VP candidate kept from media and no crowd questions. Not Palin. It's Biden!

Is it possible we've been living in a bubble for the last several weeks, not noticing a complete role reversal between the Democratic vice presidential candidate, Sen. Joe Biden, and his Republican counterpart, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska?

The always astute Jake Tapper over at ABC makes a shocking point:

Now, Palin, who was once so sequestered from the media it allowed her opponents to caricature her and helped create "Free Sarah Palin" buttons, is meeting with more and more national reporters and, unreported by them, numerous local media types at virtually every campaign stop.

There's an interview with the Chicago Tribune today, reported here in The Ticket and on CNN earlier this week. She walks back and chats with reporters on her campaign plane.

And, contrary to the silent fears of the McCain controllers, she's doing just fine.

But Biden is something else entirely. We've got Joe the Plumber and Joe Six-Pack. But Joe Delaware-by-way-of-Scranton has gone missing.

Obama officials will deny it. But he's clearly been muzzled by the Democratic campaign that's for real change.

The old veteran, who's been in the Senate since Obama was a kid and was hired as No. 2 for the foreign affairs cover he gives the freshman Illinois senator, has put his foot in his Delaware mouth a few too many times for the Windy City campaign chieftains.

Tapper points out, amazingly, that Biden has not taken questions from his crowds of supporters since Sept. 10. That's before some of us learned Tampa Bay has a baseball team.

That date just happens to be when, you may recall (but here's the Ticket item to refresh your memory) Biden so famously ruminated aloud on-stage that Hillary Clinton might have made a better VP pick than him. (See and watch the curious video by clicking on the "Read more" line below.)

Something Palin promptly agreed on with him.

But that's not what the cocky White Sox fan wanted to hear, in part because in terms of....

...Democratic votes anyway, Biden's probably right. Look how well he did during the Democratic primaries. Sure wasn't an 18 million-vote-getter.

And Biden has not held a press availability since Sept. 7, three days before that gaffe, on his plane en route to Big Sky Country.

That means for almost seven of the eight weeks between the Republican convention and the Nov. 4 election Biden's been gagged to the media. How much of a plus can this guy be to the over-funded Obama campaign if he's forbidden from chatting up even his own media crowd?

And if he's so ready to become president in a skipped heartbeat, what conceivable crowd questions are so scary they've, in effect, been forbidden? Besides "Do you think Hillary Clinton should have won?"

Politicians don't usually go missing like that until after they've become vice presidents.

Even Ron Paul and Countrywide Dodd from Connecticut took more questions.

But Biden still manages to get in verbal trouble, even when he's talking in supposedly closed fundraisers. (Hello, presidential campaign whose candidate described bitter small-town people clinging to faith and guns to just such a crowd himself at considerable cost to him in Pennsylvania.)

Biden in Seattle last weekend predicted -- guaranteed -- that America's enemies would test this recent former state senator within six months of Inauguration Day. A valid, historically accurate point that Palin, John McCain and their surrogates are only too happy to repeat to crowd after crowd.

Tapper notes, fairly, that a Biden spokesman (is that job really necessary under the circumstances?) disagrees with that assessment. But then the political veteran adds: "in terms of general availability to their traveling press corps, Biden's and Palin's roles are switching."

Does anybody seriously think that if the trend was going the other way, we would not have heard by now endless accounts of her hiding?

-- Andrew Malcolm

Speaking of media reports, you can ensure you don't miss any Ticket items by registering here for automatic alerts dialed straight to your cellphone.

Photo credits: Mark Lyons / Getty Images (Palin) and Mark Duncan / Associated Press (Biden)

Comments

[E]

Notice how this has gotten very little press?

[Peg kay]

There's a big difference between Joe Biden's gaffes and those of Sarah Palin. Senator Biden is simply following the instructions: Open Mouth. Insert Foot. His gaffes are imprudent but not ignorant. Governor Palin, on the other hand, demonstrates ignorance, as in her assertion that the Vice President is in charge of the Senate.

[JB]

Yeah, Biden's really under tight wraps there guys. Like at a political speach in West Virginia today... http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i7K20RiBJeMQhhTZUST64ABObHjAD9411O2O0

'Good job Brownies!'

[thomas]

What he said made sense to me. I listened to the comment on Hannity's radio broadcast, and I agreed with what he was driving at. Does anyone think Mccain won't be tested? We were attacked with a Republican in office. He was out playing around and not doing his job, but he was our president. Yeah, he was off work more than on the job. His approval rating was....so, we were attacked. Maybe Carl Rove can pull a letter from Bin Laden out for this election and more voters will go Mccain? I like Biden. I think he is a real person who gets in trouble with some of the things he says. I like that about him. He is a human like me, and yet so much more intelligent.

