May 1, 2009
Aren't you glad Sarah Palin isn't Vice President?
Gosh, Tina Fey and other critics were absolutely correct; Sarah Palin is a lousy vice president because she lacks experience, has no understanding of the larger world and lacks gravitas.
As a result Janet Napolitano from the Department of Homeland Security and Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) had to scold the vice president for irresponsible remarks regarding the swine flu outbreak while Obama's press secretary Robert Gibbs was forced t o interpret the remarks.
ABC News Political Punch has the quotes.
"I think the vice president if he had, if he could say that over again he would say if they're feeling sick they should stay off of public transit or confined spaces because that is indeed the advice that we're giving," Napolitano said on MSNBC.
"Well, I think that's a very unfortunate statement by the vice president. We just don't need that type of misinformation going out. I wish the vice president had checked with the center for disease control and preparedness before he made that statement," said Harkin. "As far as not riding on subways or planes, we're not going to shut down our system and that doesn't get to the nub of the problem anyway, so I think that's very unfortunate that this kind of misinformation got out."
TAPPER: Representatives of the travel industry have accused the vice president of coming close to fear mongering because of these comments. I'm wondering if you wanted to clarify or correct or apologize for the remarks that he made.
GIBBS: Well, I think the -- what the vice president meant to say was the same thing that, begun, many members have said in the last few days. And that is if you feel sick, if you are exhibiting symptoms -- flu-like symptoms, coughing sneezing, runny nose, that you should take precautions, that you should limit your travel, and I think he just -- what he said and what he meant to say.
TAPPER: With all due respect, I sympathize with you trying to explain the vice president's comments, but that's not even remotely close to what he said. He was asked about if a members of his family...
GIBBS: Look, I understand what he said, and I'm telling you what he meant to say, which was that... (LAUGHTER BY REPORTERS) ... if somebody is experiencing symptoms -- you heard the president say this last night -- if somebody is feeling sick, if somebody is exhibiting symptoms of being sick, then they should take all necessary precautions. Obviously, if anybody was unduly alarmed for whatever reason, we -- we would apologize for that. And I hope that my remarks and remarks of people at CDC and Secretary Napolitano have appropriately cleared up what he meant to say.
Oh? What's that you said? Sarah Palin isn't vice president but the oh so experienced, oh so worldly former Senator from the east coast state of Delaware who served in Washington DC for decades where he gained the necessary sophistication and gravitas is the vice president and is just a heartbeat away from the presidency.
Never mind.