Joe Biden put the “vice” in Vice Media on Wednesday as he made a surprise visit to the company’s Williamsburg headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.
While the notion of an unannounced stop at the ultra-hip, in-your-face media company wouldn’t have been out of character for the notorious Biden alter ego made famous by The Onion, the real Biden’s visit was relatively straightforward. He was interviewed by the company’s co-founder and chief executive Shane Smith and spoke to the assembled staff about the environment, economy and student loans.
“Thank you for what you do, it’s important,” Biden told the journalists assembled.
Vice President @VP, @VICE President @shanesmith30 pic.twitter.com/TSwYjRWcGF
— VICE (@VICE) February 4, 2015
Joe Biden's opener @VICE this morning "I'm a weird guy!" pic.twitter.com/j2H4kXW8zZ
— grace wyler (@grace_lightning) February 4, 2015
After delivering a pep talk, Biden also spoke to Vice News’s correspondents abroad and was given a demonstration of Vice’s live streaming operations.
I just talked to the @vp, Joe Biden, on Skype from Estonia. We talked about Russia and saved a bundle on international calling rates
— Simon Ostrovsky (@SimonOstrovsky) February 4, 2015
According to Vice News, Biden addressed the issue of Ukraine specifically, saying he would be meeting with German chancellor Angela Merkel in Munich this weekend to discuss options for how the US and EU could support the Ukrainian government. “But we’ve got to make sure that we do not split Europe in the process,” he said. “The next move won’t be decided by the president until early next week and will require continued solidarity.”
While the visit had not been listed on Biden’s public schedule, today’s events seemed to have been eerily foretold last March.
@whitemonkey totally, we always get confused and ask if "there's a guy named Biden working here?"
— VICE (@VICE) March 20, 2014
Meanwhile, those who do not work at Vice’s Brooklyn HQ appeared jealous.
The @VICE office in Brooklyn got a visit from @JoeBiden this morning, and all I got in the VICE LA office was a free bowl of oatmeal.
— Arielle Pardes (@pardesoteric) February 4, 2015