[Lady M]

It doesn't matter what Joe Biden says - Nobody really cares or hears about it anyway from the main stream media. Yet they hammer Sarah Palin every chance they get. Actually, Biden might be a better president than BHO as he has far more experience putting his foot in his mouth and BHO is just beginning to do that and as time goes on people will find out just exactly how unqualified he is. BUT - we will be living in caves by then - if any of us survive the nukes- so it won't matter much.

[Stop The Hack Job]

Still attempting to contrive controversy? Palin is an unknown. Voting for Palin is buying a pig in a poke. Biden is not an unknown. If you are not fully familiar with his views, you are a political shutin.

[Richard Foulkes]

Uh yeah and what does the vice president do? asks the 3rd grader.
Run the Senate! Well that's what Dick told me!
Maybe she has learned to not expose her under appreciation of the knowledge required to be president. The Tribune interview was required for her to defend the clothes "lent" to her by the RNC. We now learn of her 22+k stylist. No hard questioned pursued. Kuerick was able to pursue these and the result was the end of the McCain presidential campaign. So I will take a Biden gaff anyday. He is an overly forthright guy who tends to overcompensate with his thoughts shared openly. I will take this over Dick Chenney anyday!

[james]

That's not entirely the case. I recall that directly after the DNC there were plenty of stops for Biden but little network media coverage of him. Once Palin was announced, the Biden coverage was almost nonexistent. I agree that Biden embarasses himself in public at times (In a way, it's become adorable that we're given such frequent windows into his subconscious), however the choice that the Obama camp might be making to send Biden out less isn't surprising to me. At this point in the game, when some polls are returning double digit leads of OB ticket over MP ticket, Obama is undoubtedly thinking about the proper endgame and transition to power. Things are a mess now. Biden and Obama have a lot to do in January, and they shouldn't BOTH be totally exhausted from the campaign fight to face it.

[kerr_lee]

It is dishonest to use comments out of context when one knows they're out of context. One may be able to make the above point honestly. Unfortunate that it was not.

[DoubleStandard]

Question - Will the L.A. Times (or any other media) do a full story on this? Not just a blog entry, but a story? Somehow I doubt it. Y'all are so in the tank for Obama. The double standards in campaign coverage this year are mindblowing.

[Harry]

Yeah, Palin is doing so well at interviews, she needs McCain to sit with her at the NBC interview to make sure she doesn't talk about how the VP runs the senate...AGAIN!

[SDee]

thanks for a fresh view - the "all is wonderful in Obamaland" stories are getting old

[Ron Sampson]

Boy, the GOP is desperate, they've got nothing, so they're resorting to taking Joe Biden out of context...
I think the biggest initial challenge facing President Obama will be to determine whether to try Bush & Cheney for war crimes- there is abundant proof that they continue to torture foreigners who disagree with them, either in Guantanamo, Iraq, or through rendition in Egypt, Jordan and Pakistan. Crazy.

[Kevin]

Your years as Laura Bush's press secretary belie the motive behind your critical eye of Biden and Obama.

"Cocky White Sox Fan"?

I guess blogs are for opinions but I'd expect more from official "bloggers" endorsed by the LA Times.

[William from OK]

Yeah, Biden is prone to unscripted gaffes. He's kind of a buffoon at times. What we find out about Palin is that the home schooling she has received from campaign advisors, while sequestered from the press for the majority of the campaign, is not always reaping dividends. She still has trouble with verbiage and grasping commonplace definitions.

[AspenFreePress]

I can't figure whether Biden is working to elect Obama in '08 or Hillary in '12.
Sterling Greenwood/Aspen

[Druid Dude]

Joe Biden is currently recouperating from surgery to remove the foot he keeps sticking in his mouth.

If a Republican made 1/10th the gaffs Biden has made, they would be the laughing stock of late night television, Keith Oberman and Jon Stewart.

So much for the "experience" Joe Biden brings to the ticket.

[nick]

Not because biden says anything wrong

but because mccain will spin it

after electon you will have access

[NinaK]

Seator Biden has been campaigning tirelessly. I don't call that being "sequestered". Oh well, everyone has their own opinions.

