Biden Apologizes For Obama Blunder

Senator's Comments On Democratic Rival Overshadow Entry Into Presidential Race

(CBS/AP)  Sen. Joe Biden spent his first day as an official presidential candidate regretting his description of Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama as "clean," and explaining why he had dissed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards.

The six-term Delaware lawmaker, who has said for months he'd be a candidate in 2008, formally established his presidential committee Wednesday and launched a campaign Web site. It's the second presidential bid for Biden, who pursued the White House in 1988.

But the talkative Biden spent the better part of the day trying to quell the furor over his remarks. He was peppered with questions from reporters in an afternoon conference call, and late in the day, issued a terse statement, saying: "I deeply regret any offense my remark in the New York Observer might have caused anyone. That was not my intent and I expressed that to Senator Obama."

In the weekly newspaper's article, published Wednesday, Biden harshly criticized Clinton and Edwards for their proposals to end the Iraq war. He also questioned the credentials of another leading candidate, Obama, a first-term-senator, while calling him "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy."

Biden told reporters that he'd used the word "clean" to describe Obama as "fresh and new," and that the choice of words was not meant to disparage other black candidates who'd run for president in the past, such as civil rights leaders Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.

Obama, Biden said, "is probably the most exciting candidate the Democratic or Republican parties have produced since I've been around. He's fresh, new, smart, insightful. Lightning in a jar."

Biden also said he'd called Obama after the controversy to patch things up.

"He said, 'Joe, I knew what you meant,"' Biden said.

Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor confirmed the two men had talked. Later, Obama released a statement saying Biden's remarks seemed to undercut past black presidential candidates.

"I didn't take Senator Biden's comments personally, but obviously they were historically inaccurate," Obama said. "African-American presidential candidates like Jesse Jackson, Shirley Chisholm, Carol Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton gave a voice to many important issues through their campaigns."

For his part, Jackson said he believed Biden's remark was "a gaffe."

"I know Joe Biden is a smart, decent guy," Jackson said in an interview. "I hope this doesn't diminish the light he brings to future debates."

But, he added, "Next time he should use the words 'fresh and new.' It's subject to less interpretation."

Biden was also grilled about comments he made regarding proposals offered by Clinton and Edwards to stabilize the situation in Iraq.

A 34-year Senate veteran known for his foreign policy expertise, Biden called Clinton's proposal — which would cap American troops and threatens to cut funding to Iraqi security forces — "nothing but disaster." He also criticized Edwards, who has proposed immediately removing 40,000-50,000 U.S. troops from Iraq.

"I don't think John Edwards knows what the heck he is talking about," Biden said.

Pressed to explain, Biden reiterated his claim that his rivals' Iraq plans were a mistake. He also said that while the Democratic field has a number of well-qualified contenders, he was the best qualified to serve as president.

"I believe I'm the best prepared of all the candidates," he said. "That I can say someone is qualified but can't take issue with their ideas is a strange phenomenon."

But this is not the first time Biden has put his foot in his mouth, reports CBS News correspondent Gloria Borger.

Last summer, some comments he made about Indian-Americans caused a stir. "You can't go into a 7-Eleven or Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking," Biden said on a visit to New Hampshire.

And as a candidate for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination, Biden withdrew from the race in 1987 amid accusations that he had plagiarized passages in a campaign speech from former British Labor Party leader Neil Kinnock.

Sources close to Biden say they've warned him repeatedly about his big mouth.

"As one said to me, hopefully he got his stupid mistake out of the way early," Borger said.

Asked whether his verbosity would be a handicap on the campaign trail, Biden demurred.

"That's for voters to decide. I don't see it as a problem," he said.

In a video message posted on his new campaign Web site, www.joebiden.com, Biden criticized President Bush's conduct of the Iraq war and warned that his successor would have no margin for error in resolving the conflict.

"This administration's mishandling of the war in Iraq may be the greatest foreign policy disaster of our times," Biden said. "The next president ... is going to have to be prepared to immediately step in and act without hesitation to end our involvement in Iraq."

