Joe Biden Explains His 'Clean' Obama Comment -- to Jon Stewart

Who can forget -- even John McCain surely remembers -- that day in January 2007 when Sen. Joseph Biden offered his infamous quip about "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." He was referring to the man who is now his new boss, Barack Obama. But by now, you have surely forgotten that this took place on the very day Biden announced his race for president -- and that he happened to appear that night on "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart.

There he said (as I reported at the time) that he was simply trying to be "complimentary" toward Obama, but wasn't "artful" in doing so. He told Stewart that the "word that really got me in trouble" was calling Obama "clean....I should have said fresh. What I meant was he's got new ideas."

He said he had already called Obama, to which Stewart quipped, "I bet you did." Biden then said he also called former candidates Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, to which Stewart added: "And Michael Jordan?"

When Biden first appeared on stage, Stewart teased, "How's your day been?" Biden said, "It's a tough game," and crossed himself (he is Catholic).

Stewart asked if wanted to talk about his comments that day and Biden replied, "No, I don't want to talk about it," but it was hard to tell if he was joking. In any case, he had no choice.

He also stood by his comments that were harshly critical of Sen. Hillary Clinton on her Iraq politics.

Stewart reminded him that just yesterday he had told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he had learned from previous campaigns to be careful, since "words matter." Stewart said, "And then you came out with this one," quoting the lines about Obama.

Biden said the whole day was a "reminder -- 'welcome back to presidential politics.'"

Stewart advised in a whisper, "When you are about to say one of those things, take a deep breath and count to 10."

Earlier Biden had said he meant "clean as a whistle"--a phrase often used by his mother, he added.

Below, video finds Obama defending Biden on civil rights later.
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Greg Mitchell's new book is So Wrong for So Long: How the Press, the Pundits -- and the President -- Failed on Iraq.

Comments

[GrainOSand]

Why is Hillary Clinton not the VP choice? In her zeal to realize the target of her ambition, she corrupted her process and left Senator Obama no choice but not to choose her. Joe Biden's marginalization of Mr. Obama as a credible candidate can be considered in the same way, it is just that Hillary racked up more untoward statements and unseemly moments.

When goal strips process of integrity then you have situations where a legitimate pick for VP undermines the potential president's chances by how they behaved when they were in the "process" of competing against the presumptive nominee, their words come back to haunt. I know the experts will tell me how I do not understand presidential politics and I will tell them I do not want to understand a process where you can degrade and vilify a person one day and be their friend the next.

I like Mr. Biden. What makes him favorable to me is his willingness to speak his mind and to stand strong against the people who are robbing this country blind of treasure and founding principles. His statement about "on the job training", "Obama being clean", and McCain being worthy, are examples of tainted process sullying virtuous goal. McCain is now using the words of his process to be the Democratic nominee to thwart the goal of wrestling this country from the grip of despair and downward spiral.

There is a powerful and universal lesson here for this problem is endemic.

[LisainNYC]

She's not the VP because she is not behind the ticket, it's all about her. Just last week she was still referring to Obama as "my opponent."

[GrainOSand]

That is more concise but I am prone to verbosity -- I admit it.

( :

[DrToketee]

I wil take innocent gaffes by Biden any day over the deliberate vicious lies of Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

[Janco54]

He didn't lie about sniper fire!

[SugarMan]

CLEAN can mean several things. If Obama was not offended, why should anyone else be?
Can we move on to solving the problems America faces, ie. economy - education - healthcare

[diamondc]

I am an independent who will certainly vote for Barack Obama.

In the past, I respected John MacCain, and might have voted for him before I learned more about him. For one thing, I am tired of hearing the same story about the POW experience, which is a deceptive story to anyone who has heard about the American Fighting Man's Code of Conduct.

The old fighting man's code of conduct http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/au-24/ruhl.pdf which was drilled into the heads of cadets at the military academies which John McCain and other officers graduated from, requires that a captured soldier turn down an offer of parole from a prison camp.

