Last November, the New York Times took a leap into the meta by using an Onion-doctored photo of Joe Biden. The article was, of course, about continued Onion coverage of the vice-president, painting him incongruously as something of a trashy, aging playboy. It included comment from Biden spokesman Jay Carney, just Thursday named new White House press secretary:

"Let me get this straight: You want to interview the vice president about stories about him in The Onion?" Mr. Carney asked, sounding at once amused and dumbfounded by the request. "Well, I'll give you credit for trying."

Naturally, everyone who was glued to their computers that day had a hearty chuckle, checked The Onion for a couple more Biden spoof-posts and let it rest. Several months later we've now learned what Biden truly thinks of being pictured bare-chested, tattooed and washing "his" spiffed up Pontiac muscle-car in the White House driveway.

"I have a Corvette--a '67 Corvette--not a Trans-Am," the Vice President clarified to Yahoo! News in an interview. And, yes, he did sort of enjoy being mocked by America's finest news source, not that he's "encouraging" it, but: "Most people refer to me who know me, and even in the press, of being a little bit square," Biden said. "And now, I'm the philanderer. I think it's hilarious, the stuff they do on me."

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Erik Hayden