Biden voted in 2002 to authorize military intervention in Iraq but has since become a vocal critic of the conflict. He's also proposed a plan for peace in Iraq that would divide the country along ethnic lines.

Biden also spoke of a number of domestic challenges he hoped to tackle as president, including health care, boosting job and retirement security, and tackling the threat of global warming.

Biden will transfer $3 million from his Senate account to his presidential campaign, and said he believed he needed to raise $20 million total to be competitive in next year's early primaries. Analysts believe Clinton and Obama are likely to raise $100 million each this year.

[agnim]

"I AM JUST SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING THE WINEING FROM %u201CBLACK%u201D, OH SORRY%u2026%u2026. AFRRICAN-AMERICAN PLEOPLE ALL THE TIME WHEN SOMEONE MAKES SOME KIND OF COMMENT.

Posted by bowler555 at 03:20 PM : Feb 02, 2007"

For all those who are getting 'sick and tired', my suggestion is that you go to your doctor and stock up on much meds; 'cause there is so much more of your 'sickness' to come that that you will go to an early grave without the meds. LOL

For your karmic burden and the karmic burden of your forebears are MUCH to make you 'sick' until DEATH!

[garyz3--2008]

I AM JUST SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING THE WINEING FROM %u201CBLACK%u201D, OH SORRY%u2026%u2026. AFRRICAN-AMERICAN PLEOPLE ALL THE TIME WHEN SOMEONE MAKES SOME KIND OF COMMENT. JESSE JACKSON AND AL SHARPTON SHOULD JUST KEEP THIRE MOUTH SHUT FOR A CHANGE. THEY MAKE THING WORST ALL THE TIME. IF A BLACK PERSON SAID THIS ABOUT A WHITE PERSON, NOTHING WOULD BE SAID!! ENOUGH ABOUT THIS RACIAL BS. AND START WORRYING ABOUT HOW THIS CONTRY IS GOING DOWNHILL THE POLATICANS SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT HOW MR. BUSH GOT US IN TO ALL THIS MESS. MOREOVER, HOW TO GET US OUT AND CARING FOR THE PEOPLE HERE FOR A CHAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BARACK OBAMA WAS O.K. WITH IT SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL, MR. JACKSON AND MR. SHARPTON????

[tibu987]

Biden puts foot in mouth on first day.
Best yet to follow.
Please, it seems every creep in Washington is getting into the race.
Their egos get overinflated at this time in the race.
So all you need is a sun tan, (or tanning lotion), or just the ruddiness (redness) that comes from too many six martini lunches.
Gimme a break.

[agnim]

"I didn't mean to call Osama a clean african American.

Posted by bigwhtpony at 04:14 PM : Feb 01, 2007"

Right!

If anything Obama is a 'clean' European American!

OBAMA FELL OUT OF A WHITE WOMB!

We may not be sure of the father; but

FOR SURE, OBAMA'S MOM IS A WHITE WOMAN!

So let's cut out the racist African American nonsense!

[bigwhtpony]

I didn't mean to call Osama a clean african American. That was a mistake and I'm very, very sorry. Please tell Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton that I will kiss their collective a**es just as soon as I can.

Sincerely

Joe bin-Biden (D-Dixie)

[j-whitman]

Bye, things to do today, catch you later.

[j-whitman]

Gunowner,,, Bush's middle name is Walker,, If you knew about his gradpa Walker, this Bush wouldn't be President today.

[gunownerdan]

Barack Hussein Obama....
For some reason he seems to be ashamed of his middle name. Could he be related to Saddam?

[j-whitman]

Dogbut,,,,, George H.W. stopped short of Bagdad,, Clinton stoped short of full on war ---- Bush didn't,, Bush gave Iraq to Iran.. Iran didn't have to lift a finger.

[j-whitman]

Dog,, Investigations on the twisting of intellegence have re-commenced after Bush stalled them,,,,, Let's wait for the results & findings.

