How Joe Biden Became Gaffe-Proof

When Joe Biden described an Obama ad attacking John McCain's inability to use a computer as "terrible," the world acted as if the Joe-pocalypse had finally arrived. Jonathan Martin of Politico called it "perhaps his most off-message statement yet." Newsday dubbed him "gaffe-a-minute Joe." National Review's Victor Davis Hanson said it raised "serious concern whether Biden is up to the job."

Please. Biden's blunder couldn't matter less. Not because gaffes never matter--they can, if they play into public perceptions of the candidate's character--but because Joe Biden is gaffe-proof. Whatever traps he sets for himself, however many minorities he offends, he always seems to wriggle out. It's almost as if, by committing so many gaffes, he has become immune to their effects. "Joe Biden Makes Gaffe" is the new "Dog Bites Man."

In the past week, Biden hasn't disappointed. When the federal government announced the AIG bailout, Biden said it was a bad idea. (The official campaign stance at the time was neither support for nor opposition to the bailout; Obama gently chided Biden for going off-message.) In Ohio, Biden said he's against clean-coal technology. (That was his stance in the primaries, not Obama's current stance.) And in an interview with Katie Couric, he said that when the markets crashed in 1929, "Franklin Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened.' " (FDR wasn't president then, nor did television exist.)

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[LALC]

Forgot this info from previous post:

Check out Chronomedia; timeline of audio-visual development. - Page updated 9 April 2008 © David Fisher (from terramedia in the UK).

Stock Market History by Mark Crisp Friday, June 20, 2003

1932 Stock Market Crash by Dustin Woodard

Oh, & McCain"s debate gaff; the first Marine deployment to Lebanon was 1982 " & McCain said he voted against it?

McCain entered the US senate in 1983. He did vote against later deployments etc, BUT his answer was VERY misleading!

[LALC]

Biden never said 1929.

There was another crash/drop in 1932 - the DOW dropped again to 86%.

Oct 11, 1932, FDR was transmitted via TV - DNC convention was held in NYC. The first TV broadcast of a campaign - by CBS.

TV broadcasts began in 1928.
May 11 - GE began broadcasts in NY 3 days/week.
Other broadcasts were mostly in large, wealhy cities - to those who could afford the newest & expensive technology. Not unlike today - remember HDTV infancy & expense!

[DieHardObamaSupporter]

I have never bought the belief that JB is an out of control gaffe machine. A great deal of the so called gaffes are shots of truth from the hip. He doesn't sugarcoat shet and says smell the roses. I can swallow a faux pas any day over a bridge of lies to nowhere.

[twohearts]

Joe Biden is not a clown. He has been in the Senate for quite a long time and has worked on many a good bill, including the Anti-violence against women one. Yeah, when he was running for POTUS in 1992 (I think) he ended up losing in the primaries b/c of supposed plagiarism. I voted for him in the primary!
I know many Dems who will never vote for someone who voted for the Iraq war....but consider McCain & Palin? Lunatics.

I know that if Obama decided on Hillary, it might have gone better in a way - but she's still got Bill who can't be trusted....his supposed "full support" for B.O. is a joke. He'd rather have a totally conservative Supreme Court, etc. while his wife gets ready to run in 2012.

[IndyReader]

"and sometimes he's just plain embarrassing like the day he told the guy in a wheel chair to stand up and take a bow."

You know, Biden knew perfectly well the man was in a wheelchair, he was looking right at him. The man was a friend of his, it was just a gentle joke.

[iPolitics]

Sorry, but you can't cover the man's gaffe's if the other VP candidate doesn't even speak.

[Yermammy]

That's Joe's "I'm going to bite a pitbull's head off" look. With all 106 teeth in my mouth. Get em Joe!

[pilgrim7]

Who doesn't make gaffes? None of his gaffes are as bad as those of Palin & friend or as bad as those made in the Democratic primaries. It IS terrible that McCain doesn't know how to operate a computer. My parents learned how in their 80's. I say let Biden shoot off at the mouth without the Obama campaign trying to be so apologetic about it. We need Biden's mouth. Let it rip. The only ones horrified by his mouth are the phony press and the hypocritical you-know-who's, .

[jusion]

Obama is a celebrity. Biden is a clown.
Another can't-miss-ticket for the Democrats.

[Bubbabubba]

Biden scares the hell out of me, I wish he would drop out of the race, he does not seem authenic enough, always trying to hard, kind of reminds me of a car salesman,

[Bystander]

I hear ya! More troubling, Biden is touted as having so much foreign policy experience...but his judgment and track record seems more than a few ticks off true north. For example, he voted against the first Gulf War, and for the second one. This got Hillary in trouble, but for some reason he's getting a pass.

[Yermammy]

You clowns wish :P Joe is going for the jugular on pork products with feminine enhancements (lipstick).

[Russycle]

I liked the article, but did anyone else find this line just bizarre?
"political gaffes are when you offend some interest group perceived to be important to your success (Hillary Clinton referring to the assassination of Bobby Kennedy in discussing Obama's candidacy).

I mean, I never suspected that my opposition to political assassination made me part of a special interest group. I do hope that we have some really good lobbyists.

[DefeatedAnOfficer]

Hillary Clinton wasn't expressing her opposition to assassination when she made that remark. She asked if she would campaign long enough to make primary season last into June, and she pointed out "Well, Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June." Some people interpreted that as a reference to the possibility of Obama being assassinated. Whether you agree or not...

[sposton]

Republicans protect and excuse Palin and democrats rationalize Biden's errors! I will vote for Obama but I think Biden is pompous man, a typical congressional democrat! I also think it was mistake to choose him as Obama's running mate. He certainly has the experience and knowledge that surpasses Palin's but I don't like the man. He was instrumental in rewriting bankruptcy laws in favor of banking interests and against the regular American stiffs. He is almost as crazy as neocons on foreign policy. It would not surprise me he voted for most of the banking deregulation legislation. He represents everything that is wrong with today's democratic party.

[DefeatedAnOfficer]

Yeah, but here's a difference. Biden's "gaffes" are made on the campaign trail, where he is out every day making himself available to voters and press. The guy is talking without a script all day long. By contrast, Sarah Palin's "gaffes" such as not knowing the Bush Doctrine, take place during softball interviews for which she has been extensively preparing.

Also, it's being overly generous to suggest she is making a "gaffe" when she talks about opposing the Bridge to Nowhere. She is deliberately *lying,* not making an oops.

[reggie1298]

Well then, it seems your candidate exercised extremely poor judgement in selecting a running mate who "...represents everything that is wrong with today's democrat [my correction] party."

[sposton]

Well, not as bad an error as selecting someone who is clearly unqualified for the job! I may not like Biden but I do think he has the basic qualifications to be a president. Palin, on the other hand, does not have the necessary qualifications beyond that she is an American citizen by birth and of sufficient age to be a president.

[obamagramma]

I love Joe. His warmth & humanity & gaffes make him a welcome foil to the cool Obama perfection. (I love Obama too!). I can't wait for SNL skits of these two in office.

[OutragedMom]

I will take Joe Biden's gaffes over McCain/Palin lies any day!

[Yermammy]

Joe is a solid guy. I don't care if he gaffes all day long. He symbolizes Americana. His self-deprecating style is charming and good. McCain looks like a skull mask not pulled on quite right.

[ToonMoene]

I feel it works the other way as well ....

If McCain or Palin makes a gaffe that's of Biden-quality, at least in my mind they're excused - of course that doesn't work in the this-gaffe-can't-be-important-because-of-his-experience.

The more I hear out of John McCain's mouth, the less I take his "I'm more experienced" stand.