I wasn’t much into politics when Dan Quayle was vice president, but I heard enough about his gaffes that I questioned his intelligence, despite his Ivy League education. Who could forget the potato debacle? I often laughed out loud with the late-night comics who always seemed to have something to say about Dan Quayle.Recently I read and heard about Joe Biden’s gaffe that proves to be almost as priceless as that of Dan Quayle. I’m beginning to wonder if the job of vice president carries with it the role of comic relief.During Joe Biden’s speech in Columbia, Mo., last week, he asked Sen. Chuck Graham to stand for applause from the audience. He wanted to honor Graham, and that was very noble of Biden, except for the fact that Graham was in a wheelchair. See the clip.I almost fell out of my chair when I first heard about this. While I can understand that people make mistakes and sometimes we put our foot in our mouth, I was puzzled by what Biden did. If he was going to speak of someone’s accomplishments and introduce him to the crowd, would he not have at least known that the person was in a wheelchair ? The second incident really has me questioning not only Biden’s common sense but also that of Obama for picking him as his running mate. In a recent speech, he said that Hillary Clinton would be a better choice for vice president than he is. I couldn’t believe my ears. How could someone who was just chosen to be a vice presidential candidate turn around and tell the voters that he was not the right choice? What does that say about this common sense or maybe even his confidence? I didn’t hear the whole speech and maybe that may have been out of context, but in today’s world of soundbites and YouTube videos, that line will play a part in the perception the voters have of him. Obviously it did mine. It’s like getting a great job and then you go around telling everyone in that company that you are not the best candidate for the job. Imagine how management will feel when they get wind of that.That brings me to Obama’s judgment. How are we to put faith in Obama’s ability to select the right people to work for him in his government, when his most important selection turns on him? There was a lot of talk about Sarah Palin not being properly vetted but in light of Biden’s remarks, maybe his vetting should be questioned. I cannot fathom the shame and hurt that Obama must have felt when he heard what Biden said. A sound decision-making process is of utmost importance for the president of the United States. Not all decisions may be right, as George Bush has proven, but at least his staff stood by him. How can we put our faith in the leader of the most powerful nation in the world when his own hand-picked partner tells him that he was the wrong choice? Of all people to support Obama, Biden should be first in line, not the first to cast doubt. Is this the pair that you want to make decisions in the White House?