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

[Leo 9]

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 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.

snip

-- Don Frederick

Photo: Associated Press

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/09/joe-biden-takes.html

[Shakespeare]

1. It was not a GAFFE, and we need to OWN that meme.

Damn right it's patriotic; oh, please, let's all shed a tear for those poor, persecuted rich people...

JFC.

[bluedeminredstate]

4. Amen!

What the hell is wrong with what he said? Damn right they should feel patriotic - the goods and services provided by the government in many cases allowed them to get wealthy. The inheritance tax that they no longer pay in full has allowed them to
accumulate wealth. How else do they pay their country back for the privilege of living here? Taxes. Fuckin' A.

:patriot:

[Cha]

5. Most Certainly NOT a gaffe and we will own it!

:patriot: :patriot:

[1corona4u]

2. It doesn't matter what they think about what he said...

the middle class out numbers the rich. We win, they lose. I doubt anyone in the middle class would doubt Biden's intention.

Too bad, so sad....

[Muttocracy]

3. what's the GOP going to say - tax cuts for the wealthy are MORE patriotic than for the rest of us?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

6. Can somebody point out when corporations have EVER paid what they actually owe?

Seems like they already get a lot of tax abatements and subsidies and then they use just about trick and loophole in the book to get out of paying what they LEGITIMATELY owe in taxes-and then they complain incessantly about how much they're taxed so that Republicans will give them even more tax breaks and subsidies for them. What's so patriotic about not even paying their full share when the rest of us have to not only pay what we owe but make up for them not paying their full share? Where's the fairness and love for our country in THAT? How are dishonest and money-grubbing corporations patriotic when they won't pay what they owe for what is necessary for the government to maintain the services and infrastructure necessary for them to continue to do business?

[jillan]

7. Why is it that everything Biden says is labeled a gaffe, but when McCain doesn't know where Spain is

It's just an oops?

[CitizenPatriot]

8. Not a gaffe

we own it and I'm damn proud of Biden for saying it. He's right, and people who are patriots and are in that bracket, have expressed to me their willingness to do their part to restore this country.

anyone who has a problem with this is NOT an Patriot! (oh, the satisfaction...) Hoisted on your own patriot petard.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

9. JOE. BIDEN. ROCKS!!!

PERIOD!!!