Biden's candor a double-edged sword for Obama

(CBS News) WASHINGTON - There's suddenly a lot of talk about possible tension between President Obama and Vice President Biden.

When Biden seemed to break with the president and endorse gay marriage Sunday, he set off Washington's talking heads. Was it a deliberate signal to the gay community? Or was it just Biden in yet another unscripted moment?

In a speech Tuesday, the vice president addressed his tendency to say whatever's on his mind. "No one's ever doubted I mean what I say. The problem is, I sometimes say all that I mean," he conceded, to laughter.

In that speech, to a conference of rabbis in Atlanta, Biden also demonstrated, however, why he's an effective spokesman for the Obama administration, saying, "I hope, by now, no one doubts that the president is willing to use power. The president's smart."

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  But the vice president's latest off-the-cuff moment showed that he can also be a liability - which is not news to the White House.

  He can be exuberant - as he was when the president's healthcare bill finally passed Congress, whispering to Mr. Obama, "this is a big [expletive] deal!"

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  He can be careless, as when he joked about Chief Justice John Roberts flubbing the presidential oath Roberts administered to Mr. Obama. Biden quipped to reporters, "My memory is not as good as Justice Roberts'."

  And he can be brutally honest, maybe too honest - even about himself.

  For instance, Biden admitted in September 2008 that, "Hillary Clinton is as qualified, or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. ... And quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me."

  Sometimes, the president himself weighs in on Biden's impromptu remarks.

  In February 2009, Mr. Obama said, evoking laughter from reporters, "I don't remember, exactly, what Joe was referring to. Not surprisingly!"

  The New York Times reports that the jab annoyed the vice president, who brought it up to the boss one day over lunch.

  But their relationship is close. Biden is one of the few people beyond his own circle the president has come to trust - and Mr. Obama sees him as someone who relates both to blue collar voters and to Biden's longtime former colleagues on Capitol Hill.

  It's a relationship so close that the president, joking with reporters at the recent White House Correspondents Dinner, edited out a quip about whether Biden would remain on the ticket in 2012.

  Comedian Jimmy Kimmel filled the void at the same dinner, telling the audience, "It's kind of hard to be funny with the president of the United States sitting right next to you and looking at you. And yet, somehow, day in and day out, Joe Biden manages to do it!" The remark drew loud laughter.

  So, what are the chances of the president picking another running mate? Zero, according to people around the White House. Look for Biden instead to play the role usually assigned to someone in his position. In the campaign, he'll be on the attack, while the president takes the high road.

  To see Bill Plante's report, click on the video in the player above.

[Leftwing---Lunatics]

Biden's supposed candor are really embarrassing gaffes of a boozer who says the stupidest thing.
I'll get a laugh out of CBS's spin on the word "Candor".

[Leftwing---Lunatics]

This could explain that little yellow journalist Brian Montopoli's story yesterday on how Hillary is so "beloved" by all of America.
Obama want's to dump Biden as VP out of desperation and maybe have Hillary take his place to run with him as VP.
Hillary is so stupid she will let Obama use her to get re-elected and then he will ignore her and throw her under the bus like he did in 2008.

She can't save him being VP. The Democrats and the left that wanted her to be president that turned Independant or the moderate ones will not go for it unless she is going to be president.
Of couse they just might since they aren't the brightest Americans and like Obama doing nothing for them and are gluttons for abuse.

[Jahzera]

I love how Biden expressing his own personal opinion has been ballooned into this latest greatest sideshow act by the Republican rumor mongers.. who would have all your rights, freedom of speech, becoming an issue given their way.
They talk the talk.. but when was the last time they walked the walk?

Biden's personal opinion has no relfection on policy, or Obama.
If that were the case then why didn't we impeach Bush for Cheney's gaff on heand Bush were above the law?

[RealWorldNow]

Bill, your too kind the call it candor. This guy is a blathering fool. The walking gaffe machine will expose more at time rolls on....
and Biden was put on the ticket to add credibility to an inexperienced 1st term senator. Well, we all know how that's working out.

[yankskeptic]

CBS Bill Plante can submissively shill and campaign for the Obama Administration, but attempting to explain and cover for the not-so-bright V.P. "Bluto" Biden is utterly ridiculous and a lost cause.

[sgreco1970]

"There's suddenly a lot of talk about possible tension between President Obama and Vice President Biden"

Particularly by the right wing media! ...since none of the "talk" has come from the two gentlemen involved, Im going to call BS and ignore yellow journalism.

[RealWorldNow]

This is right wing media?