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Sunday morning talk shows react to Obama campaign kick-off - live blog Sunday morning talk shows react to Obama campaign kick-off - as it happened
(about 2 hours later)
11.31am: Well, that seems to the best of the guests as far as the Sunday political talk shows are concerned. While they go into the "final thoughts" sections, let's review what we have learned and what we have not.
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/>• Marco Rubio may or may not be Mitt Romney's VP choice. He is still refusing to comment on the issue, only to say that he wants to be as helpful as he can be. 		9.15am: Yes, we all know that the campaign started months ago, but let's play ball and pretend that yesterday's jamboree in Ohio marked the official entrance of Barack Obama into the 2012 race for the White House.
• Newt Gingrich thinks he is too old to be Romney's running mate, not that anyone was asking him to be in any case. Both "running" and "mate" seem odd words to use in conjunction with the former House speaker. There was lots of talk of moving America "forward" not "back". Not as catchy as "hope and change", but the partisan crowd in Ohio seemed to like it...if not in the same numbers that greeted Mr Obama's 2008 campaign, as my colleague Paul Harris noted.
• Joe Biden thinks Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng's future is in the US and that the White House's commitment to human rights hasn't been dented by the US's handling of the case. We're tracking the reaction as it comes in from the political talking heads as they make their way around the TV studios for the usual round of Sunday morning political shows.
• The VP is backing gay marriage, making him the most senior official in the administration to do so. Oh, and he is a fan of Will & Grace to boot. 9.28am: Newt Gingrich is first up on CNN's State of the Union.
That's it for another seven days, join us next Sunday for the same fun and games. And his verdict on Obama's campaign launch? "It's an absurdity". So no real surprise there then. Why so Mr Gingrich?
11.12am: The Biden endorses gay marriage clip has been posted on Youtube: "This is a president that talks about hope and change, but what are the changes?" the former House speaker and now ex-presidential hope offers.
Ignoring the fact that "hope and change" was so last campaign, he lists his grievances, which includes the still high rate of joblessness, and the higher price of gas. He goes as far as accusing Obama of "driving people out of the work force".
10.53am: Biden says he is not sure if federal gay marriage will be part of the agenda in a second Obama term, but that the president will "continue to fight" for gay rights.
As for himself he is "absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women and heterosexual men marrying women are entitled to the same exact rights. All the civil rights, all the civil liberties."
But it is the president that sets the policy, he adds.
The Veep goes on credit Will & Grace for helping change attitudes. The sitcome "probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody has done so far".
10.45am: Still waiting for Biden interview to get to the gay marriage part up here in NYC, I know most the East Coast has already seen it. Out of interest, why don't they put the Sunday political shows on at the same times across the timezone?
Anyway, so far he has said he is definitely going to be the VP - "there's no way out of it", and defended the treatment of Chinese dissident Chen - "we haven't backed off our commitment to human rights".
10.37am: David Axlerod was speaking on This Week while I was scribbling down the best Rubio had to offer to Fox.
But in a tweet, the senior Obama campaign aide suggests there is no space between Biden and and president on gay marriage policy.
@chucktodd @meetthepress What VP said-that all married couples should have exactly the same legal rights-is precisely POTUS's position.
10.25am: "I'm not going to discuss the vice presidency". And with those words, a watching nation, or at least those sober, awake and watching Fox News Sunday lose interest.
He does however defend his greenness, saying experience isn't all that. It leads to cynism and hyperbole, according to 41-year-old Rubio.
But Wallace isn't having that. "Will you do whatever Mitt Romney asks?", he offers up.
"I want to be as helpful as I can be," Rubio replies.
10.20am: Fox host Chris Wallace is grilling Rubio over the resignation of gay Romney aide
Richard Grenell, who stepped down last week after being sidelined by the Republican presumptive candidate's campaign.
The Romney cheerleader, says as far as he know Grenell "left of his own volition".
Hmmm, the ex-Romney aide's statement on resigning can be found here.
10.13am: Rubio goes on to back Romney assertion that Obama's handling of the case of Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng was shameful.
