Biden shows zero leadership – swine flu freak out UPDATE: Video
Gaff-o-matic boy strikes again. This is one of the most irresponsible statements any politician or leader can make. It’s quite similar to the CEO of a Fortune 50 company going to a news conference and saying that he would not buy any of his own companies stock right now, and he’d advise his family avoid it too.
What a bumbling idiot. This is another clear reason why politicians with no executive leadership should be kept out of the Executive Branch. We’ve got two senators – who have never ran a company or lead men in the military – stumbling their way through this.
And we’re only 101 days into it.
From Politico.com…
Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday that he would not recommend taking any commercial flight or riding in a subway car “at this point” because swine flu virus can spread “in confined places.” A little more than one hour later, Biden rushed out a statement backing off.
“I would tell members of my family – and I have – I wouldn’t go anywhere in confined places now,” Biden said on NBC’s “Today” show.. “It’s not that it’s going to Mexico. It’s [that] you’re in a confined aircraft. When one person sneezes, it goes all the way through the aircraft. That’s me. …
“So, from my perspective, what it relates to is mitigation. If you’re out in the middle of a field when 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.”
Jim Geraghty thought it was a joke when he first read it.
Michelle has more.
Look, Biden means well, but for a public official to suggest that people avoid all enclosed spaces like subways, classrooms, malls and office buildings is not very good for an economy that is already struggling.
Can we just use some common sense, without the need for the government to tell us what we need to do?
If you’re sick, stay home and call your doctor. If you were in close contact with someone who was/is sick, be vigilant for the next day or so.
If you’re not sick, go about your normal routine and do the stuff that you normally should be doing, like washing your hands and not sneezing in my cube at work.
OK?
UPDATE (Jim): Here’s the video of the Gaffer in Chief at work followed by reaction of the travel industry courtesy of Fox News and Shep Smith.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtHeNP9HubU
Update 2 (Jim): Attention … you must watch this. Robert Gibbs trying to spin the Gaffer in Chief’s comments and ABC’s Jake Tapper calling him on it. Listen to the Press corps laugh.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqNbjsofEQo
10 Comments
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Who was that masked man????? The Lone Deranger
To be fair, people are calling for closing the border (which I agree with) which is not much different and advising against unnecessary travel should be self evident.
It is funny that Biden accidentally veered into a common sense statement and then gets his ass handed to him by the administration. ROFL.
What Joe Biden said, was exactly waht needed to be said. I am not Joe Biden fan, but if people practiced common sense, just like Joe said, the spreading of this flu would diminish and the likelyhood of you catching it would also diminish.
Steve, you missed the mark on this one. Joe said what your or my mother would say. No one else was saying it. Really stretching for blog material this time.
Yeah,
My only problem with what he said is that HE said it. A true statement hurts the economy? So be it. If its true, its true.
But, I for one, don't buy the severity of this thing. I think the whole thing is being greatly exaggerated. But, we'll see.
The really funny thing is that the majority of college kid types that I observe, Obambi voters to be sure, are routinely unable to wash their hands after using the bathroom. Heck, they can barely remember to flush!
Stupid is as stupid does.
Bush to blame: On the Mclaughlin Group, the moderator suggested that Bush is "to blame" (direct quote) for swine flu because there aren't enough tamiflu antiviral drugs!!! I was wondering how this was going to be a "serious" accusation.