Transition: Biden was offered only VP slot

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/transition-biden-was-offered-only-vp-slot-2009-01-19.html

Transition: Biden was offered only VP slot
By Sam Youngman
Posted: 01/19/09 05:12 PM


Vice President-elect Biden’s office said Monday that Barack Obama only offered the Delaware Democrat the position as his running mate, and not a choice between that position and becoming secretary of State.

Biden’s wife Jill caused some confusion when she said Monday on “Oprah” that her husband was given a choice, and he accepted the vice presidency because the head of the State Department travels too much.

Biden spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander said in a statement that Jill Biden, “like anyone who followed the presidential campaign this summer,” knew there was a chance Obama would ask Biden to serve in some way should he win the presidency.

Alexander said that “given his background, the positions of vice president and secretary of state were possibilities.”

“Dr. Biden’s point to Oprah today was that being vice president would be a better fit for their family because they would get to see him more and get to participate in serving more,” Alexander said. “To be clear, President-elect Obama offered Vice President-elect Biden one job only — to be his running mate. And the vice president-elect was thrilled to accept the offer.”

[Metric System]

1. Is this supposed to be a controversy? I don't get it.

[babylonsister]

2. His wife claimed he was offered SoS and VP. He wasn't. nt

[lamp_shade]

3. Makes sense to me.

[polichick]

4. Damage control - before anyone gets their pants/panties in a twist.

[babylonsister]

10. Too late. m$nbc already has it on a loop to speculate about ad nauseum. nt

[polichick]

11. Chris Matthews just backed away a bit...

Said Jill probably meant it as a general statement, but newspeople like him will think it was more specific.

[TTUBatfan2008]

5. LMAO...damage control for a non-issue...

Gotta love how they're spinning something that isn't even an issue. You would think the campaign is still going on with this kind of spin. They need to realize that they won, that it's over. This isn't a real issue at all.

[jillan]

6. This whole story is much ado about nothing.

People are reading way too much into it.

[Cha]

7. Wow..lots of

mixups lately..that's what happens when Mercury goes Retrograde. Hope tomorrow goes off without a hitch except the bigot's part, of course.

[polichick]

12. Maybe the bigot will have an epiphany tonight and announce a change of heart. :)

[No Elephants]

15. I think the bigot will watch his p's and q's, now that he has gotten that not

everyone thinks he is God's anointed Invocation giver, or even pastor in chief.

[polichick]

26. True - the outcry over this choice could help speed CHANGE up!

[No Elephants]

34. If so, that's just another great reason not to be silent sheeple.

[polichick]

35. Absolutely - that silent sheeple gig ain't for me!

[Cha]

25. Well..Sully did

bring the plane in:wow:

[polichick]

37. LOL - He sure did!

[Poiuyt]

8. Damn!

Now I wish I'd voted for McCain/Palin

[ErinBerin84]

9. it's stupid that they even had to put out a statement.

This had been reported by the New Yorker, Washington post, and Newsweek. If it's not true, it's shitty reporting. If it IS true, it's not a big deal whatsoever. Yawn.

[No Elephants]

17. Putting out a statement to correct an inconsistency is not a big deal either. SOP

[No Elephants]

13. Biden has said on national TV that he did not want to be VP, but that he had told Obama that he

{Biden} would help Obama in any way he could. Saying that Biden was thrilled to accept the offer seems somewhat inconsistent with what Biden himself said after he accepted the offer. They need to get one story together and stick to it. Things like this weaken credibility.

[babylonsister]

14. Perhaps he said that because he didn't know if the job would be

offered and wanted to cover his hindquarters. :crazy:

[No Elephants]

19. No, Biden said it after Obama had offered and Biden had accepted. I think

Biden said it because it was true. Biden is pretty honest, even when fudging might be more politic.

[jillan]

18. Biden said that he didn't want to be anybody's SoS during the primaries.

I don't recall him saying he didn't want to be VP.
All I do remember was when the speculation was that Obama was going to pick Biden, Biden said it wasn't him (obviously before he knew).

[No Elephants]

20. He did say that he did not want to be VP, both during the primaries and after he (Biden)

accepted the VP position. He did not say that he wanted to be SOS. However, during one of the debates, someone asked him about VP and he said no. The next question was about S of S. Biden just smiled and said, "Well, Secretary of State," but he never finished the sentence. I can try to google if you like.

[jillan]

21. Don't bother - it is old news.

I think it was October when this story first came out.

Why the msm is all excited now and ignored it then is beyond me.

[No Elephants]

23. I guess because of what Jill said on Oprah this week If Biden got the choice

to be S of S or VP, then Hillary was second choice. So, they are trying to see if they can cause a flap between Joe and Hillary and Obama over that. It's lousy journalism. They are supposed to REPORT stories, not try to create them by stirring pots. Then again, I just think the media has become so sleazy.

[jillan]

24. Joe and Hillary are good friends. About who was chosen as SoS, I bet

Obama spent alot of time thinking that through. With everything going on in the world, this is an extremely important position.

[No Elephants]

29. It probably was not the best thing for Jill to say on national TV, whether she got

it right or not. But I think Joe will make a great VP and Hillary will make a great S of S. And Obama will make a great President. Not perfect, but smart and careful. That is all we can ask.

[jillan]

32. She is such a great lady and I bet she feels terrible right now.

She's not used to being in the spotlight. Lessons learned.

[No Elephants]

33. Joe, Obama and Michelle would get her feeling great very soon, if she

is not doing so already. This is not the first rodeo for any of them. And Jill is smart. She will learn very quickly. It's all good, and it will be even better very soon.

[jillan]

16. Thinking about this through what I have heard since Biden was nominated as VP ---

That when Obama offered Joe VP he asked him if that would be challenging enough for him - Obama didn't want Biden to be bored(that has been reported). Maybe at that time Obama mentioned SoS as a postion that would be a challenge to Joe.

I bet that is all it was. I want you for VP, but I want you to want it.

Either way - it is an example of the strong relationship between Barack and Joe.


End of story.

[No Elephants]

22. Clearly, Biden wanted to do whatever Obama wanted him to do, if Obama

thoght Biden could help. Re: the VP slot, Biden did ask Obama to be "in the room" when decisions were being made, so he could have input. However, I think Biden would have been happy to be S of S or to keep his powerful Senate seat.

I think VP was his third PERSONAL preference. Overall, though, his first choice was to help Democrats and Obama.

Way to go, Joe.

[ecstatic]

27. uh oh... Did Biden lie to his wife?

and if so, why? :shrug:

[No Elephants]

38. I annot imagine Joe's lying to Jill. It's obvious that he dotes on her. And, per

her story, she was the one who nixed S of S. But, it doesn't matter. The media is just trying to stir pots so they don;t have to do any real investigation or analysis to fill column inches and air time. They are putzes.a

[genna]

28. I believe Dr. Jill Biden. I think her husband would know.

Why lie about it?

[biopowertoday]

31. sometimes 'clarifying' is NOT helpful--like in this case.

[Orsino]

30. No Administration should admit that a nominee was a second choice. n/t

[Bluebear]

36. Of course.