Joe Biden takes note of Sarah Palin's sheltering from the media

Joe Biden made news earlier today -- likely in a way that caused Democratic strategists to cringe -- when he said that the wealthier Americans who would pay more under Barack Obama's tax plan should feel "patriotic" about doing so.

At a union hall rally this afternoon in Akron, Ohio, Biden sought to make a virtue of his accessibilty -- even if it results in the occasional gaffe.

The Times' Faye Fiore is covering Biden and she relates that after he mentioned the tax question he had been asked on "Good Morning America," he said, "I’ve done a lot of press, I’ve done, I don’t know, I was told I did 68, 70 press conferences."

Then he recounted being asked by a reporter what he thought of Sarah Palin. "When she does three, I'll let you know," he quoted himself as saying.

That means the political world will have to wait for one more tete-a-tete between Palin and a journalist. Since John McCain picked her as his running mate, she's done two sets of interviews -- with ABC's Charlie Gibson that aired last week and with Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity, which wraps up tonight (previews of what she has to say can be perused here and here).

Biden, as is his wont, warmed to his subject after his comment about Palin, saying: "I don’t know! I don’t have any idea! I don’t know! I don’t know!"

With his crowd rising to its feet, he broadened his riff to include McCain.

"You know, I mean, look, and it’s not, look guys, it’s not just Sarah Palin," he said. "When’s the last time John, when’s the last time John’s had a press conference? I’m serious.”

McCain, once perhaps the most accessible of national politicians to reporters, has changed that policy as the presidential campaign has progressed. The Democratic National Committee, in turn, this week started a "McCain Press Watch," which clocks ...

... the time elapsed since the Republican last took reporter questions.

By the same token, lack of accessibility to the candidate has been an ongoing complaint among those covering Obama.

Biden, continuing a rare day in which figured prominently in the political back-and-forth, stood by his "patriotic" remark during an interview with Katie Couric of CBS.

Asked about the barbs directed at him over it by Palin and McCain, noted that the latter had opposed the sweeping tax cuts President Bush pushed into law in 2001 precisely because it benefited the wealthy (McCain famously has since retreated from that position).

"Give me a break," Biden told Couric. "I remind my friend John McCain what he said. When Bush called for war and tax cuts he said, quote, 'It is immoral, immoral to take a nation to war and not have anybody pay for it.'

"I am so sick and tired of this phoniness.  The truth of the matter is that we are in trouble, and the people who do not need a new tax cut should be willing as patriotic Americans to understand the way to get this economy back up on their feet is to give middle-class taxpayers a break. We take the tax cut they're getting and we give it to the middle class."

-- Don Frederick

Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[Anon]

That worm is afraid of the light!

[R. Miller]

Invisible Joe is actually accusing Palin and McCain of hiding?

Biden's been harder to find than Taliban militants in the past two weeks.

[eric]

Attention Hillary Voters:
Vote for Obama and you will have DESTROYED Hillary's chance at
becoming President!!

Obama has already destroyed Hillary's chances for this time around. He
couldn't even do her the honor of making her VP.

Consider this:
If you elect Obama for 2008 , Hillary CAN'T RUN IN 2012!! The
incumbent always runs for their party in reelection.

Hillary will then be 69 when she gets a chance to run as democrat.
Then people will call her old(like they do McCain who is 72) and she
will NEVER become President.

Reagan was 69 when he got elected but he wasn't trying to break the
glass ceiling at the same time.

So if you care at all about Hillary, you will VOTE AGAINST Obama this
time around. Plus, you will break the glass ceiling and Hillary WILL
BE THERE in 2012!!

Think about it!! It makes sense!!

If you support Hillary, YOU MUST VOTE AGAINST OBAMA!!!

[mark]

Here's one more famous quote: "It's not who votes that counts, it who COUNTS the votes!"

Josef Stalin

Watch Ohio.Thay are still using the fixed machines.

[ohhhthepossibilities]

Free Sarah! Break the McCain shackles.

[Rick Huffman]

Biden tells it like it is regardless of political correctness. Its been a hands off Palin campaign. Palin has even criticized the press before they even spoke to her. Bottom line, Mccain is not a maverick he is reckless, and choosing Palin emphasizes the fact. He is 71, with old ideas and is for status quo. Palin is neo-con so far to the right that she makes Cheney look liberal. Come america wake up, Obama and Biden hands down are the right ticket. We are in deep deep trouble and we need positive change not divisive politics that the republicans stand for. Evil people with an evil agenda...they learned a lot from the Taliban. Even Karl Rowe said McCain has broken the mold on truth, lies and slinging mud is all he has, no ideas, no plan, its just his turn. Sorry, I am voting for Obama and Biden and Hillary at the top of the Cabinet.

[steve rodriguez]

Hey Joe The mainstream media has been hiding from Obama for 19 months now, in fear of asking him tough questions!

[Charles from FL]

Yea, those 2 Republican worms will wilt in the sunlight of American truth, if anyone ever manages to pin them down. More likely they will wiggle into the White House and bring the place down like their leader Bush the Lesser.

[steve rodriguez]

So according to CNN"s Jack Cafferty if I don't vote for Obama I'm a racist! I knew the Obama supporters love play the race card any chance they get!

[steve rodriguez]

I think Obama should drop Bidden from the ticket and consider other talented women like: Joy Bayhar, Rosie O' Donnell or Whoopi Goldberg, that would make for a stronger ticket!

[lucy2008]

Good to see so much more reporting on Joe Biden.

