May 10, 2012

Biden "probably got out a little bit over his skis."

Said Obama, noting that Biden did "out of generosity of spirit" and "But all's well that ends well."

By the way, does anyone think this was all planned, that Biden was sent out to make what would appear to be a gaffe to create the occasion for Obama to seem to need to come forward on this issue?

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71 comments:

ndspinelli said...

I said to my bride @ the outset of this political reality show that this was as calculating as a con man working an old woman out of her savings. I can't believe anybody in the MSM hasn't expressed this. Oh wait...never mind.

ganderson said...

No shit, Sherlock!

F said...

Let's go one step further: yes, it was planned, and the real reason was not only to open the door to money from a group that had cut him off -- it was (more importantly) to distract us from the floundering economy.

Expat(ish) said...

No.

Would you trust Biden to do something that looked accidental on purpose?

Slick Willie or his wife, yeah. Al Gore or Tipper? Yeah. Dick Cheney....

Well, you get the point.

-XC

PS, @ann, did you read the gawker piece?

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

He probably got out a little bit over his skis, but out of generosity of spirit.

That's a lot more tactful than "Fredo has a good heart, but he's weak and he's stupid."

Meade said...

Urban Dictionary:
1. out over our skis 10 up, 2 down
To get entirely too far ahead of yourself
Look, I just said that I liked the girl, not that I wanna marry her. Let's not get out over our skis, here.

Patrick said...

It certainly occurred to me, but I don't think the VP is bright enough to stay on script.

If he were really bright, I'd think he was setting up for the 2016 primary, to say that he'd come out for gay marriage even before the President.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

With Bidens track record?

The Obama effect.. how much can we strain credulity and still call ourselves critical thinkers?

Biden does not sneeze unless a memo has been signed.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I think one of those hard to choose poll is in order.

ndspinelli said...

Mitchell, Great line w/ Fredo. But, do you think Joe is also "banging cocktail waitresses two @ a time." I always referred to Ted Kennedy as Fredo.

When an "evolution" or ephiphany occur in an election year it's horseshit. There have been genuine evolutions, Truman and black soldiers comes to mind. But the true "evolutions" are when a pol has to expend political capital to get something done, not when it's an election year and done for $$$. This is pretty basic stuff.

Curious George said...

"I had already made a decision that we were probably going to take this position before the election..."

First, saying you "probably" are going to do something isn't a decision at all. Second, so much for evolving personally. This is nothing more than political calculation.

Will anyone call him on this crap? Ha!

Moose said...

"Over his skis"? That'll resound with the inner city crowd...

ndspinelli said...

Meade was maybe over his skis vis a' vis his bride. Is that what he's saying??

wyo sis said...

Which ever way it happened it's not good for the president. It didn't change his hard line voters opinions, and it alienated a lot of people who don't believe in same sex marriage.
You do have to admire Joe Cool from college's use of a sports analogy. Always cool.
Biden's a gaffe machine, so it's damage control 24/7 in the administration. Sort of like the bimbo eruption team.

Rosalyn C. said...

I thought that too. Biden floated the trial balloon, let it slip out like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Obama has amazing skill as a politician. With this move, and Romney's unfortunate knee jerk response, Obama has reestablished himself. It almost looks like Romney got played.

Joe said...

No, Obama and his minions aren't that smart. Biden certainly isn't.

Had it been planned, Axelrod wouldn't have panicked.

Moreover, had Obama just done it, it would have appeared more genuine and less about raising money.

Matt Sablan said...

If it was planned, Carney would've had a better response for Tapper. Occam's Razor this people: Biden said what he believed, which was inconvenient. Sort of like when he said one of the ads about McCain that the Obama team put out was deplorable and dirty. Biden is a good guy, who just happens to be wrong a lot.

Jane the Actuary said...

I'm very tempted to vote for "planned" (gay/lesbian $$$$ is worth a ton more than the loss of a small handful of black votes) but that would require Rovian genius.

Bob B said...

Probably a low point in the Obama saga. Obama was outmaneuvered by Biden.

Rosalyn C. said...

Obviously I disagree with Wyo Sys in that in my view there are many "independent" voters who have been moving to Romney for his economic expertise but are socially liberal. Now Obama has actually demonstrated some acumen.

So Romney is the type of guy who will hire an openly gay man for his abilities and knowledge in foreign affairs, but doesn't think that gay man deserves to be treated equally as a full fledged human being. How sad.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I do believe it was planned and executed perfectly.

pm317 said...

