In an interview airing Monday night, Vice President-elect Joe Biden tells CNN's Larry King that he feels sorry for George Bush -- but not Dick Cheney.
"It's presumptuous to feel sorry for another man," Biden told CNN's Larry King in an interview set to air Monday night. "But I feel somewhat - I feel somewhat badly for him. I think the incident in Iraq was -- was unfortunate, that guy throwing the shoes. It was just -- it was just uncalled for and was -- I think that President Bush and, unlike Vice President Cheney, is, upon reflection beginning to acknowledge some of the serious, if not mistakes, misjudgments that he made."
On Sunday, Cheney mocked Biden, claiming he had gotten the Constitution wrong during the campaign.
In the interview, Biden elaborated on his future role in Obama's administration:
Larry King: What kind of vice president will you be? There are many kinds of vice presidents. There is the [Walter] Mondale brand, the [Al] Gore brand, the [Dick] Cheney brand. What's the Biden brand?
Joe Biden: Well, I think the Biden brand is going to be as different as all three of those you suggested in the sense that, look, Larry, I think that the role of the vice president is determined in large part by his relationship with the president and the circumstances that administration finds themselves in.
And so when Barack [Obama] asked me about what I expected in return for accepting, if I accepted, what -- I said I want to be there when you make every critical decision you make. I want to be in the room. Video Watch Biden talk about his role in the administration »
Because I have a significant amount of experience. I'd like to be able to give my input. You're president, if you conclude my judgment is not the right judgment, I abide by that, but I want an opportunity to have an input.
King: Have you been consulted on every Cabinet post announced?
Biden: Yes. As a matter of fact, I've been more than consulted; I've been asked to submit my own recommendations. I've been there at the table with a small group of people when each of these Cabinet potential nominees have been debated.
Biden also defended the choice of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at Barack Obama's inauguration.
King: There has been much controversy over the selection of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the inaugural.
He's been a guest on this show an awful lot, and he supported California's Proposition 8, a measure that outlaws gay marriage. He is also very opposed to abortion. I know the gay community in America appears to be up in arms. What do you make of this?
Biden: Well, I'd make of it [as] Barack Obama keeping his commitment.
Barack Obama said you've got to reach out. You've got to reach a hand of friendship across the aisle and across philosophies in this country.
We can't continue to be a red and blue country. We can't be divided like we have been. And he's made good on his promise.
And I would say to the gay and lesbian community, they have nothing to worry about. Barack Obama, every aspect of his life, every aspect of his public life, and every commitment he's made relating to equality for all people, will be things that he will stick with and that they should view this in the spirit in which he offered the opportunity to -- to Mr. Warren.
Meanwhile, a national CNN poll finds that almost a quarter of Americans think Dick Cheney is the worst Vice President in history.