Cheneys Welcome Bidens At V.P. Mansion

(CBS/ AP)  Vice President-elect Joe Biden got a tour of his new home from the outgoing occupant, Vice President Dick Cheney.

"The Vice President-elect and Dr. Jill Biden met with Vice President Cheney and his wife Lynne at the Naval Observatory this evening," said Biden spokesperson Elizabeth Alexander in a statement. "The Bidens thank the Cheneys for welcoming them into their home and for their gracious hospitality."

Biden arrived Thursday at the Naval Observatory, the home for vice presidents, with his wife. They were greeted with smiles by Cheney and his wife, Lynne.

Biden said, "Mr. Vice President, how are you doing?"

Cheney replied, "Joe, how are you." He congratulated Biden on his victory.

"It was a good visit," Cheney Press Secretary Megan Mitchell said in a statement. "The Cheneys enjoyed giving the Bidens a tour of the residence and wished them well as they make it their home in January."

The meeting lasted a little over 50 minutes. The Vice President and his successor are believed to have discussed the transition of power.

Biden has called Cheney "the most dangerous vice president we've had probably in American history" and said he couldn't name a single good thing Cheney had done. But even if he won't acknowledge any similarities, there's one way that Biden wants to be like Cheney — a strong partner in governing the country.

Biden is proving to be a hands-on No. 2 to President-elect Barack Obama. He is carving out his own niche, specializing in foreign affairs, his area of expertise for decades in the Senate, and sticking close to Obama.

Past vice presidents have often been relegated to ceremonial roles, without major input on daily decisions. But the last two vice presidents, Cheney and Al Gore, have been extraordinarily involved and insisted on private weekly lunches with their bosses.

Biden has said he told Obama, before accepting the running mate slot, that he wouldn't want a peripheral assignment like reorganizing government, which Gore took on, along with other tasks. In an interview with New Yorker magazine last month, he said he told Obama: "I don't want to be a vice president who is not part of the major decisions you make."

Biden himself will have an experienced aide who can help his voice be heard in the White House. He chose former Gore chief of staff Ron Klain to fill the same job for him, Democrats said Thursday.

Biden will certainly have a special interest in the Iraq war, with his son scheduled to deploy there this month.

So far, Biden has been working closely with Obama. He has been in almost all the president-elect's meetings at his new government office space in Chicago and has been dispatched to make calls to several foreign leaders.

[treknutz]

Wouldn''t have been great to see Joe *** slap Cheney right on camera?

I''d pay real money to see that!

[treknutz]

Didn''t you know that Sarah''s answer to the question was crafted by Cheney himself! After all he was in charge, wasn''t he?

[sunbum33919]

I never could figure out what exactly the VP does. A behind the scenes man? says me
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The point being, in recent years, has a vp done anything of significance? The job of the vp is really minimal compared to other offices or appointments....... and the vp IS as the behest of the Pres. My main concern would be if (God forbid) something happened to the Pres. and our newly elected vp would take over.........

[sunbum33919]

You need to do some homework since you do not know what a V.P. does. Don''''t critisize until you do.
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that was sarcasm.......

[mary400]

I never could figure out what exactly the VP does. A behind the scenes man? Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.


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Posted by sunbum33919

You need to do some homework since you do not know what a V.P. does. Don''t critisize until you do.

[sunbum33919]

Well, that will be an improvement over the murder and torture that the current VP has ordered along with the monetary raping of the American public.
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that''s a good point........ wonder can the VP refuse to obey - like, "sorry mr.pres..... shine your own shoes!!" I never could figure out what exactly the VP does. A behind the scenes man? Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

[skyhawk761]

Since the VP''''s duties are at the discretion of the Pres, for the most part, there is a plethora of duties Biden could perform...... but I bet mostly it will be to sit quietly in the closet with the booze of his choice. He might get out to ..... hmmmm....... mow the Whitehouse lawn,,,,,, schelp drinks at the parties,,,,,,dash to the dry cleaners for Mrs.Pres,,,,, clean the doggie doodoo of the Whitehouse lawn..... his duties could be endless.


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Posted by sunbum33919 at 09:37 AM : Nov 14, 2008
+ report abuse

Well, that will be an improvement over the murder and torture that the current VP has ordered along with the monetary raping of the American public.

[sunbum33919]

Since the VP''s duties are at the discretion of the Pres, for the most part, there is a plethora of duties Biden could perform...... but I bet mostly it will be to sit quietly in the closet with the booze of his choice. He might get out to ..... hmmmm....... mow the Whitehouse lawn,,,,,, schelp drinks at the parties,,,,,,dash to the dry cleaners for Mrs.Pres,,,,, clean the doggie doodoo of the Whitehouse lawn..... his duties could be endless.

[biblethumpar]

such a nice Death Star you have here Mr, Chinney.

[gop_will_win]

I am sure Cheney was a gracious host to snotty used car salesman Biden and shown him all the additional underground wings that he has added the past 8 years. Hopefully they shall do some quail hunting afterwards.