Jay Carney Defends Biden "Chain" Remarks, Mocks McCain's VP Criticism: 'The One Place I Would Not Go for Advice on VP Running Mates Is to Sen. McCain'

In today's White House press briefing, Press Secretary Jay Carney was pressed by reporters on recent comments by Vice President Joe Biden, which many critics are calling racially charged. At an event with a large number of African American attendees, the vice president made reference to Romney's policies keeping 'y'all in chains.' Moments ago, one member of the press asked Carney once again if he regretted Biden's choice of words. Carney refused to back down and withdraw support.

"Nobody took it as a reference except [...] for those who are trying to make something out of nothing here and distract from the policy debate," he said. "You know what he was talking about here ... Wall Street reform. So

we can, y'know ... we understand that there's going to be efforts to distract attention from the policy debates because the other side is losing these debates."

But Democrat and former Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder, who is also the first African American to be elected as a US governor, called the remarks unnecessary, saying "our president doesn't need this right now."

Sen. John McCain and others have gone so far as to suggest that maybe VP Biden should be taken off the ticket and replaced by Hillary Clinton or someone else. Despite the criticism, Carney confirmed Thursday that the Obama will not be replacing Biden because of this or any other recent gaffe.

"Yes, [it will be Obama / Biden], and that was settled a long long time ago, and while I appreciate and have great admiration for and respect for and a long relationship with John McCain, one place I wouldn't go for advice on vice presidential running mates is to Sen. McCain.