Vice-President Biden Apologizes to Chief Justice John Roberts

Reports indicate that Vice-President Joe Biden called U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to apologize for his remark last week making fun of Roberts after his infamous flub of the Oath of Office when swearing-in President Barack Obama. Here is video of the remark Biden made last week, followed by news of the apology:

Sources familiar with the conversation say Vice President Joe Biden telephoned Chief Justice John Roberts last week to apologize for a remark he made about the chief's memory.

"My memory is not as good as Chief Justice Roberts's," Biden said last Wednesday, as he prepared to administer the oath of office to new senior White House staffers. The remark did not appear to go over well with President Obama, who did not smile, though some in the room laughed. Biden's remark came the day after the infamous flub that occurred as Roberts led Obama through the oath of office.

A spokesman for the vice president confirms that Biden called Roberts after making the remark.

"They had a good conversation," the spokesperson said.

A Supreme Court official declined to characterize the conversation.

I chided Biden last week for making the classless joke at Roberts' expense, so now I also praise Biden for doing the right thing and apologizing for it. No doubt, Chief Justice Roberts feels terrible about the mistake he made, but nothing can undo it now. It's a good reminder that all of us are human, and we all make mistakes. Vice-President Biden showed class in calling the Chief Justice.