FLASH! From Liz Smith | 05/01/2009 2:55 pm

LIZ SMITH FLASH! Joe Biden's Bad Move

Do you approve of Vice President Joe Biden expressing himself freely in the matter of advising people to stay off mass transit during the swine-flu scare?

I don’t. This is the kind of question he could sidestep saying the NIH has the matter under control and can answer such queries. The top men in the administration shouldn’t always be offering answers to just anything asked of them.

Obama always gives slow, carefully considered, rather hesitant and almost over-thoughtful answers. Biden just pops off on everything without thinking. There needs to be a balance between president and vice president.

Tell us below what you think: Do you approve of Vice President Joe Biden expressing himself freely in the matter of advising people to stay off mass transit during the swine-flu scare?

168 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

I think you may mean the opposite. This flu lacks the genetic material that made the 1918 pandemic so deadly. It falls into the "Seasonal flu" classification. But, you know, the reports change all the time so I guess we will just have to wait it out.

By Richard Bassett on 05/01/2009 4:38 pm

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I read something in the paper this morning about it lacking a protein, and that that was a GOOD thing… I don’t remember the details but I’ll cling to the ‘good thing’ part of it! ( :

By DeBúrca obj on 05/01/2009 4:48 pm

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De,

People seem to forget that 36,000 people died last year from the (regular) Flu………

By Dona Howlett on 05/03/2009 4:04 pm

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It lacks the protein PB1-F2 which is a genetic marker associated with making a virus truly virulent and uncommonly lethal.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124122223484879119.html

By Andrea Brandon on 05/01/2009 8:27 pm

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As long as Oboma does not let Joe see anything confidential, I’m okay with what he said. Much to do about nothing with all the world problems at hand right now.

By Barbara B on 05/01/2009 4:29 pm

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Come on, now. Put a lid on the snarkiness. Please. It’s not like Joe was advising us to go out and play in traffic.

Joe is a good man and a decent man. This is indeed much ado about nothing. The message was simply not to be in crowded places if you can avoid it. Since Joe has used mass transit often, I’m sure he is well aware that many people depend on it daily. That is a no brainer.

We’re not in kindergarten here. It shouldn’t have to be spelled out for us. If you can avoid crowded situations, then do.

That is what I read into Joe’s announcement when I first heard it. If you are a reasonable person, why try to twist it into something false for sick humor or for sensation’s sake or to promote your own political agenda? If that is your motive, how very sad for you.

By Maggie W on 05/01/2009 5:09 pm

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Joe said what we all would have said to our kids (which is what he was asked): Stay away from closed-in spaces where sick people can sneeze and cough on you. Seems like his kids did get that advice, thanked him, and went on their plane trips anyway. As our kids—or at least mine—would have done, too. So what’s the big deal? The real problem IMO really was that Kathleen Sebelius should have been making those announcements, not the president or the vice president, whose gravitas is a little much for such things.

By rocky rocky on 05/01/2009 5:42 pm

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I don’t agree with VP Joe Biden on a lot of things, but what he had to say on the precautions for swine flu was common sense and not offensive. The stupid part was the WH press guy Gibbs trying to cover up what he said.

By Diane Hamilton on 05/01/2009 5:44 pm

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gibbs, biden’s press person and others were making excuses and saying "what biden meant to say"…..that made him look worse….like people quickly came to his defense to explain to the people what he meant to say…..gibbs was laughed at by the reporters when he tried to smooth it over…..gibbs is a clown and only makes the obama administration look like they are all dimwits!!!

By Libra Lady on 05/01/2009 8:50 pm

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Libra Lady- Hello again! Great post, they were all tripping over themselves trying to cover for his Huge Mistake! I just sat in front of the television and laughed! Why can’t they just be honest and call a spade a spade?? I just love all the Bush haters who constantly call him a fear monger (and everything else in the book) but this fear mongering is just fine with them. Consistentcy would be so nice. It doesn’t have to be political if others would just be consistent! But Bush is an idiot and Biden make a mistake or just cares so much. Yeah, Right!!! He thrives on attention and always has and always will! How Gibbs keeps his job is beyond me. I have really liked All the press Secretaries in the past 16 years, but this guy is such a joke and does not have a clue how to handle screwed up situations, and there have been many! They could at least get their act together! Like Deber said. "he is one button away from the presidency!" He is more scarier than the flu epidemic, in the long run. Have a good weekend LL. Talk to you later!

By Deborah Kramer on 05/02/2009 10:45 am

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By Gerardine Baugh on 05/01/2009 5:57 pm

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I like that he spoke his mind.

By Cheryl Mitchell on 05/01/2009 7:14 pm

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Cheryl- What mind?? He went over the President’s head and scared the crap out of millions of Americans! That is crazy! When you are the President and especially the Vice-President, You Absolutely Do Not Have That Luxury. It is hard for me to believe that is why is did that, He Thrives On Getting Attention-at all cost. That is frightening! He does not have the right to speak his mind, there is a chain of command to release such frightening and fearful comments! It sure was not his place nor his job to scare so many Americans.

By Deborah Kramer on 05/02/2009 10:52 am