Look, I just said that I liked the girl, not that I wanna marry her. Let's not get out over our skis, here.

Perfect. Why is your better half so excited about another set of empty words?

Matt Sablan said...

"Yes, I do believe it was planned and executed perfectly."

-- Was having Carney laughed at by the press corps part of the plan, or was that a bonus?

clint said...

What "F" said.

Any week we're not talking about the economy is a happy weak for Team Obama.

However... I still think it was a gaff -- I think Team Obama would have preferred to have this distraction in their back pocket for a time when they might need it.

Anonymous said...

They were all bit players, Obama was the "star". Bonus.

dreams said...

With Biden as VP, lets just hope that nothing happens to that anti-American un-American socialist/communist before the Nov. election.

Matt Sablan said...

Poor Carney, left out to dry by his boss. Leading from behind indeed.

bagoh20 said...

I'm sure someone already made the point but just in case:

Do you think Obama would have made this gay marriage announcement if he was far ahead in the polls?

And does he really need more campaign money? I thought he already had far more than anyone has ever collected in history. It's like an obsession now?

vet66 said...

This pure Chicago politics and nothing more. They send in the clown Biden as the loose cannon hoping we forget Obama chose him to be VP. Classic good cop/bad cop. Obama then comes in to clean up a mess he created to never let a crisis, manufactured or otherwise, go to waste. These elites have absolutely no respect for our country's citizens. Machiavelli would be proud!

yashu said...

R Chatt, what "knee jerk response"? Romney hasn't changed his position (or his focus on the economy) in response to O's "evolution." There's no such thing as a static knee jerk.

Romney's position on this is as unevolved, retrograde, and "sad" as Obama's was 48 hours ago.

Scott M said...

If it was planned, Carney would've had a better response for Tapper. Occam's Razor this people: Biden said what he believed, which was inconvenient

I've been beating this drum since yesterday. Carney was entirely too flustered from taking incredulous questions from a usually friendly WH press corps. Tapper wasn't the only one hitting him. Besides, if you look at the entire timeline of events in this fracas, it simply doesn't add up to "planned".

If that were the case, why would they schedule a speech in NC on their election night and then cancel it five hours later? That doesn't add anything to melange of this issue other than seeming incompetence. It was scheduled, someone noticed the anti-SSM thing was polling very heavily in favor of anti, and they pulled it.

Was there as single, citable reference that Obama was going to announce his "evolution" at the convention prior to Biden's open-mouth-insert-foot last weekend?

Occam's Razor indeed, although Ann's SCOTUS bet on the ACA outcome probably wouldn't survive the razor either.

Ann Althouse said...

"I think one of those hard to choose poll is in order."

You got it.

Scott M said...

"He probably got out a little bit over his skis, but out of generosity of spirit."

By the by, does this single quote from a black president crush any hope they have to make the "Romney's out of touch" stick? First of all, skiing is very expensive. Even most white people don't know a lot of people that ski enough to drop it as a casual reference like that, let alone blacks.

Scott M said...
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Scott said...

Obama is tricky. There should be an "Obama is like Nixon" metatag.

What amazes me is the "Obama is evolving" meme. Is it just me, or can you see a subtle racist undertone to it?

dreams said...

I abstained from voting in the poll because I didn't like either choice.

Scott M said...

"Over his skis"? That'll resound with the inner city crowd...

LOL, exactly, but how many of Obama's fund-raising bundlers are openly gay inner-city dwellers?

pm317 said...

I think Biden overthinking this and was sending a subliminal message Blacks in NC ahead of their vote on Tuesday on the amendment.

Russ said...

For me, I thought it looked like Obama was forced into the position and was upstaged by Biden.

On the other hand, it COULD be planned, both in a calculated way to get money and not lose votes (who else will the black block vote for?), but it also creates a trap for social cons by baiting them to accuse Obama of 'teh ghey' and keeping the topic off of the economy.

Russ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Comanche Voter said...

Mr. Waffles speaks about what he would "probably do". I'm certain that Sloe Joe's comment this weekend, along withi Sec. Ed Arne Duncan's similar statements were trial balloons by the Obama Campaign Team. Axelrod and Plouffe looked at the reaction and decided that it was "probably" safe for The Bamster to go outside and play.

machine said...

Obama plays chess, the GOP plays checkers...haven't you figured this out yet?

Scott said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Scott said...

