Joe Biden Ungirds His Loins

"With all due respect, that isn't remotely close to what he said..."

That's why I like Tapper, though I don't know how much I'd like him if he was asking questions of me.

I love Gibbs' reponse here: Ignore what Biden said. I'm telling you what he was supposed to say.



The backstory on this is that Joe "Gird Your Loins" Biden went on TV and said that he told his family not to take the subway in case they catch swine flu. So much for that steel cup he's been sporting. Chicken.

He also said schools should be shuttered and added, "If you're out in the middle of a field and someone sneezes that's one thing. If you're in a closed aircraft or a closed container or closed car or closed classroom it's a different thing."

Well. The Veep decided to go it alone and has now frightened parents of schoolchildren, made the subway a deathtrap, put the kibosh on the airline industry, and left everyone wondering which "containers" they should avoid at all costs. Partying with friends in a Tupperware bowl? Beware!

I remember a while ago when people were complaining that there weren't enough flu shots to go around. Bush said that if you were healthy and strong, don't get a shot. Leave it for the kids and the elderly. He added that he hadn't received a shot and wasn't going to.

Now you've got Biden hiding in the middle of a field dodging sneeze particles.

This guy's a laugh a minute.

Tapper Again

A recent highlight from Jake Tapper over at ABC, a journalist who might just take the quotation marks from around the word "journalist."

Tapper in Political Punch: Then-Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., one year ago this week, swooped in from the campaign trail to -- along with then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. -- vote for an amendment to impose a one-year moratorium on earmarks for fiscal year 2009...Today, of course, President Obama will sign into law more than 8,000 earmarks for FY 2009, part of the $410 billion omnibus spending bill.

They Might Exist

I have to be careful, or Jake Tapper is going to get me thinking that there's some real reporters still walking the Earth. You know, guys that think everyone is full of crap and believe in the maxim, "If your mother says she loves you, have it checked out."

Tapper's been on the ball since Obama took office, and he's relentless in asking questions that make press secretary Robert Gibbs reach for his "Um...Ah...Mmm..." crutch. I've been watching the press conferences over the past couple of weeks, and Tapper's always in the mood to make things uncomfortable.

Here's Tapper today, in response to an obvious dodge from Gibbs regarding Obama's bogus Caterpillar claim: "I don't even know how to respond to that." In other words, "Sell me another one." Tapper goes on to rephrase the question, keeping Gibbs on the spot. It was a great moment.

Then there was this, after Tapper quoted a congressman.

GIBBS: Well, I haven't -- I haven't seen what the congressman said. I think...

TAPPER: Exactly what I just said.

In other words, "You heard me. Now answer the damn question."

The guy works for ABC, too. Unreal. According to his bio, ABC made him their senior White House correspondent the day after the November election. Interesting. I'm glad to see he's a reporter that all politicians can hate, because that makes him a reporter that I like.

More from Tapper here.