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

[criquet]

This is not a bad thing. May get a few over 60 voters who may not be computer literate and were offended by the ad.
It's good that he speaks his mind. People will believe him more when he talks about big issues.

[Chicago48]

This makes you wonder how well these two will get along. With B Clinton taking a neutral stance on the View and with Biden off-mouthing, Obama probably won't be able to trust anyone in his cabinet, should he make it all the way. But you know, if he wins the first thing he should say is Joe you're out.

[mistlesuede]

I think Al Gore would be the right replacement. Barack has been advised by him for years. I would be all for it.

[BlueBoomer]

As ever, JOE BIDEN TELLS THE TRUTH... THAT'S WHAT MAKES HIM GREAT AND NOBLE.. AND WHAT WE NEED IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

[Mag44]

I respect that he tells the truth, I wonder if he told O how he felt before he told the whole world. I want O to remain taking the high road, but what strikes me is you have people on the talks shows & blogs telling O he has to get tough and fight back. And sure enough he does it and all heck breaks loose. I say stay on the high road and the issues and we'll get thru this. Biden I think needs to make the same remarks about all of Mc ads, which are all the time and worse. I know B is friends w/Mc and respects him, but this is politics and you need to keep your head in the game. Make nicey nice after the elections.

[research]

Idiotic comments Joe!

Being computer illiterate handicaps a person in the modern internet world.

Besides, don't give you opponants talking pionts!

Get your head in the Game Joe!

[lobear00]

Joe, there you go again playing up to a little "Neocon, joe put your sweetness back in your pocket and get "Real". Kerry , lost it because he tried to be "sweet" with the "Bush". Joe, grow up and be a "Man, if your going to be a "Fig leaf" step down and go home.

[AnotherMike]

He can disagree all he wants once the election is over... That's, after all, why we like him - to disagree.

But right now, PUT A F-ING MUZZLE ON THIS GUY.

He's going to give McBush talking points he doesn't currently have. Like Hillary's little, "Obama gave a speech in 2002" ditty, this is something McCain obviously needs. He's getting his teeth kicked in on a daily basis on every major media outlet in the world and we're throwing him lifelines??

Come on Obama campaign; get it together.

[mistlesuede]

I could not agree more.

[Rianna]

I bet Palin would NEVER say that one of McCain's attack ads were terrible.

Pitbulls like her, will agree to anything, even vicious attack ads.

[wedapeepo]

I have a feeling that team Obama is setting the stage for a Joe Biden removal and a Clinton insertion. I now think that it would be a great idea, since we've all had the time to get over the whole Clinton / Obama primaries fiasco.

[nellie]

There are whispers about it. We'll see. I'm okay with either one.

[wedapeepo]

Hillary has been looking and sounding pretty good lately. If just half of Obama's positive political characteristics have rubbed off on her, they may make a pretty good team after all.

[lisak2008]

By "whispers" are you talking about those viral e-mails that are going around saying that? If so, please note that those e-mails also ask for your bank account info so that the sender can wire you $5,000. So, if you believe the part about Clinton replacing Biden, I feel that it's my civic duty to warn you NOT to send your bank account info to the person who sent you that e-mail message.

If the "whispers" you are referring to have nothing to do with the e-mail, please share what you are talking about. I'd like to be in on the joke too.

[AnotherMike]

Wrong. There's days left in this thing, not months.

If Joe and McCain wanna take retrirement in Boca together after the holidays, fine. We'll talk about Hillary then, if she doesn't already love being Sen. Majority Leader too much, of course.

But the last thing we need is another distraction completely unrelated to the issues.

[YouDisgustMe]

another person said it but i'll say it again....

barack obama chose joe biden to be his vp because he wanted someone that would disagree with him from time to time....barack wanted an independent thinker and joe is showing us that he is

NO BIG DEAL

[Dragonblaster]

This is true. Obama campaign needs to remind media that VP candidate can have there own opinions. They don't need to be robotic talking point memorizers. At least our VP has his own thoughts. Way to go Joe. I thought that commercial was dumb and flat myself.

KEATING 5 commercial bombardment should be happening now.

[YouDisgustMe]

me too...i thought it was pretty juvenile....and the fact that it wasn't particularly funny didn't help

[nellie]

I agree. All this "off message" stuff is just another shallow distraction. One of these days we'll have a news source that actually focuses on the news.

[Chicago48]

Could Biden be an agent for Clinton?

[WarriorLemming]

Atwater and Rove and then the "Keating 5" I say be quiet little old man besides McCain looks comical swing those little arms in anger. I no longer have respect for him.

[irisda]

I am the only one worried that despite the fact that Obama has a lead, so dem figures find ways to undermine him in one way or another. I can understand residue "conflict" resulting from the primaries, but can't they just unite briefly for the sake of the general election? It's like they don't want to win.

I think all the current economics situation and the scandals associated with it are maybe drowning in-fighting among the dems. Or maybe they're good at hiding it. Anyway I'd love to know what's going on behind the scenes and I hope they'll fix it eventually.

[AnotherMike]

We're not blind followers; that hurts us in elections.

I can't ask my fellow Democrats to be sheep. We ask questions. We research. We read.

If Republicans did that, and made up their minds based on the candidate and not the party, McCain would be napping at home in Sedona without an alarm clock in sight.

[irisda]

I'm not exactly talking about the voters, but the political figures of the democratic party. I agree with you on what the average voter should do though.

[Recovering Democrat]

This ad is simply genius. It attempts to appeal to the NON-VOTING college
crowd with its imagery of an old man fumbling around with a computer,
and at the same time, ridicules VOTING people 50 years and up, who don't
use computers to post pictures of themselves on Myspace. Let's run this thing
24/7!!!

[LiberTLover]

Most people I know who are 50 years and up may not have a MySpace page, but they sure know at a minimum, how to e-mail, find recipes, do their banking, plan trips, and send pictures to friends and family on the computer.
Surely the person who we want to lead us, and retool Americans to be competitive and innovative in the global, technology focused economy, should be someone who understands the potential of current and future technology. McCain is set in his ways and represents the past, it is time to move forward and catch up, then hopefully surpass the rest of the world in turning technology into economic security and success.

[VeroucaSalt]

Maybe if Couric had actually SHOWN Joe the ad, he could have responded properly. I doubt these guys are sitting around watching tv waiting for one of their ads to pop up.

[milo9]

Yeah Biden, stop committing gaffes or we'll quarantine you like McCain has Sarah Palin.