Biden Clarifies Obama Remarks

[cynatnite]

"What Senator Biden meant is exactly what he said to Diane Sawyer," said Biden campaign spokesman Larry Rasky. "He's fresh and he's new and he's got great ideas. I don't see how his comments could be interpreted otherwise, but this is politics. Obviously there are people who are people trying to make something of it today, but not anybody who knows Joe."

http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/jan/31/biden_clarifies_obama_comments

[SaveElmer]

1. I actually think this is what he meant...but man Joe...

Think before you speak...

I don't think this is gonna tamp down the furor however...

And the fact is the rest of the interview contained very condescending remarks about the other candidates...not just criticism which is ok...but a kind of mocking condescension...

[lancdem]

7. He was very condescending

I agree.

[LynneSin]

28. But the thing is - when is Biden NOT condescending

:shrug:

[cmkramer]

29. what I thought he meant

I thought he meant that Obama would appeal to mainstream white American voters and not just to liberals/progressives/leftists. It was a dumb thing to say but I don't believe he meant anything racist by it.

[npincus]

2. Biden made the Obama remarks to The New York Observer

http://www.observer.com/20070205/20070205_Jason_Horowitz_pageone_newsstory1.html

NOT to Diane Sawyer.

His office is playing "look here, don't look there!". Do they think we're all that dumb?

[goclark]

8. Yes, they think we are that dumb

:puke: on them.

[AlCzervik]

3. those aren't the comments he needs to clarify, nice try Joe's press flak.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. The irony is delicious.

Hairless Joe patronizingly saying that Obama is "articulate" then trying to explain his inarticulate remarks.

[davsand]

5. Ooops! I really didn't MEAN to sound like a bigot. Honest!!!

Sigh.

Biden screwed up. While I'm not tearing him down for that mistake, per se, I AM thinking it really doesn't inspire much confidence that he'd be able to run a smart campaign all the way tho the White House. This is fundamental stuff for a politician, and Biden blew it.

Seems a shame to see anyone self destruct so quickly, but it does cut down on the competition, I guess.



Laura

[goclark]

6. That is no Clarification , that is validation

that the insensitive gene runs through his entire staff ---- :puke:

[lancdem]

9. It does miss the point

[karlrschneider]

10. I don't think he's really a racist but he often suffers from foot & mouth disease.

:eyes:

[trumad]

11. But it's not his first time

[karlrschneider]

21. I wasn't aware of that. Can you cite a previous one?

...

[Connie_Corleone]

12. How did Diane Sawyer get into this?

We're talking about a different interview.

[rocktivity]

13. Biden said "clean," not "fresh" or "refreshing" or even "clean-cut"

implying, however accidentally, that blacks are dirty, see? That's why Biden, IN PERSON, should apologize as quickly as possible and bury this story.


rocknation

[Rosemary2205]

14. Biden deserves the Trent Lott treatment.

[Beelzebud]

15. Hey Biden, go have lunch on the credit card companies, you miserable puke...

[Nye Bevan]

16. He would be better off if he stayed with plagiarizing Neil Kinnock

As far as I can recall, Kinnock *never* said anything anywhere near as offensive.

[VOX]

17. "He's fresh and he's new and he's got a great sense of natural rhythm and is a credit to his race!"

"I don't see how his comments could be interpreted otherwise, but this is politics..."

I wish I had an emoticon to convey the egg dripping from Joe's face, and the shreds of shoe-leather hanging from his mouth.

I'll just settle for the old reliable -- :grr:

[Hav]

19. .

Huh, what caused outrage here was this gem:
“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” he said. “I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”

[BuyingThyme]

18. That's a pretty good recovery,

for a dirty white punk with ties to the whitey war machine.

[tgnyc]

20. This is what Biden said to Diane Sawyer:

Look, this guy's incredible. He is really bright. He's fresh. He's new. He has great ideas.

This is what he told The Observer:

“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.” “I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”

Sorry, but the former does not even come close to clarifying the latter.

[KamaAina]

22. He actually said "articulate" about an African American?!

Rookie mistake, implying that most African Americans aren't "articulate". Next week it'll be "Some of my best friends are black." :puke:

[rocktivity]

27. Ann Coulter said something similar

She doesn't think it's "remarkable" that a black man can "walk and talk" at the same time. But that's because she's not a racist, whereas the "fuss" that the Dems are making over Obama proves that they are.

:headbang:
rocknation

[gratefultobelib]

23. "first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean "

I don't see what reparations and backpedaling can undo those remarks.

[Ganja Ninja]

24. Even George Allen didn't kill his own campaign on the first day.

Give it up Senator Biden.

[Marnieworld]

25. even George Allen "clarified" a few times

Good luck with that Racist Joe!

[Virginia Dare]

26. Wow, I'm shocked...

Joe Biden's foot ended up in his mouth. As much as his gums flap, it was bound to happen, but geez, the ink didn't even dry on the papers yet.

:spank:

[dysfunctional press]

30. well that was certainly a short-lived presidential campaign, huh joe...?

:rofl:

[treestar]

31. So does this mean Obama is inarticulate!

Now he's done gone and insulted Obama again!

Really it is absurd to make such a big deal of this!

[MonkeyFunk]

32. No

it's not absurd.

It was an incredibly bone-headed thing to say. He may as well have complimentd Obama on his large penis and dancing abilities.