Then comes an attack on Joe Biden. If as many Republicans hope, the Florida senator is picked as Romney's running mate, then the pair will face off in the run up to the vote.
Rubio opts to damn Biden with faint praise. After savaging his foreign policy record, he adds: "I think he is a very nice person, but he has a tendency to say some interesting things."
10.05am: Rubio's up on Fox News Sunday and he's accusing Obama of running from his record, and being content on being a divisive influence in the country.
His record, according to the potential VP candidate, is a four trillion dollar debt and high unemployment.
"All of the things that made him different and special four years ago are gone," he says of the White House incumbent.
9.54am: It appears that VP Joe Biden has come out in favour of gay marriage over on Meet the Press
The show isn't aired in New York (where your humble reporter is writing from) for another half hour or so.
But a transcript on the Think Progress website, has him telling host David Gregory that he is "absolutely comfortable" with "men marrying men, women marrying women".
He adds that they are "entitled to the same exact rights".
It would make him the most senior member of the administration to back gay marriage.
Obama backs same-sex unions and has said his views on gay marriage are evolving.
Yesterday in his campaign launch, the president said America would never go back to the days when a man or woman was thrown out of the Army simply because of "who you are or who you love".
9.38am:Now comes the meat of the interview. His lukewarm support of Mitt Romney, a man he verbally hung, drew and quartered in the early part of the primaries.9.38am:Now comes the meat of the interview. His lukewarm support of Mitt Romney, a man he verbally hung, drew and quartered in the early part of the primaries.
Gone are the snide references to the "Massachusetts moderate", but his words of support don't sound overly convincing.Gone are the snide references to the "Massachusetts moderate", but his words of support don't sound overly convincing.
"This is not a magic show. We are either going to get Barack Obama or we are going to get Mitt Romney," Newt says, adding that no conservative with that choice will opt with the Democrat incumbent. So more of a statement of fact than a ringing endorsement then."This is not a magic show. We are either going to get Barack Obama or we are going to get Mitt Romney," Newt says, adding that no conservative with that choice will opt with the Democrat incumbent. So more of a statement of fact than a ringing endorsement then.
But he does think Romney will make a "dramatically better president", says Gingrich in a rare show of near graciousness.But he does think Romney will make a "dramatically better president", says Gingrich in a rare show of near graciousness.
And he seems to be ruling himself of being part of a presidential ticket under Romney.And he seems to be ruling himself of being part of a presidential ticket under Romney.
"I think he will look for someone that is younger," the former House speaker says (and perhaps someone who hasn't spent months kicking several shades out of him as well, I'm tempted to add)."I think he will look for someone that is younger," the former House speaker says (and perhaps someone who hasn't spent months kicking several shades out of him as well, I'm tempted to add).
Names in the frame? Newt offer Marco Rubio for VP, among others. More on this later when the Florida senator faces questions on Fox News Sunday.Names in the frame? Newt offer Marco Rubio for VP, among others. More on this later when the Florida senator faces questions on Fox News Sunday.
9.28am: Newt Gingrich is first up on CNN's State of the Union. 9.54am: It appears that VP Joe Biden has come out in favour of gay marriage over on Meet the Press
And his verdict on Obama's campaign launch? "It's an absurdity". So no real surprise there then. Why so Mr Gingrich? The show isn't aired in New York (where your humble reporter is writing from) for another half hour or so.
"This is a president that talks about hope and change, but what are the changes?" the former House speaker and now ex-presidential hope offers. But a transcript on the Think Progress website, has him telling host David Gregory that he is "absolutely comfortable" with "men marrying men, women marrying women".
Ignoring the fact that "hope and change" was so last campaign, he lists his grievances, which includes the still high rate of joblessness, and the higher price of gas. He goes as far as accusing Obama of "driving people out of the work force". He adds that they are "entitled to the same exact rights".
9.15am: Yes, we all know that the campaign started months ago, but let's play ball and pretend that yesterday's jamboree in Ohio marked the official entrance of Barack Obama into the 2012 race for the White House. It would make him the most senior member of the administration to back gay marriage.