Sarah Palin was, indeed, sequested, and when they finally turned her loose with interviews with Katy Couric, she couldn't even answer the questions. Aside from Roe versus Wade, she could NOT come up with anything else the Supreme Court did. FACT: She did NOT KNOW! When asked what magazines and/or newspapers she read, "everything that is in front of me" but could not name a one!! Judging by Paliin's great lack of knowledge, she has not been reading any magazines or any newspapers......she's been to busy taking care of her many kids, dragging them around with her both as governor and as a veep candidate. What woman in her right mind would drag her pregnant daughter and baby to rallies?? McCain and his campaign KNEW they had picked a dud as his running mate and that is precisely why they kept her in a cage for so long. She still doesn't know what she is talking about, she merely READS what is prepared for her. She still doesn't know the responsibilities of the office for which she is running! Obviosly she not a well educated woman and obviously she is not a quick study!! Oh, and spending thousands of dollars for a make-up artist in a matter of two (2) weeks at the tne of $22,800.00 is absolutely outrageous!! Guess they have to use some super expensive beauty products, and, yes, she has to have daily wax jobs done on her face because of her prolific facial hair and her zits. (Remember that photo of Sara the repubs were all upset about?). The RNC and McCain have just added Sarah Palin and her family to the welfare rolls like BIG TIME and BIG EXPENDITURES at the cost of their supporters!!! Yep, that is spreading the wealth around to the Palin family!!! Welfare recipients get how much a month?? $400-$600 a MONTH??

[Chris in Delaware]

Wait, are you trying to tell me that the media employs double standards when it comes to reporting on candidates based on the "R" or the "D" after their names?!? Someone alert the media!

Oh wait.

[Brian]

Biden was campaigning in West Virginia today. It's not a secret...what hole did you just crawl out of?

[K the concerned citizen]

Where will the candidates be today?

Barack Obama

No public events scheduled

Joe Biden

Charleston, West Virginia
Capitol St.
Doors open: 8:30 am (EDT)
Program starts: 10:30 am (EDT)

Danville, Virginia
Danville Community Market
Doors Open: 1:45 pm (EDT)
Program Begins: 3:45 pm (EDT)

Martinsville, Virginia
Stone Hall at Patrick Henry Community College
Doors Open: 4:45 pm (EDT)
Program Begins: 6:45 pm (EDT)

[Jeff]

Does this mean we will start to see "Free Joe Biden" pins? I think its a smart move for the Democrats to keep "Gaffey Duck" under lock and key, however, I would prefer to see him out and about helping the GOP ticket. ;-)

It sure has been an interesting election season, and regardless of the winner, history will certainly be made. What concerns me the most is how much a participant in the election the media has become. Gone are the days of objective reporting.

Jeff

http://thenationalreport.com

[Bruce Am]

If I read more stories like this, I might've kept my LAT subscrip.
Honest reporting, skeptical about either side of the aisle, not letting their puppy luv for BO or his VP color their fact-based reporting. How hard, LA Tiones, can it be to find your own Jake Tapper??

[Bruce am]

Why is that gaffes from the dems are so readily overlooked when silimiar gaffes by R's (even spelling errors by VP Quayle, local dialect patterns by Palin) is proof of retardation? Anybody wonder why Obama doesn't release his college transcripts from his mystery years? Maybe his GPA ain't so hot after all to say the least. Probably below Bush's as were Kerry and Gore.

LATimes, time to step up and show your professionsalism: report facts, investigate both sides, , push aside personal bias (at least in headlines and the first few paragraphs - yeah we're onto you're tricks).
Get these good blog stories on paper.

[Goldie]

I always notice when there is something negative being said in this paper about Obama/Biden it is Andrew Malcolm who says it. Can't hide your bias can you Malcolm?

[Who is Good Will]

What's more interesting to me is that Obama's campaign has disabled the address verification software on its donation website.

As a default, because of the potential for fraud, ecommerce is set up so that the name and address given must match the billing address on record for the card account being used.

Why would the Obama campaign want to turn that off? Why is it possible to give contributions under fake names?

Why isn't the press asking about this?

[Alf]

Governor Palin is giving more interviews because she wants to show off the fancy new wardrobe! What a maverick!

[John]

It not hard to identify the Democrats here - they don't know anything about the U.S. Constitution. U.S. Constitution Article I, Section 3: "The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided." Of course, even slow-Joe Biden didn't know this, so I guess the other idiot Democrats are just following slow-Joe's lead.

[mrs. miller]

Am interested in who those "young parliamentarians" were that Joe B says he used to hang around with, who now want to "test us." "We can't kill Americans; Joe is an American."

[DEWEE]

Biden, in the debate, stated that the US and France kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon. WHAAAT??? Nobody kicked them out. Israel tried but failed. The US and France never tried. And yet people say his goofs are minor. He's head of the Foreign Friggin' Relations committee and he said this!

[DEWEE]

Brian,

Palin campaigned every day but didn't do interviews. She got panned for this. Biden campaigns every day but doesn't do interviews. Nobody notices. There's a difference.

