Joe Biden and Republican "Terrorists"

Politico is standing by their reporting that Vice-President Joe Biden said, referring to Republicans on the other side of the budget negotiations, “They have acted like terrorists.”

Politico's first source emailed them while in the room with Biden, and Politico confirmed with three other sources by email while they, too, were still in the room with him. They then confirmed with a fifth source:

Like many stories, it started with a tip from a source who was inside the tense Aug. 1 Democratic meeting with Biden as the debt negotiations reached a critical point....reporters stand outside closed conference rooms, emailing people inside those meetings...After hearing from the first source, the two POLITICO reporters on the story, Jonathan Allen and John Bresnahan, quickly confirmed Biden’s words with three other sources who were in the same room. They also contacted a fifth source, who confirmed the basic reporting.

Five witnesses seems like a lot more reliable sourcing than most negative stories about Republicans. Remember the rumors about John McCain having an affair with a staffer? Front page news during the campaign, except it wasn't true. John Edwards fathering a child with a staffer? Who knew? At least until he was no longer a factor in the campaign.