There was lots of talk of moving America "forward" not "back". Not as catchy as "hope and change", but the partisan crowd in Ohio seemed to like it...if not in the same numbers that greeted Mr Obama's 2008 campaign, as my colleague Paul Harris noted. Obama backs same-sex unions and has said his views on gay marriage are evolving.
We're tracking the reaction as it comes in from the political talking heads as they make their way around the TV studios for the usual round of Sunday morning political shows. Yesterday in his campaign launch, the president said America would never go back to the days when a man or woman was thrown out of the Army simply because of "who you are or who you love".
10.05am: Rubio's up on Fox News Sunday and he's accusing Obama of running from his record, and being content on being a divisive influence in the country.
His record, according to the potential VP candidate, is a four trillion dollar debt and high unemployment.
"All of the things that made him different and special four years ago are gone," he says of the White House incumbent.
10.13am: Rubio goes on to back Romney assertion that Obama's handling of the case of Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng was shameful.
Then comes an attack on Joe Biden. If as many Republicans hope, the Florida senator is picked as Romney's running mate, then the pair will face off in the run up to the vote.
Rubio opts to damn Biden with faint praise. After savaging his foreign policy record, he adds: "I think he is a very nice person, but he has a tendency to say some interesting things."
10.20am: Fox host Chris Wallace is grilling Rubio over the resignation of gay Romney aide
Richard Grenell, who stepped down last week after being sidelined by the Republican presumptive candidate's campaign.
The Romney cheerleader, says as far as he know Grenell "left of his own volition".
Hmmm, the ex-Romney aide's statement on resigning can be found here.
10.25am: "I'm not going to discuss the vice presidency". And with those words, a watching nation, or at least those sober, awake and watching Fox News Sunday lose interest.
He does however defend his greenness, saying experience isn't all that. It leads to cynism and hyperbole, according to 41-year-old Rubio.
But Wallace isn't having that. "Will you do whatever Mitt Romney asks?", he offers up.
"I want to be as helpful as I can be," Rubio replies.
10.37am: David Axlerod was speaking on This Week while I was scribbling down the best Rubio had to offer to Fox.
But in a tweet, the senior Obama campaign aide suggests there is no space between Biden and and president on gay marriage policy.
@chucktodd @meetthepress What VP said-that all married couples should have exactly the same legal rights-is precisely POTUS's position.
10.45am: Still waiting for Biden interview to get to the gay marriage part up here in NYC, I know most the East Coast has already seen it. Out of interest, why don't they put the Sunday political shows on at the same times across the timezone?
Anyway, so far he has said he is definitely going to be the VP - "there's no way out of it", and defended the treatment of Chinese dissident Chen - "we haven't backed off our commitment to human rights".
10.53am: Biden says he is not sure if federal gay marriage will be part of the agenda in a second Obama term, but that the president will "continue to fight" for gay rights.
As for himself he is "absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women and heterosexual men marrying women are entitled to the same exact rights. All the civil rights, all the civil liberties."
But it is the president that sets the policy, he adds.
The Veep goes on credit Will & Grace for helping change attitudes. The sitcome "probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody has done so far".
11.12am: The Biden endorses gay marriage clip has been posted on Youtube:
11.31am: Well, that seems to the best of the guests as far as the Sunday political talk shows are concerned. While they go into the "final thoughts" sections, let's review what we have learned and what we have not.

• Marco Rubio may or may not be Mitt Romney's VP choice. He is still refusing to comment on the issue, only to say that he wants to be as helpful as he can be.
• Newt Gingrich thinks he is too old to be Romney's running mate, not that anyone was asking him to be in any case. Both "running" and "mate" seem odd words to use in conjunction with the former House speaker.
• Joe Biden thinks Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng's future is in the US and that the White House's commitment to human rights hasn't been dented by the US's handling of the case.
• The VP is backing gay marriage, making him the most senior official in the administration to do so. Oh, and he is a fan of Will & Grace to boot.
That's it for another seven days, join us next Sunday for the same fun and games.