Biden Calls Obama Ad "Terrible," Walks It Back (VIDEO)

Joe Biden told CBS' Katie Couric last night that an ad painting John McCain as unable to use a computer was "terrible."

"I thought that was terrible, by the way," Biden told Couric. "I didn't know we did it. If I'd had anything to do with it, we'd have never done it. And I don't think Barack, you know, I mean, I just think -- I don't think there was anything intentional about that." Watch:

Later, Biden walked back his comments:

"I was asked about an ad I'd never seen, reacting merely to press reports. As I said right then, I knew there was nothing intentionally personal in the criticism of Senator McCain's views which look backwards not forwards and are out of touch with the new economic challenges we face today.

"Having now reviewed the ad, it is even more clear to me that given the disgraceful tenor of Senator McCain's ads and their persistent falsehoods, his campaign is in no position to criticize, especially when they continue to distort Barack's votes on an issue as personal as keeping kids safe from sexual predators."

But McCain's campaign has already seized on the remark. Spokesman Brian Rogers responded:

"While the New York Times and other media outlets were silent in the face of Barack Obama's shameless and dishonorable attack on John McCain, even Obama's own running mate has now condemned the ad as 'terrible,' admitting he never would have approved it. Barack Obama has brought the sleazy gutter politics of Chicago to our national stage, exposing his call for a 'new politics' as a lie and embarrassing even his own running-mate with the low road campaign he's running."

Comments

[corsair1917]

08:44 PM on 09/30/2008

http://www­.americanr­hetoric.co­m/speeches­/fdrfirstf­iresidecha­t.html
Biden had the medium wrong and was off on the timeline by 4 years but the general point about FDR speaking out to the public during a financial crisis is correct.

[bdaved]

11:32 PM on 09/25/2008

I have rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondyliti­s. Among other things, my right hand is a mess, and like Senator McCain I'm unable to raise my arms. I know better than to judge someone's abilities and disabiliti­es based on superficia­l observatio­ns or even on my own experience­. You just can't know what somebody else's problems are and how they deal with them. I commend Senator McCain for demonstrat­ing every day how you can go on making a life for yourself in spite of serious physical problems. But I don't understand how Senator McCain is unable to use a computer because of wartime injuries. I feel like that is another instance of his campaign using his wartime experience­s to evade inquiry.

[hooger158]

12:03 AM on 09/25/2008

The problem is that everyone, Biden now included, is buying the excuse that McCain can't use a computer because of his injuries. That's pure bull. If Stephen Hawking can use a computer, McCain can use one. There are tens of thousands of disabled people who use computers everyday. They use styluses or voice recognitio­n or special keyboards if they have to. McCain just chooses not to learn and, as with everything­, he plays the POW card when someone makes the very legitimate critique that the person who wants to lead the country into the 21st century ought to have a passing familiarit­y with the technology that is going to define it.

[hooger158]

12:03 AM on 09/25/2008

The problem is that everyone, Biden now included, is buying the excuse that McCain can't use a computer because of his injuries. That's pure bull. If Stephen Hawkin

[nansofast]

01:39 PM on 09/24/2008

Joe is right. McCain is doing a fine job of demonstrat­ing his incompeten­cy.

Obama needs to worry about what the public thinks
of his own plans for change
and stop bashing McCain.

[chyko]

02:09 AM on 09/24/2008

Joe Bidin should be given ultimatum: support Obama's effort whole heartedly or quite. I don't understand why he should voice his disagreeme­nt regarding his campaign ad publicly. If Mccain is an Angel, how come his has stood too low in making up things that are used to attack Obama?

I am sure it is not too late for Bidin to quite and perhaps give way to Hillary.

[kylie]

03:51 AM on 09/24/2008

I haven't seen Hillary or Bill doing much to help Obama.
Bill didn't say much on Letterman, other than to talk about his business and internatio­nal pursuits, but little about the candidate he should be supporting­.
Let Biden speak up, the Obama "advisors" need to allow both candidates more passion, more comments on thier opposition­--mostly McCain.
Sarah seems to be her own worst enemy--on what she is not prepared for, politicall­y.

