let the games begin

Poor Joe! Everyone's picking on him.

Libya in crisis and questions about a reporter in a closet... So where's Joe Biden? On vacation in Aspen

By Oliver Pickup
Last updated at 2:14 PM on 29th March 2011

Pulling punches: Joe Biden, the 68-year-old vice president, has been holidaying at the plush ski resort Aspen

America may be leading the Allied fight against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's Libya, but Joe Biden has done himself no favours by holidaying in Aspen and having to apologise to a political reporter who had been locked in a closet.

The Vice President has recently suffered a string of embarrassing leaks - and the American public will struggle to take the 68-year-old seriously as he buckles up his ski-boots in the glitzy snow resort. 

Last week a video dating back to 2007 - in which Biden is seen threatening to impeach then-president George W. Bush for failing to consult Congress over a possible attack on Iran - surfaced.

With President Barack Obama due to give an address to the nation on the U.S. military action in Libya, the video leak coupled with the story about the reporter being locked away at a fund-raising event for a Senator - and topped off by his right-hand man zooming down red and black ski runs - Biden's action would have been embarrassing to the U.S. leader.

And rather than answer questions about the video - as well as being supportive of America's assault on Libya (which was decided without Congress) - Biden was taking the chairlift in Aspen.

Keep quiet: President Obama is thought to have asked right-hand man to restrict his interaction with the media after a number of gaffes

Where in the world is Joe Biden? While locking reporters in a closet in Florida and skiing in Apsen, the Libya crisis rages on

Last week Biden, the Democrat from Scranton, Pennsylvania, was the headliner at Senator Ben Nelson's two fund-raising events in Eagle County, Florida.

But with the White House wanting to minimise gaffe-prone Biden's interaction with the press, according to the Washington Times, it is perhaps little surprise that his handlers took exception to Orlando Sentinel political report Scott Powers's presence at the event.

Since Biden has been vice president - a post he gained when President Obama took charge of America in 2009 - his gaffes have included his talking about a tunnel (for trains) 'which is designed for automobile traffic', forgetting Justice Steven's name, telling people to 'call my website', and swearing at a former Senate colleague who greeted him as 'Mr Vice President'.

Locked up: Reporter Scott Powers (left) was kept in a closet while Biden attended a fund-raising event for Senator Ben Nelson (right)

 According to the Huffington Post, Powers was restrained 'from talking to the many high-profile guests at the event. A member of Biden's staff stuffed Powers in a storage closet and stood guard outside the door until she deemed it ‘safe’ for Powers to emerge.'

Gone skiing: The 68-year-old was reported to be holidaying in the luxury ski resort Aspen, in Colorado

He later issued an clumsy apology, written by his spokesman Elizabeth Alexander, which read: 'Scott - You have our sincere apologies for the lack of a better hold room today.'

After the fund-raising events Biden's motorcade headed to the airport and he flew to the Rocky Mountains for some snow - and it was an unexpected visit, as secrecy was important, Biden said.

The Apsen Times described Biden as 'vacationing' in the plush resort near Colorado last Friday.

Pitkin County Sheriff Joe DiSalvo, who along with Snowmass Village Police Department has had to organise security, said: 'It's a pretty low-key visit, definitely a vacation.'

In addition the Secret Service also have men protecting the Vice President.

It seems that Colorado is popular with those close to the president - Michelle Obama, her daughters and some of her friends visited nearby Vail over the weekend, and they flew in and out of Eagle County airport.

His presence has led to some to question whether he is escaping answering the questions that matter - and whether he has any influence or say in how America is run.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1371087/Libya-Joe-Biden-vacation-Aspen-fight-Gaddafi.html#ixzz1I6aU6xzR