Biden tries to shush wife after state-VP slip

Jill Biden lets slip secret about Joe
Last update: January 19, 2009 - 7:36 PM


Biden tries to shush wife after state-VP slip

Joe Biden's wife on Monday let slip that her husband had his pick of being Barack Obama's running mate or the secretary of state nominee.

Jill Biden's comment came during an appearance with her husband on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," taped at Washington's Kennedy Center. "Joe had the choice to be secretary of state or vice president," she said. Her husband turned to his wife with his finger to his lips and a "Shhhh!" sending the audience into laughter. "OK, he did," Jill Biden said in her defense.

The vice president-elect blushed, grimaced and gave his wife a hug while the audience laughed. Jill Biden said she told him vice president would be better for the family. "If you're secretary of state, you'll be away, we'll never see you," she said.

After the exchange aired, Biden spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander denied Jill Biden's account. "To be clear, President-elect Obama offered Vice President-elect Biden one job only -- to be his running mate," she said. "And the vice president-elect was thrilled to accept the offer."

The statement doesn't rule out that Obama and Biden discussed the possibility of the other post.

The celebrity-filled show also included the premiere of "America's Song," performed by Faith Hill, Seal, Bono, Mary J. Blige, Will.i.am and David Foster. It is available for free download on Winfrey's website -- oprah.com -- for 24 hours.

WARREN'S ADDRESS SPARKS A PROTEST
In what could be a preview of what he will say at Obama's inauguration, conservative pastor Rick Warren spoke to a packed house for the annual King Day service at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Monday.

"Tomorrow when I pray the invocation for my friend, Dr. King and a whole host of witnesses will be shouting," Warren said. "Martin Luther King was a mighty tool in the hand of God. But God isn't through. Justice is a journey and we're getting further and further along."