Research Briefing

After Failing To Successfully Oversee The Stimulus, Biden Gets His Shot At Health Care Policy

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: “I do foreign policy, I don’t do health care.” (Vice President Joe Biden, Remarks At Brookings Institution, Washington, DC, 9/9/09)

BIDEN WILL DELIVER HEALTH CARE ADDRESS WHILE OBAMA ADDRESSES FOREIGN POLICY, A “LESS COMPLICATED” SUBJECT

Today, Biden Will Deliver His “First Major Health Policy Address.” “Biden is slated to give his ‘first major health policy address’ Tuesday to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and on Wednesday visits the Leisure World retirement community in Silver Spring.” (Ceci Connolly, “Biden Plans Move To Health Care Frontlines Next Week,” The Washington Post’s “44” Blog, 9/18/09)

Meanwhile, Obama Will Deliver His First Address To United Nations. “US President Barack Obama makes his UN debut this week as world leaders gather for a whirlwind of talks on climate change, the Middle East, nuclear non-proliferation and the financial crisis. … All eyes will be on the US leader Tuesday as he attends a climate change summit hosted by UN chief Ban Ki-moon to galvanize political will on reducing greenhouse gas emissions before key December talks in Copenhagen.” (Gerard Aziakou, “Obama Makes UN Debut Amid Diplomatic Flurry,” Agence France Presse, 9/21/09)

Biden Says Foreign Policy Is “A Lot Less Complicated” Than Health Care, “And That’s Not A Joke.” Biden: “I’m often introduced as, in the past, as senator as an expert in foreign policy, and I say, well you know an expert is anyone from out of town with a briefcase. I don’t have a briefcase and secondly, the reason I choose foreign policy, it’s a lot easier than health care. A lot less complicated, and that’s not a joke.” (Vice President Joe Biden, Remarks At Brookings Institution, 9/9/09)

EARLIER THIS YEAR, DR. GAFFE GAVE US HIS PRESCRIPTION FOR SWINE FLU:
AVOID ALL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION!

When Asked What He Would Tell His Family To Do About Swine Flu, Biden Responded That They Should Avoid Confined Spaces Including Public Transportation. Biden: “I would tell members of my family, and I have, I wouldn't go anywhere in confined places now. It's not that it's going to Mexico, it's you're in a confined aircraft; when one person sneezes it goes all the way through the aircraft. That's me. I would not be, at this point, if I--if they had another way of transportation, suggesting they ride the subway. So from my perspective what it relates to is mitigation. 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 closed container … or closed car or closed classroom, it's a different thing.” (NBC’s “Today,” 4/30/09)

But Day Before, Obama Had Specifically Said Correct Response To Swine Flu Was Not To Panic. Obama: “Well, first of all, as I said, this is a cause for deep concern, but not panic. And I think that we have to make sure that we recognize that how we respond intelligently, systematically, based on science and what public health officials have to say, will determine in large part what happens.” (President Barack Obama, Prime Time Press Conference, 4/29/09)

Obama Administration Was Forced To Backtrack On Biden’s Swine Flu Comments. NBC’s Chuck Todd: “Known for verbal gaffes as a senator, this was actually the first verbal firestorm as vice president. Administration backtracking began immediately, starting with a flurry of internal e-mails, which led to the first so-called clarification from Biden's press office: ‘The advice he is giving family members is the same advice the administration is giving to all Americans: that they should avoid unnecessary air travel to and from Mexico. If they are sick, they should avoid airplanes and other confined public spaces such as subways.’ Other administration officials spent the day cleaning up Biden's remark.” (NBC’s “Today,” 5/1/09)

BIDEN HAS FAILED IN HIS BIGGEST ASSIGNMENT TO DATE:
PREVENTING WASTE AND ABUSE OF STIMULUS FUNDS

In February, Obama Named Biden To Oversee Stimulus Effort. “He also named Vice President Joe Biden to oversee the stimulus package, which Obama said shows the importance of the effort.” (Foon Rhee, “Obama Talks Responsibility,” The Boston Globe’s “Political Intelligence” Blog, 2/23/09)

Obama: I Asked Biden To Oversee The Stimulus Oversight Effort Because “Nobody Messes With Joe.” Obama: “Here in Washington, we’ve all seen how quickly good intentions can turn into broken promises and wasteful spending.  And with a plan of this scale comes enormous responsibility to get it right. That is why I have asked Vice President Biden to lead a tough, unprecedented oversight effort – because nobody messes with Joe.” (President Barack Obama, Address To Joint Session Of Congress, 2/24/09)

Four Months Later, Biden Said Publicly That Some Stimulus Money “Is Going To Be Wasted.” “’We know some of this money is going to be wasted,’ Biden said during a roundtable discussion in New York with business leaders aimed at promoting the two-year stimulus plan.” (Pedro Nicolaci da Costa, “Biden Says Some Waste Inevitable Part of Stimulus,” Reuters, 6/2/09)

• Biden: There Will Be Mistakes And People Will Be Scammed.  Biden: “There are going to be mistakes made … Some people are being scammed already.” (Pedro Nicolaci da Costa, “Biden Says Some Waste Inevitable Part of Stimulus,” Reuters, 6/2/09)