BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) – The famously free-wheeling Joe Biden found himself in an unaccustomed situation Thursday: asked to comment on a White House gaffe that wasn't his own.
The vice president was asked by CNN what he thought of President Obama's unguarded moment earlier this week, when he was caught calling entertainer Kanye West a "jackass" for grabbing the microphone from teenage singer Taylor Swift at MTV's Video Music Awards earlier in the week.
Biden responded cautiously. "I honestly didn't know that. I have no comment on that," he told CNN's Chris Lawrence, adding with a laugh: "For someone who occasionally says things that I shouldn't say, I have no comment."
How does it feel to be on the observing end of an administration verbal slip? "Well first of all, (Obama) very seldom has a slip of the tongue," said Biden. "But I really can't comment. I truly don't know the incident. I heard it for the first time from you."
Biden is in Iraq this week, his third visit to that nation so far this year.
From CNN Politics
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I agree with the President.
Tactfully done, Mr. Vice President. Refuse to comment on something you don't know about...something I wish more Republicans would learn to do.
Joe has learned that silence really is golden! Too bad West didn't and now all the apologies seem to fall flat. Imagine, apologizing on a website instead of in person...And meaning it. And then on Jay Leno's show..What an act!
Hopefully he has actually learned from all this, but I doubt it. He is arrogant, thinking rap and hiphop is the only music there is!
Maybe he won't be invited to any other award shows for a long time. He needs to find some humility and soon.
That was a slip? Huh. And here I though the President was making an intelligent observation.
Seems like CNN correspondents need to focus on the issues that make a difference instead of entertainment events! Is Kanye really that important? Obviously the President doesn't think so. You guys have got to do better to report real news. I'm sure our troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and wherever else are thinking the same thing!
This is was not a gaffe by Obama, the comment was made off the record but since CNN and ABC lack journalistic integrity that point is irrevelant. Off the record is OFF THE RECORD!
Slip of the tongue or not, Obama is right about Kanya West.
I defy Wilson to say Obama was a liar on that one.
I think we now have some progress in the era of Obama- Joe Biden has finally develop the wisdom to keep his mouth shut on certain issues!! It seems that Obama has had a positive influence on good old Joe.
Now Joe...you lie !!! You must have heard about that incident...it was all over the place (lol) Love you though,,,
Verbal Slip? I am a Republican and dislike Obama but he called a spade a spade... He was truthful and most of all, RIGHT! Don't make something out of nothing.
And this is news.....you guy's really are in the dark.
Well, first of the fact is that Biden knew about the comment probably as soon as it happened. Secondly that was very smart on his part, not to comment on the incident. He's had a few interesting slips of his own.
EXCUSE ME!!!!! Obama's description was NOT a verbal gaffe!!! It was a very appropriate comment on a very inappropriate moment on the part of West.
AND....I think we could extrapolate that description to a few other foot-in-mouth moments, Joe Wilson's racist moment aside. Deeper issues with Wilson than just an out of control ego.
Biden was just relieved that Obama wasn't referring to him.
If Biden were a Republican his gaffes wouldn't be looked at humorously by the media.
Finally a subject that Biden knows about... And he wont say anything!
I don't care what the media say. I adore Biden.
Personally, I have always loved Joe Biden and never thought of him as a Gaffe-Prone person. He is a very inteligent and honest man. Therefore, whenever he speaks his mind, for some reason or other the media always picks on him which I find quite unfair.
Considering the language we have heard from Cheney, Bush,
etc., this is hardly worthy of a comment except to say–so what?
Biden said the right thing, now drop it!
Obama didn't make a verbal slip, he simply stated a fact.
I agree with the Pres. on his thoughts about Kanye West. It was an honest comment and he shouldn't feel bad for saying it. He lives in a free country and is entitled to his oppinion.
Since when has the truth become a "gottcha" moment. What exactly did you "gottcha" – it was a true statement.
Duh!
Why is the President's comment labeled a "slip"? Was it unintentional or inaccurate? A negative comment isn't automatically a slip. Not even the same type of statement as Biden's gaffes. No fan of Obama's policies, but I don't understand the characterization as a slip.
It wasn't a slip by Obama. It was an unprofessional journalist reporting something that he wouldnt have if he had any ethics. It was off the record, and he presented the question as one parent to another. I happen to agree with the President's views, but this journalist and his parent company should be disgraced by their lack of professionalism.