Vice president Joe Biden said today he would tell his family members not to use subways in the U.S. and implied schools should be shuttered as the swine flu outbreak spread to 11 states and forced school closures amid confirmation of the first U.S. death.
"I wouldn't go anywhere in confined places now," Biden said when asked whether he would advise family members to use public transportation.
Biden made his comments during a brief interview on NBC's "Today" show during an interview with Matt Lauer.
"I would tell members of my family, and I have, I wouldn't go anywhere in confined places now. It's not that it's going to Mexico, it's you're in a confined aircraft when one person sneezes it goes all the way through the aircraft. That's me. I would not be, at this point, if they had another way of transportation suggesting they ride the subway. "
The vice president also implied that schools should be closed as the threat of swine flu increases.
"If you're out in the middle of a field and someone sneezes that's one thing. If you're in a closed aircraft or a closed container or closed car or closed classroom it's a different thing."
After the interview, co-host Meredith Vieira and NBC's Chuck Todd discussed Biden's statement, wondering if the vice president really had intended to caution the American public to stay off public transportation and airplanes. They noted his comments seemed to contradict public statements by other high-ranked White House officials.
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And why would one do that?
I mean, it's already in the US right?
That's why Obama said last night that he was not closing the borders.
Something about closing the barn door after the horse got out?
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Well it didn't take long to get a "clarification" from the power-noggin'!
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090416/capt.dd2f65885775499c83dadb3fc794a836.us_obama..."I don't know what I said. Ask my spokesperson"
Biden's spokesperson, Elizabeth Alexander, sought to clarify Biden's remarks in a statement issued shortly after his television interview.
"The advice he is giving family members is the same advice the administration is giving to all Americans: that they should avoid unnecessary air travel to and from Mexico," she said.
"If they are sick, they should avoid airplanes and other confined public spaces, such as subways. This is the advice the vice president has given family members who are traveling by commercial airline this week," Alexander said.
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Ya see?
Joe wasn't saying avoid public transportation and confined places here in the US, where the flu has already been reported and so it would be like closing the barn door after the horse left. No, Joe was telling his family not to take US public transportation systems TO MEXICO. I forget, which stop on the NYC subway stops in Mexico City?
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