Channeling his inner-John McCain, Vice President Joseph Biden promised on Wednesday to publicly shame those individuals and businesses that misuse stimulus funds.
During an interview on CBS's Early Show, meant to advance the themes of President Obama's address before Congress Tuesday evening, Biden pledged to return to the program to express his anger and disappointment should a stimulus recipient use the money inappropriately.
"I'm going to be moving to let people know exactly what's going on and when. And when we find that the money isn't being used as it's intended to be used -- when governors, if they were to take the money and put it in a rainy-day fund instead of creating new jobs, we will expose that. We will make it clear," said Biden. "And I will literally come on your show. I will be on television saying that we're disappointed. This is what happened. The money was supposed to be spent for this; it got spent for that."
The remark was reminiscent of the rallying cry Sen. John McCain deployed with dramatic effect on the campaign trail, when he would promise to publicly humiliate authors of porky earmarks. "I'll veto every pork-barrel bill that comes across my desk," the Arizona Republican was keen on saying (and saying, and saying again). "I'll make them famous, and you will know their names. You'll know every one of them!"
It also fits nicely with the political enforcer-persona that president Barack Obama bestowed on Biden during his Tuesday night speech.
"I know there are some in this chamber and watching at home who are skeptical of whether this plan will work," the president said. "That is why I have asked Vice President Biden to lead a tough, unprecedented oversight effort... Because nobody messes with Joe."
Unfortunately, for Biden, his first steps as consigliere of the economic recovery package included some shaky moments. In the same interview with CBS, he briefly forgot the name of the White House website devoted to publicizing all aspects of the stimulus:
RODRIGUEZ: By the way, do you know the Web site?
BIDEN: You know, I am embarrassed. You know the Web site number? You know, I should have it in front of me, and I don't. I'm actually embarrassed.
RODRIGUEZ: All right. I'm going call for office, too, and get it.
BIDEN: It is recovery.gov. Recovery.gov.