“Why, Why, Why?” – Joe Biden Snaps at CBS News Reporter

CBS News reporter Ed O’Keefe asked Joe Biden about his feud with Sen. Bernie Sanders and a tense exchange followed with the vice president asking “why, why, why” and telling O’Keefe to “calm down.”

Gayle King: Vice President Biden may want to avoid the impeachment trial but he’s not backing away from his feud with Bernie Sanders. Ed O’Keefe caught up with him in Des Moines, and they had, how do we describe this, Ed? This “remarkable” exchange is the word?

Ed O’Keefe: That’s one way of putting it, Gayle. We wanted to ask the Vice President why he’s feuding again with Bernie Sanders. Remember, earlier this week he told us he accepted Sanders’ apology after one of his supporters called the former vice president “corrupt.” But, within hours, both camps were out with dueling attack videos.

Biden calling out “Bernie’s negative attacks” and Sanders raising questions about Biden’s previous willingness to fiddle with federal benefits. While Sanders is in Washington dealing with impeachment, Biden was out here talking to voters. So, we wanted to ask him, why this change in strategy? Take a look.

O’Keefe (yelling question at Biden): Yesterday you said you accepted Bernie’s apology, now you’re attacking him. Why are you doing that? Why wasn’t his apology enough, Mr. Vice President? Why attack Sanders?

Joe Biden: Why, why, why, why, why, why… you’re getting nervous, man. Calm down, it’s OK. He apologized for saying that I was corrupt. He didn’t say anything about whether or not I was telling the truth about Social Security.

King: Ed, I wasn’t sure where that was going, what were you thinking?

O’Keefe: Look, we ask the candidates questions, how they respond is up to them. Clearly, in this case, Biden, a little touchy. He’s sensitive to this charge that he wants to change up Social Security. Yes, as a Senator in the 1990s he was open to making changes to federal benefits to balance the budget, but now as a presidential candidate, he says he wants to preserve and expand Social Security in part because seniors are living longer.

How exactly we would pay for it is a detail to be sorted out later. But, look, with Biden and Sanders either tied or first and second here in Iowa and across the country, this is a feud that is likely to continue with eleven days until the Iowa caucus.

King: First it seemed like he didn’t want to answer, but he turned around so I give him credit for that.

Hillary Clinton Says “Nobody Likes” Bernie Sanders in New Documentary

Report from CBS News on a new documentary in which former secretary of state Hillary Clinton says that nobody in Congress likes Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Video Transcript

Norah O’Donnell: Turning now to the presidential campaign, an extraordinarily personal attack from Hillary Clinton on Bernie Sanders, she’s accusing him of cultivating a sexist culture in his campaign. Ed O’Keefe reports tonight in Iowa.

Ed O’Keefe: Four years after Bernie Sanders nearly derailed her presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton is still holding a grudge.

Hillary Clinton: There is a set of expectations out of a first lady . . .

Ed O’Keefe: In a new documentary about her life, Clinton says in Congress, “Nobody likes Sanders.” She dismisses him as a career politician and adds, “It’s all just baloney and I feel so bad people got sucked into it.”

Asked by the Hollywood Reporter if she would support Sanders if he wins the Democratic nomination, Clinton said, “I’m not going there yet.” And, that he has created a “culture” where his staff and his supporters attack his competitors, particularly, the women.

Sanders, back in Washington for the impeachment trial, tried to downplay the criticism.

Sen. Bernie Sanders: On a good day my wife likes me so lets clear the air on that one.

Ed O’Keefe: Asked why he thinks Clinton is talking about him, Sanders said . . .

Sen. Sanders: That is a good question, ask her

Ed O’Keefe: The interview came the morning after Sanders apologized to former vice president Joe Biden for an OpEd written by one of his surrogates that called Biden corrupt.

Sen. Sanders: It’s absolutely not my view that Joe is corrupt in any way, and I’m sorry that that OpEd appeared. We don’t need personal attacks, I mean our difficulty is, I appeal to my supporters, please, engage in civil discourse.

Ed O’Keefe: We caught up with Biden at a campaign event this afternoon and I asked him about Sanders’ comments, and he told me, “I accept his apology.” Norah . . .

Norah O’Donnell: Alright, from Des Moines tonight, Ed, thank you