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April 30, 2009

Biden advises family to stay off Airplanes and Subways (Updated)

Marc Sheppard
Moments ago on NBC’s Today Show, Vice President Joe Biden was asked what he’d advise his family about flying to Mexico during the current swine-flu outbreak. Biden told Matt Lauer that it had nothing to do with Mexico, he wouldn’t want them getting on any airplane.

It’s a confined space, he explained, and if one person sneezes "it goes all the way through the aircraft."  In fact, he added, he wouldn’t want them on subways for the very same reason:


"I would tell members of my family, and I have, I wouldn't go anywhere in confined spaces places now. ………I would not be at this point, if they had another way of transportation, suggesting they ride the subway."

Of course, Uncle Joe wasn’t speaking officially, and was quick to add, “That’s me.”

It’ll be interesting to watch the White House’s Joe Biden cleanup crew walk this one back. 

Particularly once the inevitable questions about halting incoming planes from Mexico City begin to fly.


UPDATE 14:34 EST

The White House isn’t just walking Joe’s comments back, they’re running it, and through a field full of Bull Crap.

At this afternoon’s presser, Whitehouse Spokesman Robert Gibbs repeated the lie we’ve been hearing from the administration all day.  That what Biden meant to say was that were family members ill, he’d advise them not to board an airplane.  Anyone watching or reading the Veep’s actual words understands quite well why this drew both laughter and follow-up questions from the press corps.  But Gibbs quickly moved on to the next question and refused to discuss the matter further.

This absurd revision of Biden’s meaning began with a brief release from Biden spokesperson Elizabeth Alexander immediately after the feces hit the fan:

"On the Today Show this morning the Vice President was asked what he would tell a family member who was considering air travel to Mexico this week. 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. This is the advice the Vice President has given family members who are traveling by commercial airline this week. As the President said just last night, every American should take the same steps you would take to prevent any other flu:  keep your hands washed; cover your mouth when you cough; stay home from work if you're sick; and keep your children home from school if they're sick."

A short time later, DHS director Janet Napolitano told MSNBC:

"I think the vice president, if he had, if he could say that over again he would say if they're feeling sick they should stay off of public transit or confined spaces because that is indeed the advice that we're giving."
Perhaps he would.  But that’s not what he meant this morning. 

And there’s virtually no one who believes otherwise.  

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