There is another code which is also drilled into the heads of cadets at the military academies - the honor code. I would imagine that it was put in place to insure that we have officers serving this country who are people with integrity. It prohibits telling lies among other things. I'm sick of hearing John McCain pretend that he did something other than follow standing orders when he refused parole in that prison camp. This is a small point compared to the other issues in this election, but the fact that he has lived by this lie for so long speaks to me about his integrity. It is also a disservice to the hundreds of others who have suffered as P O W's.

[RRonin]

Joe Biden's "gaffes" perceived as a negative by the MSM, can serve to humanize Barack's campaign which, at times, is such a smoothly oiled machine it puts off "old school" voters.

[AmericanFool]

I never hear a PUMA articulate a logical reason for their opinions. They act like sullen children who want to take their ball and go home. HRC as VP would be a disaster; the WH would be a center of intrigue and discord. It's just not meant to be. It's time to look forward. Obama is so much the superior candidate vs McCain. Republican criticism of late seems to be of the following variety, but let me use a different subject to illustrate how idiotic the argument is:

Reagan said, 'Gov't isn't the solution, Gov't is the problem." That must mean Reagan wants no government at all. Only anarchists want to eliminate government. Reagan is clearly an anarchist. Can you take the chance on voting for him?

The tactics of the McCain team and other Republican organizations are backward-looking and fear-mongering. Obama and Reagan share many of Reagan's better characteristics - optimism, leadership style (contrast to Bush's style...), pragmatism. However, Obama is smarter, smart enough to avoid knee-jerk responses and glib, tough sounding answers to complex issues. Obama knows his own mind, which is more than can be said for McCain. Let me add that Biden is a brilliant choice. Sure he gaffes, but he's tough, smart, principled - he's one of the best that America can offer. Obama-Biden 2008.

[GrainOSand]

I find compelling notes of sanity, reason, and logic in your comment. You make the case.

[lisakaz2]

I remember the incident well -- both initially AND his appearance with Stewart. I thought he meant "cleancut" as in spotless background (uncontroversial; I think the Ayers and Rezko things are bloated and from ppl with a lot worst behind them) but also well put together. I understood the complaints but I really didn't believe he meant any of that.

[slaxx]

i took it to mean "fresh" and like a clean-slate, not yet run down by scandals and controversies as you say.

[reverendadam]

I love Biden, always have, but you guys are being disingenuous. "Clean" and "nice-looking" aside, he said "the first mainstream African American [candidate] who is articulate and bright", a massive insult to everyone that ran before him, including, yes, Jackson and Sharpton. It was more than inartful, it was downright gross. And coming from a Republican, we would all be up in arms.

Frankly, I am not up in arms. I am behind Biden all the way - the work he has done on behalf of women, minorities, and working families speaks for itself. He is a 'regular Joe' in the best possible way... but also a 'regular Joe' in ways that are occasionally telling about some kinds of American regularity.

I am glad Biden is the pick, and glad for the chance to get to vote gor him... but let's not pretend he was being more noble than he was. It was a stupid thing to say.

[renatam]

When Hillary Clinton returns to New York City, she may THINK she is in Bosnia -- her version! Ha!

[BAM47]

I still expect problems in Denver. Now, Sen. Clinton knows that if Obama/Biden are elected, there will be no opportunity for her for eight years. The only way she and her supporters can go in 2012 is if Obama does not win. But for her supporters to vote for McCain means voting for everything many of them have worked to prevent.....a Supreme Court dominated for many years to come by neocons, a complete change is access to health care, more conflicts for the war profiteers to make billions, etc. How can you reconcile that just because you want her in the White House?

[standard]

Biden is no bigot and Obama knows him, likes him and trusts him. That's what matters.

