED TO. WE'RE TIRED OF NAKED AMBITION. WE'RE TIRED OF "FEEL GOOD" OVER REAL RESULTS.

[Just]

Biden said “the stock market crashed”, he didn’t say specifically the 1929 market crash. Why do you people have to take it as the 1929 crash? In case you don’t know, there have been more than just one stock market crashes over the history. Do yourself a favor and find out which year under FDR when there was a stock market crash.

Granted, he has most likely mistaken “television” with “radio”. Hey, he should have said “YouTube”. Who cares!

[MCS]

I would be willing to bet that people at FOX News started this rumor, as they are the official headquarters for the campaign firm of Palin, Palin, McCain, and Palin.

McCain was supposed to appear on Late Night with David Letterman tonight, but bowed out due to an 'urgent need to return to Washington'. Instead of urgently returning to Washington, he was giving an interview with Katie Couric at NBC... at very time that he was scheduled to appear at the Late Night studios.

There again, maybe Biden started the rumor of his extraction. Maybe he realizes how many misguided statements he has been making lately. All that experience and no common sense. Biden should use the Sarah Palin Doctrine: avoid the Press and don't-open-mouth-without-script.

We The People are doomed to be "represented" by political puppets. That being so, I'd vote Kermit the Frog/Miss Piggy any day of the week. They could grab the hippies from the The Electric Mayhem for their cabinet and appoint explosive enthusiast Crazy Harry as Secretary of War. Bunson Hunnydew and Beaker could develop alternate forms of energy and Sam The Eagle could represent for the Right Wing. At least then we'd have an administration of color.

In the immortal words of Rowlf the Dog, "The urge is righteous but the face is wrong; I hope that something better comes along."

[MCS]

A correction to my earlier post: McCain was on CBS News with Katie Couric, not NBC.

[Traci Currier]

hmmm....this is picking on him? If it was Sarah Palin it would be plastered on the front page of EVERY major newspaper. It would be on EVERY news report over and over. This gets swept under the rug and the headline reads "otherwise pretty accurate". Sarah Palin "has no experience" but Obama has so much more?? Isn't that what we all are looking for - we don't want another politician - we want real people who will look out for real people.

I am disgusted with Hollywood AND the media trying to stuff Obama down my throat. Regarding the media - msnbc is the most despicable news channel I ave ever watched. The news stations are supposed to report the news - not offer the reporters 2 cents to everything, unless you show BOTH sides.

I am intelligent 42 year old woman - I can do my own research , and that is exactly what I will do thank you very much.

[karl stecher]

Dan Quayle didn't misspell potato as potatoe; the old English, now obsolete, spelling of potatoe was on the card...and Quayle used the school's flash card to follow what he thought the school was teaching. But the left-wing media jumped all over this, misstated it, for their amusement and to slander Dan Quayle.
More stock market crashes since 1929? Everyone, so I thought, referred to this is the big crash. When you refer to dropping of the atomic bomb, does anyone refer to anything but Hiroshima and Nagasaki? No, Biden was confused/poorly studied on the facts.

[Mike]

I've been reading about FDR and his Fireside Chats. It turns out that Joe Biden was more correct than most anybody has been willing to admit.

Roosevelt started his Fireside Chats in March and April, 1929, while he was governor of New York. The Stock Market had not yet crashed, but there was an agricultural depression in the state. In these and future talks, he explained the situation in plain, non-condescending language, encourage nonpartisan efforts, put forth suggested solutions, and asked for public feedback.

FDR continued these talks through his governorship (including through the time of the stock market crash), and then reconstituted them when he was elected President.

I found this interesting quote from a newspaper editorial after one of his talks in 1930, shortly before he was elected to his second term as governor:

"If television were perfected, thousands who listened in last night ... would have seen their Governor seated comfortably behind his big desk in the Executive Mansion, flashing his characteristic smile with each sally, shaking his head for emphasis over a good point.... They would see him settling down into an earnest plea to "lend a hand" and his mouth set with determination.... Taking his radio audience into his confidence the Governor leans forward just a little to make a scathing jibe.... And turning away from the mike, the Governor gives a boyish smile of "that was a good one...." Slyly taking a quote from a Republican campaign speech, he pours a bit of polished satire into the "mike." Leaning back, straightening his broad shoulders ... and with the same grimly amused glint in his eyes and the same "well you understand how ridiculous it is" smile, the Governor pokes fun at his opponents for his unseen audience. Then he anticipates. He keeps the air still for a second. His eyes narrow and he launches an attack.... When the half hour is over and incidentally Governor Roosevelt is pleased as a boy when he hits the broadcast time nail exactly on the head, he settles back to talk in that same smooth musical voice radio listeners and critics have come to admire."

Those of you who are quick to condemn a comment as gaff should first make sure you know what you are talking about.

[Thomas Frieder]

Folks there was a "goof"...Roosevelt did come on the radio at the time of the crash. He was Governor of NY at the time and needed to boost confidence in the NY stock exchange system OK stop the Quayle comparisons

[JoeW]

Biden's comments about Roosevelt probably came from news reporting he saw of old Video Clips of Roosevelt which they actually showed in movies theatres long before television. The distinction is trivial.
THIS IS PARAPHRASING ANYWAYS - WHO CARES?

It’s not Palin’s so-called gaffes that are disturbing to me. I find her attempts at coherence interesting – and not in a mean spirited way.
However, it’s her seeming lack of innate curiosity so similar to George Bush’s that I find troubling. Her “6-pack Joe” MINDSET (think of the Etymology here) leads her to a black-and-white worldview that’s non-illuminating (“you’re either with us, or your against us”). This is a shallow reality folks.