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Obama & Biden are BFFs — Of Course

by Clarissa-Jan Lim

Whether you keep an eye on D.C. or not, Joe Biden is arguably one of the country's biggest political heartthrobs. While his spontaneous charm and disarming smile have won over the hearts of many romantics, it seems fair to say that his off-the-cuff remarks have sometimes landed him in awkward situations with the chief, President Obama. But White House senior advisor Dan Pfeiffer opened up about the Obama-Biden relationship in HuffPost's Drinking and Talking segment, and it seems that the head honchos of the U.S. are as tight as ever.

Biden's spontaneity as vice-president has sometimes exposed him to criticism — even ridicule. His most (in)famous gaffe — or honest moment — was when he said in 2012 on NBC's Meet The Press that he was "absolutely comfortable" about same-sex marriage, and was heartened by their growing acceptance across the country. His comment, going beyond Obama's "evolving" view on the matter, essentially forced the president to back gay marriage, too.

When asked whether the incident caused any tension between both men, Pfeiffer told HuffPost that it wasn't actually that bad:

He was not that mad. I mean, everyone was surprised. It was a very interesting thing to be a part of it because the president was ready to make his position clear. That opportunity was not how he would have chosen it, but it was forced on him. He was very glad to have the opportunity to do so.
Alex Wong/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Pfeiffer also said that nobody in the White House thought that Biden's uninhibited ways were deliberately at done at the expense of the president, stating that the two have grown "very close personally." He also heaped praise on the vice-president as a political boon to Obama's campaign:

Everyone loves Joe Biden. For every time you pick one thing where he gets in a little bit of trouble, there's 1,000 times he's gone out and campaigned his tail off... He was a huge asset in why we got re-elected, both times.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images News/Getty Images

But perhaps my favorite Biden moment was during the signing ceremony of the historic healthcare bill that significantly expanded medical insurance access to many Americans — Obamacare, duh — and Biden, after introducing the president, said to him possibly the six most human words a 21st century politician could have uttered:

This is a big fucking deal.

Although he clearly didn't mean for it to be picked up by the hot mic, Biden's congratulatory comment spread like wildfire on the internet, further endearing him to the American public.

But of course, Pfeiffer whose job as senior advisor to the administration includes painting a pretty picture of it, but I, for one, actually do think that Obama and Biden have a great relationship, both personally and professionally. I mean, just look at this photo of them.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Tears.

Image: Getty Images (3)