Muzzle off, Biden makes news - from Politico.com

Joe Biden hasn't said much in public since the election, but one of Washington's most prolific talkers is back – and making news whenever he speaks.

In fewer than five minutes on Tuesday, Biden criticized his own incoming Obama administration and disclosed information his aides have kept secret for security reasons.

And on Monday, Biden declared, "We're at war!" and compared the economic turmoil to 9/11.

Team Obama kept Biden under wraps immediately after the election, but with his Senate swearing-in and upcoming Iraq trip, he's back in front of the microphones.

Chatting with reporters after he was sworn in for a seventh term in the Senate, Biden called it "a mistake" that the Obama transition selected Leon Panetta as CIA director without consulting the Senate intelligence committee.

"I'm still a Senate man and I always think this way. I think it's always good to talk to the requisite members of Congress," Biden said. "I think it was just a mistake."


rest at http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17139.html