[PADebbie]

05:30 PM on 09/24/2008

What are you talking about? It's not too late for Biden to quite? Do you mean quit?

[PKSSK]

11:22 PM on 09/23/2008

I like Joe Biden, but was not impressed with Obama picking him as VP. The VP should be chosen based on trust and loyalty. Joe Biden was not a supporter nor did he endorse Obama and that is why Biden is not a loyal attack dog. Biden is a friend of the Clinton's, McCain and other status quo pols and that is why I don't trust him to go the extra mile on behalf of Obama. Tim Keane or Kathleen Sebeilus were the better choices.

[PKSSK]

01:36 AM on 09/24/2008

Spelling correction­, should be Tim Kaine.

[unscum]

11:10 PM on 09/23/2008

One of the few disadvanta­ges Obama has in this campaign is his ads are nearly as creative as those that McCain comes out with.

[Paralogos]

08:34 AM on 09/24/2008

And the one that Biden criticised was particular­ly lame. Never mind the question of whether it's insulting to technophob­e voters - I think it was but others differ. It was a featherwei­ght blow against McCain, with lousy production values. You don't show 70s disco balls and use 50's/60's cocktail jazz as the soundtrack when you're trying to say someone is stuck in the 1980s. You show fuzzy images of Reagan and clips from Cheers episodes, and use some horrible 80's pop hook like "My Sharona" (from 1979, but it's recognizab­le, and is apparently on G.W. Bush's iPod).

[ngladden1]

10:15 PM on 09/23/2008

I am statring to firmly beleive the Biden was a huge mistake, maybe even fatal. He was supposed to be our attack dog. How can you attack when you start every speech saying how great of a friend McCain is. I have been very anti Hillary in the past but I think she was the only good choice.

[RadhaColalurver]

10:49 PM on 09/23/2008

Have you listened to Biden's speeches? He's actually quite a good attack dog, except the MSM doesn't take notice because he's doing a good job. Whenever he messes up, we'll be sure to be graced with the knowledge on ever major news station - I assure you. I think he'll really show his true potential in the debate; a stark contrast to Palin who will babble nonsense and flounder like a fish out of water.

[SPQR1052]

10:05 PM on 09/23/2008

I haven't viewed the ad in question I am in Europe would appreciate if someone would email me a link to it.

Last time I checked to use a compteur does not require one to raise their arms above their head. So what McGelding saying???? I dont understand­. Sorry.

usavet173r­[e-mail]­m

PS I am a compensate­d disabeled veteran, Arizona resident, Republican and not voting for the senior senator. (Yes, I also know him.)

0bama 2008

[ajax2]

10:01 PM on 09/23/2008

Joe, John McCain said he didn't know much about computers and economics. Will Katie get you to say ads about his poor economics skills are terrible? Joe, Sarah's gone to wipe the floor with your coat of many yellows.

[grata2ude]

09:41 PM on 09/23/2008

Joe, don't start. This is the only thing that worries me about him. He's too nice. McCain has said alot harsher things and lied about your running mate Joe. Defend him.

[ChewyToy22]

09:32 PM on 09/23/2008

I don't see anything wrong with the ad, personally­, but if Biden thinks otherwise, I think he has that right.
He doesn't have to agree with Obama on everything but he needs to be careful in the way he conveys that to the public.

[ljmck]

08:34 PM on 09/23/2008

This is off topic, but someone needs to tell Biden he's got a bad case of Senate hair. Some of our Senators employ the Queen Elizabeth theory of standing out in a crowd--clo­thes (pastel pantsuits, for instance) and hair styles from several generation­s past. Not a good way to get noticed, no matter what is coming out of your mouth, and not a good way to appeal to the crucial youth vote. I'd like to see that they take note of their current surroundin­gs as evidence of their being in touch with the electorate­. Yeah, I know it's petty, but still...

[grata2ude]

09:42 PM on 09/23/2008

I think the brain surgery for his aneurism a couple years back has alot to do with his hair.

[mysterygirl18]

08:16 PM on 09/23/2008

Move along to different issues Joe...we don't care about Mccain and the computer..­.

http://www­.myspace.c­om/wakeupn­owpeople