Discussing the swine flu on the Today show Thursday morning, Vice President Biden said, "I wouldn’t go anywhere in confined places right now." His press office shortly after his appearance issued a statement clarifying his remarks.
(Jake Turcotte/staff)Photos (1 of 1)
Biden’s flu safety tips: Don’t go anywhere or do anything
By Jimmy Orr | 04.30.09
The vice president’s office was on full alert this morning. Not because of the flu. But because Biden was talking about the flu.
And sure enough, moments after he spoke, his staff had to issue a statement clarifying what he meant.
Avoid every location
Biden told viewers of NBC’s Today show that they should avoid cars, planes, classrooms, trains, subways, and confined spaces in order to protect themselves from the flu.
If all of those choices are not good, where could you hang out? Biden suggested the “middle of a field” was a good idea.
Quotes
“I would tell members of my family, and I have, I wouldn’t go anywhere in confined places right now,” Biden said to calm worried citizens about the flu.
“I would not be at this point, if they had another way of transportation, suggesting they ride the subway,” he added. “From my perspective, it relates to is mitigation. If you’re out in the middle of a field and someone sneezes that’s one thing. If you’re in a closed aircraft, a closed container, closed car, a closed classroom, it’s a different thing.”
Clarify
What did he really mean? His staff cleared it up:
“On the Today Show this morning the Vice President was asked what he would tell a family member who was considering air travel to Mexico this week. The advice he is giving family members is the same advice the Administration is giving to all Americans: that they should avoid unnecessary air travel to and from Mexico. If they are sick, they should avoid airplanes and other confined public spaces, such as subways. This is the advice the Vice President has given family members who are traveling by commercial airline this week. As the President said just last night, every American should take the same steps you would take to prevent any other flu: keep your hands washed; cover your mouth when you cough; stay home from work if you’re sick; and keep your children home from school if they’re sick.”
Blogosphere
Bloggers are having a “field day” (pardon the pun) with the news.
Writes National Review’s Jim Geraghty:
When Biden was picked as Obama’s running mate, a lot of us predicted this day would come - the day Biden’s mouth would get the Obama administration in trouble in a non-eye-rolling way. Someday Biden’s going to blurt something out and start an international incident.
But remember, Sarah Palin was dangerously unqualified to be Vice President, or at least that’s what our media elites told us.
Over at the Atlantic, Marc Ambinder’s writes, “Please don’t listen to Dr. Biden.”
On the Today Show just now, the Vice President urged Americans to tell their loved ones to avoid confined spaces, like airplanes and trains. A bit overbroad? It was left to Biden’s spokesperson, Elizabeth Alexander, to clean this up.
Eric Deggans at the TheFeed wonders, “Why does the White House allow Vice President Biden to speak when words really matter?”
When I turned on the Today show this morning and found that the Obama administration had drafted gaffe machine Joe Biden to speak on the growing swine flu pandemic, I knew no good would come of this appearance.
The vice president did not disappoint.
Red State pontificates that Biden suffers from a “Foot-in-Mouth” problem.
If President Obama wishes to handle this crisis by sending Vice President Biden to an undisclosed location until it’s over, well, sacrifices must be made.
—–
We’ll never tell you where to go. So follow us on Twitter!
<< FEMA removes 9/11 coloring book for children from website | MainComments
2. Charlie | 04.30.09
Biden’s advice, basically, is to go into hiding. What that tells me is the administration is crossing its fingers and has no plan to deal with a pandemic.
In Mexico, each passenger is being given a health check by a nurse before boarding international flights. Japan and some EU countries are doing the same for arriving flights. What are we doing? Knocking on wood.
3. James | 04.30.09
Charlie, that is because until this week partisan politics have prevented the administration from being able to devise such plans. By blocking Obama’s cabinet appointment and stripping budget lines on public health.
It would be nice if public health and safety were not partisan issues.
5. Brad | 04.30.09
Sounds like pretty sound advice. If you can avoid unnecessary travel
in which you would be in confined spaces with lots of other people,
seems like a good idea. Of course impacted industries would react
negatively, but it is just common sense. After all, it wasn’t Biden
that declared that a “pandemic was imminent.”
6. Marvin8 | 04.30.09
Common sense advice. The right wingers are just using this as another excuse to pound on Biden….since their blows to Obama have been successfully evaded. Big deal over nothing.
