28.1.11
Appearing on PBS NewHour last night, gaffe-prone Vice President Joe Biden remarked that he doesn't consider Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak a dictator—despite his 29-year rule—and isn't sure what exactly protesters want. (For the record, its "freedom, democracy, an end to police torture, and a more committed government effort to address" poverty, the Christian Science Monitor says). When asked to describe Mubarak, Biden told host Jim Lehrer that he "has been an ally of ours in a number of things. And he's been very responsible on, relative to geopolitical interest in the region, the Middle East peace efforts; the actions Egypt has taken relative to normalizing relationship with—with Israel. … I would not refer to him as a dictator." The vice president then suggested that the government should work with protesters to discern "what the legitimate claims being made are, if they are, and try to work them out."
(Slate)
