Joe Biden apologizes this time for swipe at Chief Justice Roberts

Vice President Joe Biden has apologized for cracking a joke at the expense of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., referring to the fact that the chief justice, in his first inauguration, reordered the words in the presidential oath of office.

During a swearing in for senior White House staff last week, Biden snarked, "My memory is not as good as Chief Justice Roberts'."

President Obama looked chagrined and even pulled Biden gently at the elbow. Not a good sign.

As the Ticket noted last week, Biden held his first gaffe until the administration's first full day in office. Biden called the chief justice to apologize for his sarcastic remark and the vice president's spokesman said they had "a good conversation."

Sometimes in Washington a gaffe is the crime of getting caught for telling the truth. Biden trackers know it is not the first time the genial Delaware politician has had to eat his words.

During the campaign, he famously told voters that an Obama administration would be tested by a foreign enemy within the first few months of the administration, as John Kennedy was in the 1960s.

"Mark my words," the Democratic vice presidential nominee warned during a fundraiser in Seattle in October. "It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy ... And he's gonna need help."

And on his first day as a declared candidate for president, Biden said of Obama that he was “the first mainstream African American presidential candidate who is articulate and bright and clean-cut and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.” This did not sit well with some black leaders -- like Rev. Jesse Jackson -- who thought they were mainstream and pretty good looking too.

--Johanna Neuman

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Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[Twan]

The problem with the U.S. and our Economy is that our companies are only interested in building weatlh. What happen to philanthrophy. The big Tychoons of gave yesteryear gave back immensely. How many bulidings have Rockefellers name on it. Today's companies are not intersted in their Legacies. They'd rather spend money on frivilous things such as chairs, and planes. I believe that one who attains Great wealth should enjoy their successes, but how many houses can a person live in...... A lot wealthy Americans have forgotten that we were a poor nation at one time.

[steve rodriguez]

That Joe Biden's a real gem!
How would he hold up against Sarah Palin?
Not very well!!!!!

[Donna Hughes]

But more importantly, did Justice Roberts apologize to President Obama for screwing up the Oath of Office when millions of people were watching at the inauguration? His sin was far greater than Joe's!

[Freedom Eagle]

"That Joe Biden's a real gem!
How would he hold up against Sarah Palin?
Not very well!!!!!"

You mean like in an election as a Vice-Presidential candidate? Or in a debate?

[Donnie]

Awe, come on. Biden was only joking. I thought it was funny.

[Conduct unbecoming]

Just a heartbeat from the presidency ? joe Biden ?This
cannot stand,we would become the laughing stock of the
whole planet and the office would be forever ridiculed.
The guy is gaffe prone and it's just a question of a short
time before he puts his foot in his mouth again,Obama must show him the door like he did with gov.Judas.To keep biden in the VP's slot will bring into question the
judgement of our commander in chief.The only time Biden
ever made sense was when he said that Hillary would
have been a far better pick for VP.

[Gertrude to Donna Hughes]

You are comparing oranges to apples.Biden demonstrated a total lack of judgement while the chief
justice's error was interchanging the order of 2 words
involontarily.Can you see this buffoon becoming pres ?
Biden is 66 years old,will never change and Obama
needs to dump him pronto before he makes an
irreparable blunder.

[Donna Hughes]

Gertrude,
You don't even know what you are talking about. For one thing, by the time you get to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the USA, you come prepared. You don't screw up a simple thing like an oath of office. The oath Joe Biden took was longer, but perfectly executed. Secondly, I've been around Joe Biden and he does have a great sense of humor, but he is no buffoon. If you want to read a really fair and balanced article about Joe Biden, which I doubt, then you go read "Joe Biden, Advisor in Chief" in Esquire, by John H. Richardson. This is a warts and all article, but it is fair. Joe is very knowledgeable, widely traveled, and known and respected by many world leaders, so don't believe everything you hear from these other hack journalists. Think about it.

[Gertrude toDona Hughes]

Dearest Dona
You started by asking if the chief justice had apologized wich showed what a hysterical lefty you are.Watch what you wish for...those who are nostalgic of the gulag
and Stalinist purges might relive them.try reading Goldberg's (of the washington post) article on the media's total aplatventrisme vis a vis the dems.Obama
must tell Biden that he can be seen but not heard, and i say this after having watched this case of acute verbal
diarhea put to sleep half of the senate with his lengthy
monologues of platitudes.Nobody that is not worthy of
the presidency should ever be VP.Put that in your pipe
and smoke it.