President Obama’s first official media appearance ran into a minor speed bump today when Vice President Biden was unsure whether he was supposed to swear in new White House senior staff. Biden then took a lighthearted swipe at Chief Justice Roberts, who misread the presidential oath to Obama yesterday:
BIDEN: Am I doing this again? For the senior staff. Alright.
OBAMA: A number of the other members have already —
BIDEN: My memory is not as good as Justice Roberts, Chief Justice Roberts (laughter).
Watch it:
The Republicans are now going to call this a gaffe.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:07 pmOr “divisive.”
January 21st, 2009 at 2:09 pmRoberts has no business being on the high court at all, much less be chief justice.
His sole qualification for that position is that of a party hack.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:10 pmToday is so much better than yesterday!
And things are just going to keep getting better.
There is even a village in Texas that is happier today than it was yesterday . . . it has its idiot back.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:14 pmI loved it. Biden’s easy humor at that moment suggests even better quips will come in the future. Yehaaa!
January 21st, 2009 at 2:17 pmChief Justice Roberts is not fit to lick Barack Obama’s boots, much less swear him in as President.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:19 pmSo?
January 21st, 2009 at 2:22 pmI’m glad Biden is still the same depreciating guy. See, no ego or devious planning skills needed to be Vice President.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:26 pmGood humor in the White House?
This may take a little getting used to after eight years.
Wait…I’m used to it now!
January 21st, 2009 at 2:32 pmDr. Hussein Matt Says:
Sadly, many reich-wingers are convinced that it was Obama’s fault that Roberts flubbed the Oath.
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Really? Are you serious? Obama just paused and didnt repeat the oath until Roberts got it right. Blaming Obama would take some serious reality disconnect
January 21st, 2009 at 2:37 pmI heard on the radio that Obama’s going to do a do-over on the Oath anyways.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:38 pmDr. Hussein Matt Says:
A lot of people on the Left don’t like Biden, but he’s always been my guy. Although I didn’t think he was electable as President, but he’s going to be one of the best VPs in recent history. He’s brilliant, funny, sticks his foot in his mouth from time-to-time, and doesn’t put up with BS from any side.
And his wife is hot.
I hadn’t realized that until I saw a little clip from the Oprah show. She’s very hot and I appreciate the fact that she’s not a trophy wife; they’ve been married for more than 30 years. Unlike McCain and Newt, Joe Biden didn’t dump his first wife for a younger model; his first wife died in a car accident and he married Jill five years later. Jill Biden is 57 and looks great.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:38 pmPerry logan Says:
Chief Justice Roberts is not fit to lick Barack Obama’s boots…
Oh, that’s too harsh. Sure he is.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:41 pmEugeneDebs Says:
Really? Are you serious? Obama just paused and didnt repeat the oath until Roberts got it right.
Actually, I heard this again – Obama started to say it the right way, paused, then Roberts said it right, and then Obama said it the way Roberts said it the first time. So technically, he hasn’t said it right yet.
Still, any legal challenge would have to go through the Roberts court to be upheld, so it’s not like there’s a real problem. Ultimately the Constitution says whatever the SCOTUS says it says.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:44 pmObama did a good job of the ol’ straight-face while LHAO inside.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:49 pmElBruce Says:
Ah I missed that. So he said it wrong AFTER his pause clued Roberts in that he screwed it up? WOW. Not a big deal he can be sworn in again in private.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:50 pm‘Later, as they shook hands before a lunch in the Capitol, Roberts chatted briefly with Obama and appeared to say the mistake was his fault, not Obama’s.’