@Comanche Voter: I don't buy that because if the the trial baloon didn't fly, there would be a lot of damage to try to undo.

mariner said...

Jane,
I'm very tempted to vote for "planned" (gay/lesbian $$$$ is worth a ton more than the loss of a small handful of black votes) but that would require Rovian genius.

Yes, but not from Obama.

I suspect the black community is far more racist than anti-gay-marriage.

edutcher said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
edutcher said...

Think Joe's right about the Axelrod reaction.

If it was intended for Zero to do this, it was intended to happen much later in the campaign.

machine said...

Obama plays chess, the GOP plays checkers...haven't you figured this out yet?

If so, Dictator Zero's getting down to a couple pawns, a rook, and his queen.

And Carville thinks Zero's queen is in great danger.

machine said...

"This is fine politics because it boxes Romney in with the worst part of his party. Karl Rove poisoned the well on this issue, and now Obama is making Romney drink, and drink deeply."

William said...

It's quite possible to be Machiavellian in an inept, clumsy way. It is also quite possible to have a clumsy, inept move described by the media as brave and graceful.....In any event, Biden will now have an inside story to tell in his memoirs which should boost sales enormously. I look forward to reading it in the near future.....If Obama and Biden should suffer defeat, you can bet it will be narrated as due to their brave, uncompromising stand on gay rights--which, in point of fact, is just as contradictory and confused as their stance on Gitmo.

Hoosier Daddy said...

".. By the way, does anyone think this was all planned, that Biden was sent out to make what would appear to be a gaffe to create the occasion for Obama to seem to need to come forward on this issue?.."

That's rather pathetic don't you think? Trot out the VP to test the political water to see if its safe for Obama to wade in? Is Biden the dorky fat kid in the group that everyone says 'here try this' to see if its safe?

Christ this administration is an effing joke.

Calypso Facto said...

Could he have said Biden had "wandered off the reservation" instead, or is that aphorism strictly for Elizabeth Warren's use?

machine: Rove poisoned the well, but somehow Cheney was still able to affirm his support of gay unions earlier and more robustly than Obama can muster 10 years later?

Titus said...

Many gays are busy bundling.

I love the word bundle.

I used to call people bundles years ago and now it has a new meaning.

bundle.

You are such a cute little bundle.

bundle bundle.

edutcher said...

machine said...

"This is fine politics because it boxes Romney in with the worst part of his party. Karl Rove poisoned the well on this issue, and now Obama is making Romney drink, and drink deeply."

I can only wonder where the mindless automaton went to find such deathless (not to mention risible) prose.

Actually, it puts Zero in a very tough place with blacks and Hispanics, as well as white Southerners in states like WV, NC, and VA, where he has to win.

Titus said...

Ricpic he was definitely not going to win WV. A guy in prison with a raccoon haircut got 40% of the vote to Obama's 60% in WV.

edutcher said...

But that was just among Demos.

If all the Republicans and 40% of Demos vote for the Romster, there goes WV.

Chip S. said...

A "faux gaffe"?

As a person with at least 12.5 genetic points of French heritage, I'm offended by the fact that the language of my ancient familial culture is the default language for describing political dishonesty and incompetence.

Titus said...

Obama lost by 41% to Hillary in the last demo in WV and then was blasted by Mccain in WV.

He will never ever win WV.

Even the democrat senators in WV aren't supporting him.

Speaking of WV I don't think I have ever been there. I think I read the state had the least amount of internet connections by household in the country.

Hoosier Daddy said...

"... Over his skis"? That'll resound with the inner city crowd..."

Exactly. That's right up there with arugula.

edutcher said...

Titus said...

Obama lost by 41% to Hillary in the last demo in WV and then was blasted by Mccain in WV.

He will never ever win WV.

Even the democrat senators in WV aren't supporting him.

Speaking of WV I don't think I have ever been there. I think I read the state had the least amount of internet connections by household in the country.


Very pretty countryside, but relatively poor. When the country ran on coal was its heyday.

Zero's War on Coal will cost him VA, WV, and PA.

MrCharlie2 said...

This seems very strange. Has Obama just thrown the election? Is it all about fund raising?

Would the Democrats prefer not to be in charge for the next 4 years? Better to be a victim of the dumb-ass majority than to rule? Do they think the Republicans will save the golden goose, so they can extract more spoils NEXT time around?

Obama has just thrown raw meat into both cages. I think the right will mostly remain cool. But, I dread what we will hear from the left over the next months: I think they will drive the final nails into the coffin.