[Samuel]

A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation’s military forces. Who is best suited for this role? Let’s put all biasness aside and examine the candidate's merits for such a peril role. The economy will correct itself in due time; but we are at war on two fronts.

[Red Sky]

He might be shining his shoes to "Go dancing with the stars" with PalinThey might just win!

[leo campbell]

It's still very important to see the current Republican leaders who hold office as the Vice President (Cheny) and Pres (Bush). I haven't seen or heard of Cheny in over a month, and I read the online news daily!

[g-money]

how is anybody say how can obama handle a miltary crisis are a finaicial crisis two words buffet &powell and lets not forget cousin chaney

[sfcmac]

To Peg kay | October 24, 2008 at 12:33 PM :

Open skull, insert brain:

US Constitution, Article I, Section. 3.:

Clause 4: The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

That's what Palin meant.

Hair Plugs Biden, on the otherhand, mangled it pretty badly:
"Vice President Cheney has probably been the most dangerous Vice President we've had in American history. He has the idea...he doesn't realize that Article I of the Constitution defines the role of the Vice President of the United States. That's the executive. He works in the executive branch. He should understand that. Everyone should understand that."

Uh, no. Article I defines the LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, its composition and the scope of its powers. NOT the Excecutive Branch.

[JIm Hale]

The posts on this blog who condemn Palin as being ignorant display the same trait themselves when they object to her comment that there could possibly be a grater role for the presiding officer of the Senate. If the Vice-President wanted to chair the Senate every day and have an impact on the course of business, s/he could do so. The Senate Majority leader could not stop such a role. That such a role hasn't been taken doesn't mean it could not.

[doug]

Goldie whines that the only Times journalist who says negative things about Obama/Biden is Andrew Malcolm, and he must have a bias. But that observation pretty much proves the point that conservative critics have about the Times--that it leans overwhelmingly to the the left.

Newspapers are supposed to be watchdogs. They should be saying negative things about all politicians sooner or later, whether they be on the left or right. As it is now, the overwhelming number of negative stories in the Times are directed at McCain/Palin. If and when Obama is elected, the Times has indicated it will give him a free ride. Americans will have to look elsewhere to find those who will be its watchdogs on government. (though Malcolm may perform that function to some degree for the Times).

[Democrats '08]

Joe is awesome, I can''t wait to see him speak. Thing about Joe that makes him so great is he is one of us. Joe Biden is a hard working, true American that America desperately needs representing us. This will be a change alright, because he is a dramatic departure from the ''good ol'' boy'' corrupt Republican backwards ideology that has had a stranglehold on America for the last 8 years. I would take Joe''s occasional ''mental typos'' any day of the week over the countless and numerous lies, misstatements, misdeeds, crimes and hack job self serving policies of George the idiot Bush anytime. Don''t forget the disaster that was Bush for 8 years and that we are finally finally going to be rid of. Joe is a serious upgrade from weirdo Cheney and President Idiot. Joe is a good man and will be just fine, you doubters will all see and eat your foul words and thoughts. God Bless America, the road to recovery is just around the bend, it won''t be long now before the curse on our great country that is the Bush administration is lifted.

[Elizabeth]

There are some big differences between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. First, Joe Biden has been on the foreign relations committee since the 1970s. He has experience but his problem is that he talks too much. He's too much of a wonk. The reason Republicans are concerned with Sarah Palin, is that she doesn't understand the issues involved and doesn't know how to answer the questions after she runs out of Republican slogans. Synopsis: Having someone who is competent but politically awkward put a sock in it isn't exactly like having someone who has no experience being babysat while she crams for her midterms... (urm debates)... :P

This is a straw man argument. The reasons for concern with Palin were completely different then concerns regarding Joe Biden. He has an extensive record with the US senate and if anyone wants to know they can look up how he voted. And sure, politically, clinton might have made some democrats more comfortable with Obama but as an informed voter i care more about how the government is governed after the election is over and everyone else stops paying attention. As a swing voter I am very confident that Joe Biden understands the issues involved as he's been on committees dealing with these types of issues for decades.

[Heather]

In response to Peg Kay's statement that Governor Palin "demonstrates ignorance" in stating that the VP is "in charge" of the Senate. Please read the U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 3, clause 4, which states that the "Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate. . . ." It was Senator Biden, a long time member of the Senate, not Gov. Palin, who showed ignorance about the job they seek.

[Il Duche]

I must compliment WFTV on the employment of Barbara West. She has authenticated WFTV's fascist bona fides. Please continue to broadcast Ms. West as she makes your station a beacon for all of us who fight to stifle free thought, racial tolerance, and Christian values.