He is one of the most well respected in the Senate and is wise with all of us in a subtle, subtle way. You don't realize that day after day until you are cheering Joe on.

[Carla]

To the person urging us to vote against Obama to protect Hilllary: are you really that idiotic?

Our economy has crashed, almost beyond repair. We're 7 years into a war that is accomplishing what? People who are sick cannot afford medical care. Our kids are learning nothing in school. We've lost our homes. Those of us who wanted to buy homes might not be able to for a long time. Gasoline is decimating my household budget.

And your answer to all these problems is that we should vote another Republican into the White House so that Hillary can run again in four years?

Can you survive another four years under these conditions? Because if you can, you're lucky. Most of us cannot.

Hillary is a great leader. But it didn't work out for her and if 69 is too late, then it's too late and someone else will be the first female president.

I am not sacrificing the next four years of my life and my family's life for Hillary Clinton.

You need to wake the hell up!

[indytucker]

Good observation. Palin is clueless and must hide out to elude future Gibson episodes. And why is she still reading the same speech this long after the RNC???? She great when reading cue cards, otherwise, she's a 'space cadet'. Country first!! McPalin last!

[Donna Hughes]

Joe Biden should be on top of the Obama ticket! He's about the only politician going who will tell you what he thinks, without walking on eggshells. He's warm, and funny, authentic and accessible, and he can and will answer any question. He's equally at home as your next door neighbor or as an emissary on the world stage.

Nobody wants to take Hillary on because of her baggage, named "Bill". She should have gotten a divorce before running.

[ExRepub]

I'm a proud Republican, but I'm voting for Obama/Biden this year. Seriously, they are the only ones with some sound ideas to get us out of this mess we've gotten into. The extreme right wing of the Grand Old Party has hijacked our ship and are trying to sail it off the end of the world. So what if we have to take a little regulation, and have to go back to pre-Bush-tax-cut levels for the rich - at least for a while? We got everything we ever wanted for the last 8 years, and it didn't work. In fact, it just made everything worse.

Maybe we need to take a break from governance for a while and figure out what we really stand for as a party, without going totally berserk. Maybe we can actually do it right next time. We've got to face facts: this is just like the Democrats in 1980. They went too far and screwed everything up. If we push it much further and screw this up much more, the Dems will control everything for another generation.

[steven]

"Palin has even criticized the press before they even spoke to her"

Maybe thats because the Media criticized her before even knowing who she was...

[Paul Stewart]

Yea, I agree, it is patriotic to pay taxes and it would show real patriotism for the wealthy to pay a little more. Is that asking too much?

And for Palin to make is sound like Biden is talking about taxing everyone more. Well, more lies from the Republi-Pinnochios.

[Mary]

I am sorry Eric, as Hillary has so graciously put it, there is too much at stake hear to vote with the mentality you have. Honestly, Eric Eric Eric. Vote for Hillary because she won't be able to run next time? Take a minute, get a clue and think about what you just said.

[Paul Gerst]

Biden might not say it in the most eloquent way but he's absolutely right...the middle class needs a huge tax break and if the wealthy and priveleged don't agree, they are just plain greedy. Pay your share and stop griping!

[Binden the Draft Dodger!]

If you want to investigate something, under the FOIA.... ask why Democratic Vice Presidentil Nominee (doubt it) was a

D R A F T

D O D G E R ! ! ! ! ! !

[Kevin]

gimme a break. McPain-Pallen are so scripted it is another insult to the American public by the Republicans. Remember Bush in his hey-day? Always spoke to a managed crowd, hand picked in controlled settings. Remember the scenes of national guard, police or military persons as his backdrop? NEVER in front of the people, taking questions from real people with real issues. And the McPain-Pallen handling is the same (no wonder! same handlers). Today Pallen was asked to comment on her experience, ability and preparedness to be THE President. A non-answer, "yes, yes, I'll be ready". McCain has insulted all American's with this VP choice. An Insult!

[Kevin]

Eric, by the way, YOU ARE AN IDIOT. You advocate not voting for Obama - for what reason? Because he beat Hillary? And you'd rather have.....(drum role please).........Pappy McCain and Caribou Barbie? You're a sick sick person.

[Sacto]

Hey isn't the truth a bitch? We actually have to pay for wars, earmarks, and other services of our government. Who is going to pay for the last eight years of waste and debt? Should it be our kids or grandchildren? hell no grown up folks it's time to pay the piper.

[Mustang]

I was wondering if anyone in the media ever checked out how much Joe Biden (I think he's calssified as middle class by his definition) contributed to charity in the last five years when he averaged over $200K in income? I think his charity contributions averaged around $200/ year.... He's a real patriot isn't he!!!

I think Joe believes his taxes count as giving back to the needy. His brand of patriotism is to pursue marxist ideology and take "from those according to their ability and give to those according to their need" (Communist Patriotism). Of course this doesn't include the intertainment industry. His boss just starred at a $28K per plate banquet for the rich and famous Hollywood crowd. If these people want to raise taxes why don't they give the government all their income above the US median income; then, pay their taxes on their median income and see how the rest of us live... If they are going to foust marxist ideology on the rest of us, what hypocracy makes them think they're exempt... they should be setting the example.

[erik]

Come on, you have to give the student some time to cram for the test. Sarah palin every night is getting a quiz on the who's who and where is this country located, what does NATO stand for... I hope she never sees the inside of the white house because they dont have cue cards their as george bush has shown in a very real and negative way.