AP link
January 21st, 2009 at 2:59 pmEugeneDebs Says:
Ah I missed that. So he said it wrong AFTER his pause clued Roberts in that he screwed it up? WOW. Not a big deal he can be sworn in again in private.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:50 pm
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It doesn’t matter. It’s just theater. The fact is that, Constitutionally, he became President of the United States at 12:01 Eastern Standard Time yesterday, several minutes before the flub. What he said or the order he said it in makes no difference. He could’ve recited a recipe for corned beef hash with his hand on the Bible – he’d still be President.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:06 pmHi ElBruce,
An except in an AP article repeated what you said yesterday; Obama became president at noon regardless of any oath, which took place five minutes later.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:08 pmHe could’ve recited a recipe for corned beef hash with his hand on the Bible – he’d still be President.
Thanks for the laugh, toaster.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:10 pmThat’s Dr. Jill Biden.
Smart, attractive and seems like a very decent person.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:10 pm*excerpt @ 3:08
January 21st, 2009 at 3:10 pmMcWars Says:
An except in an AP article repeated what you said yesterday; Obama became president at noon regardless of any oath, which took place five minutes later.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:08 pm
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Exactly. And if we’re really going to mince words about reciting the oath exactly as written in the Constitution, we also have to kick Pennsylvania out of the country, as it is not legally a part of the United States.
On the Constitution’s list of signatories, there is a Pensylvania, but not a Pennsylvania. Therefore, anyone from the state of Pennsylvania should be stripped of their citizenship immediately.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:15 pmWhat is this fuss all about????? At high noon 12pm Obama automatically becomes President. The oath is taken as a symbol through the constitution….in other words, to much work to amend the constitution.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:26 pmWow. That’s an interesting point toasterhead.
The joint session of congress certified the election, so the president-elect becomes president at noon even if he were dining at Ben’s Chili Bowl.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:32 pmDid you notice how Presidential Obama was. No laughter, no grin on his face for the fodder to revel in by his apponents.
CLASS ACT! STAY ABOVE THE FRAY Mr. President.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:32 pmBiden needs to work on his ‘Cheney’ snear.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:43 pmGo get ‘em, Joe!! I still think that Joe Biden had the BEST – the absolute best – snarky comment ever:
About Rudy Guiliani: “Noun, verb, 9/11.”
Classic!!
January 21st, 2009 at 3:45 pmnetlog
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January 21st, 2009 at 4:41 pmDR. HM and Gummitch–Reading your posts about Jill Biden made me laugh-sounds like you guys are hot for teacher;) Hope I look that good at her age.
Intelligent and witty people in the White House–great for America. It’s about dang time. I’d rather have someone who knows how to laugh at themselves rather than have everyone else laughing AT them. Poking a knife in your back there, Palin, you snowbilly.
January 21st, 2009 at 4:58 pmVP Joe has a sense of humor. This was the first time Chief Justice Roberts had to swear in a President and not many people would find it so easy in front of millions of Americans and billion watching on TV. But then again it’s easier to say you wouldn’t make mistakes. Funny has Bush was a bumpkin while speaking and not one person corrected him or even said a word. It was call Bushims as if that was to be an excuse to speakin incorrectly.
January 21st, 2009 at 6:02 pmThey redid the oath today, just to be sure.
January 21st, 2009 at 9:59 pmThe oath was invalidated by inclusion of the phrase “So help me God,” at its conclusion, which does not occur in the Constitution. In point of fact the word “God” does not appear anywhere in the Constitution.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:55 am“BIDEN: Am I doing this again? For the senior staff. Alright. ”
There is no such word as “alright”, only already. Try “all right.”
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:41 amI believe Biden will be muzzled after his first 100 days. It is obvious that Obama wanted him to stop talking. He grabbed his arm trying to reign him in.
dae, as a partisan Christian I have to point out that you are wrong. The Constitution is clearly Deist. While the word GOD does not appear specifically, HE is clearly mentioned throughout that brilliant document. Of course you probably believe it is a living document which needs to be changed unless your guy is in charge. I’ll be waiting to see your howls when Obama does something heinous like kill all of the bad guys in Afghanistan.
It is great that Barak Obama is the president of the United States. I predict he will be a great one.
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:21 pm