[clevelandchick]

The media gives McCain the benefit of the doubt on a shmorgasbord of issues be they serious or not. I certainly give Biden the benefit of the doubt on this comment because his record has been very pro-civil rights his entire career. John McCain on the other hand refused to vote for a national MLK holiday how many times?

I groaned when Biden made that comment but I felt what he meant clean was that Obama was not as tainted by Washington as the others. Obama has not been in Washington as long as Biden himself let alone most of the Dem POTUS candidate slate this year. That's one thing I always really liked about Obama even when he wasn't my first choice.

[GrainOSand]

Just as Obama was not trying to disparage rural Pennsylvanians when he referred to them as bitter and prone to vote against their interest due to manipulation of allegiance on wedge issue of guns, religion, and protection of local culture (xenophobia), I agree that Mr. Biden is not a racist as revealed in his public record. His statement, like Obama's was clumsy or inartful, and therefore can be misconstrued to be something that it is not.

McCain"s statements on the other hand leave no doubt, about whom he is beneath the surface of his political mask, and what his meaning and feelings are as it relates to his position on matters of color. The gentleman from Arizona is an infant concerning matters of hue and acceptance of those with a hue that differs from his.

[Tristan2]

NOBODY CARES!!

Joe Biden is a lovable guy... I love what he says ... and he's smart... no hedging... straight talk Express!

I've always liked him... and I was a Reagan Republican before I bolted to the Reform Party and then gave up on all of them.

I think Obama is the REAL thing... from the minute I saw him.... Love the sassy wife too...

I hope they are as radical as people say.... Let's have someone at Justice look into all that shorted Airline stock before the 9/11 'surprise' --- har har har har

I'm jaundiced old boomer..... and I like Obama Biden.... and don't forget Michelle... what a wonderful change....

[CalliDem]

The operative word is I have worked FOR Joe Biden LOL

He had ONE LAST CHANCE to get my vote ... and he BLEW OFF 18 MILLION VOICES

PUMA

McCain 08

[Agent420]

And now you are going to do the same?

[jeg]

No, they're going to blow off 36 million voices, and the rest of the country at the same time. Anyone stupid enough to vote for McCain for such an incredibly petty reason deserves the complete disaster his presidency would be for the entire country.

The rest of us don't deserve it, however, so I'd prefer that Calli-not-Dem stayed home on Nov. 4.

[risdmom]

Grow up. Hillary lost. If you really were a Dem and really cared about Hillary's politics--not just her gender you would not vote for McCain.

[lisakaz2]

Do you live in reality? What was he supposed to do? Grow up already.

[nomobull]

+`produce the 18 million votes or shut up

[MariaHopeful]

Get a grip! And I am only going to say this one more time: YOU DO NOT HAVE 18M voices. That is a myth that you need to get over. Say it with me now, We. DO. NOT. HAVE. 18m warriors. See, let me explain this to you: Democrats were asked to choose from a group of candidates. Along the way some voted for Obama, some voted for Clinton, some voted for Edwards. These were not captive votes, rather these are people who were participating in the DEMOCRATIC process. Those who voted for Hillary do not belong to her. They have accepted the results and are still members of the Democratic Party. Got that?!

[Soothsayer08]

As a black Obama supporter I don't think Joe Biden meant any disrespect when he called Barack "clean". What I think he meant was "clean cut" , which is a compliment. People need to stop parsing every word and taking negative meanings where none were meant. The MSM grasps at minute BS and makes it into a smear or negative un PC comment when sometimes it isn't.

Go Obama / Biden 08 /12

[notthistime]

Why are people so sensitive about the most ridiculous thing? Please.

The democrats have a lock on the AA vote. As Jesse Jackson said on CNN this morning - Obama struck Olympic Gold with his pick.

Upward and onward to the white house.

Go Obama/Biden 08

[renatam]

Go Obama/Biden - for the RIGHT REASONS! Take it to the Republicans and help put the Clintons out to their $1billion pasture, New York!