Biden Takes Shot at Roberts for Flubbing Presidential Oath

Vice President Biden took a stab at Chief Justice John Roberts on Wednesday, one day after the chief justice flubbed the oath of office that President Obama was to recite at his inauguration.

Biden was to swear in senior executive staff at a White House ceremony after having already given the oath to newly confirmed Cabinet secretaries. When Obama reminded him that he had only done the one group and hadn't done the second yet, Biden quipped, "My memory is not as good as Chief Justice Roberts."

The slap was directed at the Supreme Court chief, who a day earlier had to recite to Obama the 35-word oath of office, which Obama was to repeat back to him. Unlike his predecessor, Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Roberts -- perhaps unwisely -- chose to forego a note card with the oath.

When he started to say the second portion of the quote "... that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States," he instead put faithfully at the end of the sentence. Obama, who apparently had memorized the oath, looked at Roberts, who then realized his mistake and repeated that portion of the oath correctly.

Obama then repeated the oath in the incorrect order. His presidency is unaffected, however. In the unlikely event he'd be challenged as president, the case ultimately would end up in Roberts' court.