7. Matt | 04.30.09
Actually, Swine Flu is a bigger deal than the left-wing media is portraying it to be. There are many people in hospitals right now across the US on respirators fighting for their life because of the effects of the Swine Flu virus.
This virus should not be taken lightly, is extremely contagious, and is fatal (even if you are on treatment). Note that this virus is nothing like the average flu.
**Recent Statistic from a Doctor in South Texas: For every reported case (via the CDC) for having Swine Flu, there are at least 10 more cases. The media simply reports those “confirmed cases” through the CDC; however, it fails to report the others.
One would only think that in times like these, the VP and President would be encouraging and supportive of people, NOT discouraging and causing widespread panic. The Obama Administration does need to take this epidemic more seriously and start coming up with SOLUTIONS to the problem before it gets out of hand.
9. JR | 04.30.09
No. First off he isn’t telling you to hid, people are just over scanning this whole situation. First off, he was referring to anywhere in mexico, and any of the subways they have. He wasn’t referring to the United States of America.
A lot of internet news stations, and television stations (which side with republicans), slanted what he meant.
This is something you need to know about the Flu:
1st: You cant get it from eating pig
2nd: A small outbreak of the flu in the united states (like today) happened in 2005. The out come wasn’t bad and the fly diminished.
3rd: Not only in 2005, the flu also appeared in 1988. If you have any symptoms of the flu you’ll notice it, and if you see a hospital immediately; 95% of the time you’ll get cured.
4rth: The flu dosnt kill you, it weakens your immunity to bacteria.
10. salvatore | 04.30.09
It was such good advise that his boss had to scamble the jets again to repackage everything he said. It was precious watching the White House Press Secretary explaining what Ole’ Joe really meant to say.
[Biden - verb - “to-Biden” is to move or act blindly, stupidly, or without direction or steady guidance: “Without using much gray-matter, I pulled a Biden when I spoke incorrectly.”]
I love this guy. Who would have believed that by the time Biden’s work here is done that he might actually have more classic quotes than George Bush?
Classic.
11. salvatore | 04.30.09
And you’ve obtained this information from what sources?
So everyone who contracts this flu has got a death sentence?
Me thinks you not too bright.
12. Dr. Science | 04.30.09
What was said by the VP is truthful, even if they are ‘fighting words’ to some. Although I did not hear for myself the words fall from his mouth I do not understand how advice ‘to err on the side of caution’ is a bad thing, unless you let fear dictate your life. Be afraid, but not VERY afraid. Listen. Learn. Prepare. Study about flu pandemics, especially the Swine flue of 1918 and Avian flu (H5N1), and decide for yourself. Be slow to judge. In a world of fugitives the right person may be the one running in the opposite direction. For specific advice check the CDC and put up a poster in your office. Stop sneezing in the phone and don’t come to work sick.
13. Rox | 04.30.09
It’s cautionary advice, rather than sitting back and relying on government officials to take all matters in their hands, citizens should take preventative measures…
14. Remy | 04.30.09
REMY: This is all about money and not about peoples lives. You think the American Airlines president cares about myself or my son, let’s say my family. He cares about the money he will be making if I buy the flights. Of course we should not board a plane now, if you have other forms of transportation do not take the subway and keep yourself and your family away from multitudes. Imagine New York City, it is horible without a virus around think about.
For those that did not understand, the VP was asked what he would tell his family….his family…you think he is going to play games with his family…he said the truth, staty away from everything that will make you sick.
He did the right thing…..
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
Leave a Comment
We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. The comments feature is a forum to discuss the ideas in our stories. Constructive debate - even pointed disagreement - is welcome, but personal attacks on other commenters are not, and will not be published.
Tip: Do not write a novel. Keep it short. We will not publish lengthy comments. Come up with your own statements. This is not a place to cut and paste an email you received. If we recognize it as such, we won't post it.
Please do not post any comments that are commercial in nature or that violate copyrights.
Finally, we will not publish any comments that we regard as obscene, defamatory, or intended to incite violence.
Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. Mary Dyer | 04.30.09
Business people who have to fly frequently have known air travel is a great way to come home and nurse a cold for a week afterward from being containerized in an airplane and its notably confined and unsanitary conditions.