A new book about the relationship between former President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden highlights one particular TV appearance that angered staffers in the midst of the 2012 re-election campaign.
There was tension between Obama and Biden aides during the campaign's kickoff in May of 2012, according to New York Magazine correspondent Gabe Benedetti's book, The Long Alliance.
During an appearance on Meet the Press, Biden made comments about gay marriage that were not in lockstep with the administration's position—including one unprovoked and unrehearsed statement that made Obama staffers irate.
"I think Will and Grace probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody's ever done so far," Biden told former host David Gregory after being pressed multiple times about his views on same-sex marriage.
Not only did Biden invoke a TV show that had been off the air for six years, his off-the-cuff response to a question about federal policy reportedly caused a rift between Obama and Biden aides that lasted months. Many, reportedly including Obama, felt Biden took the lead as part of a joint campaign issue.
"In private, in his innermost inner circle, [Biden] was still proud, no matter how uncomfortable he'd made Obama," the book says. "Once some of the dust had settled, he and [Biden's son] Beau sat down in front of a TV and together rewatched the interview over and over, to marvel at what he'd done."
Prior to the appearance, Biden was prepped for multiple days and attended an LGBTQ fundraiser in Los Angeles.
Aside from also telling Gregory "the president sets the policy," Biden said he was "absolutely comfortable" with gay and lesbian couples marrying. After mentioning Obama's stance regarding the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Biden used the stage to discuss the "social culture" surrounding gay marriage.
A "disbelieving fury" from Obama aides occurred after they read the show's transcript, many reportedly quite vocal about Biden and his inability to stay on topic.
"We can't trust him to say his lines and he's out of practice anyway," one staffer said.
"He's ruined what should have been Obama's historic moment because he can't control his loud mouth," another Obama loyalist said.
Obama was reportedly less perturbed than his staffers, pledging to speak with Biden about what loyalists thought was "tantamount to a betrayal." Obama just thought it was "Joe being Joe."
"It was sloppy, but I can't get mad at the guy for saying what he believes, and what's in his heart," Obama said. "I'm not going to yell at him."
Behind the scenes, however, Obama was reportedly "pissed" and told Biden that he had stepped off course of the administration's plan to legally deal with gay marriage.
The same month, Obama clarified Biden's remarks and his administration's stance on same-sex marriage during an appearance on Good Morning America. Obama later graced the cover of Newsweek, coined as "The first gay president."
Three years after Obama defeated Republican Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election, the second-term president called the U.S. Supreme Court's marriage equality ruling "a victory for America."
In 2016, Biden performed the marriage of two male staffers at his home.
Newsweek reached out to Benedetti for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
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