Joe Biden’s Wife Lets Slip a Secret That May Cause Contention

Following in her husband’s footsteps by speaking her mind (and damn the consequences), Jill Biden noted yesterday during taping of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that her husband, the vice president-elect, actually had his choice of positions within the planned Obama administration. After his wife noted that "Joe had the choice to be secretary of state or vice president," Biden quickly "shushed" his wife, drawing laughs from the crowd but, no doubt, the ire of Biden’s public relations team. While such political decisions are likely a constant reality, making Biden’s apparent choice of top jobs to the world at large – and to Hillary Rodham Clinton in particular – may have ruffled some feathers and may also lead to more strife down the line.

True to form, Joe Biden’s spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander denied the account put forth by Jill Biden, noting simply: "To be clear, President-elect Obama offered Vice President-elect Biden one job only – to be his running mate. And the vice president-elect was thrilled to accept the offer." Given the choice between a planned, e-mailed response to the media from a spokesperson and the impromptu comments made by Biden’s wife, one would have to believe Jill Biden’s account. It’s also likely that the Biden spokeswoman is now in hyperdrive to undo whatever damage the seemingly innocuous comments (i.e. – the truth) may have wrought.

While Biden didn’t immediately accept Obama’s call to run as the vice presidential candidate of the Democratic Party so many months ago, he did accept after a lengthy conversation with Obama and after getting some assurances about his role. "This is a partnership," said Biden, "He’s president of the United States, but as I said to him when he asked me, I said, ‘Barack, don’t ask me unless the reason you’re asking me is you’re asking me for my judgment. I get to be the last guy in the room when you make every important decision. You’re president. Any decision you make, I will back.’"