[dogsoul]

No - it's not all Clinton's fault. Crazy as this may sound, I place most of the blame on Saddam Hussein & radical Islamists... but if you want to fault the Bush Administration for believing the intelligence data that they were provided.... fine, that's fair - they bought into it & probably WANTED to believe it in order to rid the world of Saddam while injecting a major does of anti-terror Democracy in the MiddleEast.... but you would then also have to acknowledge that it was the same exact intelligence data that also convinced Clinton who was on the verge of invading Iraq as well. If you want to note that Clinton stopped short, barely though it may have been - fine, that's fair... but you would then also have to acknowledge that despite every motivation to say otherwise, Bill Clinton himself said that he would have definitely invaded Iraq were he the Commander in Chief post 9/11 - so really, beating the "HE LIED" drum over & over again simply doesn't measure up to the realities of what transpired - or reflect any real disparity in what would have transpired under a hypothetical Clintonian Administration.

[cmp271]

Who cares what Biden says..he does reflect and has said what all Americans are saying anyway. Just because he is a politician it gets reported. He's right about the 7 eleven stores. It is the same in britain, and believe me the racism is worse over there, it is more so legal than we could ever get away with. Obama is clean cut, the others did look like they needed a bath. Jackson always looks bad, and Shirley Chisolm-bad hair day every day(Goddess rest her soul), and Sharpton looks like he belongs in a clown suit. The only real good looking black guy is Sidney Poitier..(and Denzel Washington). Obama looks good, but not as good as Sidney! Sidney is dark too!!

[Renegade.Rivers]

Dog,

I will say one more thing, and then I will move on, I never denied being a liberal, it was you who put all liberals in the same boat, as the extreme left.

The definition of a liberal is, "A person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties."

Just because one is a liberal does not mean they are extremist. No more than it means that because one is a conservative, that they are a neo-con. If in fact, you are not a neo-con, then don't sling words, that make you look as if you are such.

[j-whitman]

Dog$hit,,,, It's all Clinton's fault -- SIGN UP FOR ACTIVE DUTY

[dogsoul]

Did you read the article - or I should say, transcript from Clinton himself? I really don't need to respond, I'll let his own words prove out what I'm saying...

[j-whitman]

Dogbreath,,,, Clinton lied over a BJ -- Bush's lies killed well over 3,000 Americans, maimed & crippled thousands more

[j-whitman]

Dog,,, Clinton didn't wage war in the wrong dam contry, did he ??? Clinton didn't disrupt the entire Middle East & Near East regions, did he?? Clinton isn't the one who has "Gravely Damaged" our National Security or weakened our Military --- THAT WAS BUSH, CHENEY & RICE

[dogsoul]

...I'll entertain you for one more exchange j-whitman - about this LIE, he LIES, LYING, thing... maybe it'll get you to shut up for a moment - yeah right.... anyway

Do a little research on the information Bill Clinton received via the intelligence community as it pertained to Iraq's supposed WMDs - he was convinced as well, very convinced in fact - here's just one source - there are many... btw, Hillary said the same things:

http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/16/transcripts/clinton.html

He was on the verge of attacking Iraq for the exact same intelligence data (or as you call it, LIES) that Bush was given (or as you say, invented & LIED about himself) - and in fact, Clinton has said numerous times that he would have done the exact same thing as Bush in a post 9/11 world - although he disagrees on some specific tactical measures... whew, you are just plain dumb ain't ya - guess it takes all kinds....

[j-whitman]

Dog$hit,,,, Sign up for active duty, your country is calling.

[dogsoul]

Well Vancouver, I the the presumption that a white person couldn't possibly hire a black person purely on the basis of his or her qualifications is, itself, a racist presumption. I suppose we'll not know for sure if race factored into those decisions & I can certainly understand any skepticism in the world of politics... but just based upon more general observations, heck - call it a gut feel - it seems to me & I would suspect the majority of people that they were chosen on merit....