Well, wait a minute. They're not running for office anymore and I highly doubt this is major enough to hurt anything down the line in '12.

Furthermore, he kind of has a point regarding talking to party leadership about things. Is this really worse than say, appointing a corporatist shill to be Surgeon General?

God love him. I think we know that Obama picked him for his foreign policy cred.

Biden has a dumbass remark quota doesn't he? This should get him through until tomorrow. This is why I don't believe we even have a two party system. The ten people on this planet that own everything just gave use a party change for PR purposes. My CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN meter is starting to drop pretty low.

The gaffe master strikes again! We are gonna love this guy

Again, how is this really a gaffe? Or is it just because he questioned the mighty Obama Transition Team?

Travis,

Someone said it today that they have respect for the GOP for being in step when it comes to party lines. When you tell the American people that Obama made a mistake, even if it is something minor, it shows weakness. Obama doesn't need anymore help from his own VP when it comes to looking weak. The GOP will use everyone of Biden's gaffes in 2012. I for one believe we need a "D" in the White House for about 700 years to fix the last 40 years of Nixon/Ford/Reagan/Bush I/Bush II.

>>Again, how is this really a gaffe? Or is it just because he questioned the mighty Obama Transition Team?

It's bad politics, Travis.

Well written Mr. Cesca.

See Travis that is an example of falling in line with the new political party,"Cescanocrat" or just ass kissing on my part. I will let Jebus decide.

Actually it's kind of nice to see this.

Biden: OOPS - we screwed up and should have talked to the people in Congress.

Cheney: Tell Senate? Tell them to go fuck themselves!

Always looking for that silver lining :D

Toxic,

I agree that hurbes needs to be removed for our elected officials but it will be seen as a sign of weakness.

Now, "OOPs we bombed a hospital or gave native americans small pox blankets" would be a better OOPs moment not this silly shit.

This really isn't a big deal, or a gaffe.

I agree with Biden. It was a mistake not to tell Feinstein that Panetta was going to be nominated for the CIA. Let her be prepared rather than letting her have the "I didn't know about this" whine time. On that, it was bad politics, and not great respect for protocol.
And I don't think it shows weakness. Rather, it shows that Obama isn't surrounded with yes-men, unlike some other presidents.

I think something is afoot, ceu. I read from Jane Hamsher today that someone else on the committee had been informed. Perhaps they are sending the signal "you guys aren't in charge anymore," especially to Rockefeller and the other Blue Dog Dems. They've been allowed to effectively set the Democratic agenda for the past few years, but now they are chaffing at having to take orders from the new head of the party. It's not easy on their egos.

Plus I just heard that Feinstein, as head of the rules committee, is saying openly that Roland Burris should be seated. Sounds to me like she's hitting back at the Obama team...

could be.
I wasn't suggesting that Obama have conferred with Feinstein or ask for her advice (although that would have been polite, even if he ignored it), but a "head's up, I'm appointing Panetta" would have cost him nothing.
I hadn't heard about someone else having been informed. Wonder if thatperson said anything to Feinstein. It would make sense if s/he had...so...

It's notable that Ron Wyden, who also sits on the Intelligence Committee, was consulted about Panetta and approved of his choice.

Here's the link to Hamsher's post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/obamas-savvy-choice-of-pa_b_155642.html

Obviously predictable, and predicted. I raised precisely this issue when O picked him, and everyone on this list jumped on me as a "troll." The man's an idiot.