I had hoped for an election on real issues. I guess not.

machine said...

"According to their account, Romney mocked the student’s long blond hair, recalling that he once said, “He can’t look like that. That’s wrong. Just look at him!” before joining classmates in chasing him, pinning him to the ground and cutting his hair as Lauber screamed for help."

Ah, the tolerance of the GOP...

wyo sis said...

Full fledged human beings take responsibility for their actions. So, yes, I think Romney is treating people like full fledged human beings if that's what they are.

Anonymous said...

Blogger machine said...

"According to their account, Romney mocked the student’s long blond hair, recalling that he once said, “He can’t look like that. That’s wrong. Just look at him!” before joining classmates in chasing him, pinning him to the ground and cutting his hair as Lauber screamed for help."

Ah, the tolerance of the GOP...

OH NO! Next the wedgie expose and then the awful truth about the swirlie's. It's just too awful!!

JM Hanes said...

It's fascinating that virtually no one has noted the significance of putting Amendment 1 on the NC primary ballot instead of holding the referendum in November. Let’s connect those dots!

Republicans doubtless knew the amendment would draw out black voters, and when Obama only won NC by a margin of 14,000, they might have been a pivotal demographic 6 months from now.

The timing of Obama’s announcement is the flip side of that political coin. He couldn’t possibly come out in favor of gay marriage before primary election day, because it would turn a vote for Amendment 1 into a de facto black vote against Obama. Imagine jumpstarting the Republican spin machine on that story. Even worse, imagine the potential psychological effect of that association on black constituents, who would find themselves essentially, fundamentally, rejecting a black Democratic President. If Obama almost literally ran away on the eve of the vote, I suspect it's because his political team suddenly saw the writing on that wall.

Romney won't be picking up the black vote, of course, but Amendment 1 was still a win/win for Republicans. They managed to put the marriage issue into play, without forcing Romney to make it a plank in the his platform, and, with Joe Biden's help, they backed the Prez, personally, into a most unwelcome corner. Proponents of gay marriage may be welcoming his modified, limited, hang out, but they are also asking where he was when they really needed him. The fact that he took a position on the very heels of their defeat has got to have hurt.

Regenerating the 2008 enthusiasm for Obama just got a lot harder in NC. -- among his own core supporters.

Cincinnatus said...

If Obama had intended to announce his re-re-reconversion to supporting SSM, there would have been a bigger event planned with greek columns or something.

Amartel said...

Planned. http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2012/05/10/will-grace-biden-choreographed

Poor Biden. They probably held his Hair Club for Men card hostage pending successful completion of his Act Naturally, Like an Idiot mission.

Scott M said...

If Obama had intended to announce his re-re-reconversion to supporting SSM, there would have been a bigger event planned with greek columns or something.

He couldn't get Greek columns this time around. They checked into it, but it turns out all the Greek columns have been repo'd by the Germans.

Rosalyn C. said...

@ Yashu -- Romney could have said nothing at all, or if asked said he believed ultimately that states should decide. That's an evolved and compassionate Republican position, the one that many Republicans share.

Instead he jumps right in and loses the focus on the economy which is his strong point, supposedly. He's just flat out against gay marriage under any circumstances, even if the majority of a state decides they are in favor. Is he really that insecure about his Republican "base" that he sacrifices the independent voters who tend toward fiscal conservatism and social liberalism? I guess so.

Balfegor said...

Maybe it was planned (hence those reports that Biden has been rehearsing his lines for a bit), but Biden just screwed up and let it out early? Or did it on purpose, to make Obama's team sweat a bit and remember they need to show proper respect.

John Lawton said...

At first I didn't think Biden's "gaffe" was planned, but I just noticed CNN's top of the hour headlining story was "White House staff increasingly miffed by Biden's faux pas" (not an exact quote, I wasn't taking notes). I now think the "replace Biden on the ticket" groundwork is being laid, with Biden's knowing or unknowing cooperation.

Scott M said...

I now think the "replace Biden on the ticket" groundwork is being laid, with Biden's knowing or unknowing cooperation.

I still think it wasn't planned, but as to the VP slot, picking the right replacement, along with a gracious stepping aside by Biden, would be a base energizer. First instinct is Hillary, obviously, because of the narrative it builds. Regardless, I think you can count on it being a woman if it happens. On the other hand, he could follow form and decide he's the' best person for the VP and run as a solo double-ticket.