Gotta Watch: Sleepy politicians
During a California budget hearing in 2009, a lawmaker gets some shut-eye.
April 14th, 2011
11:17 AM ET

Gotta Watch: Sleepy politicians

In light of Vice President Joe Biden's recent napping episode caught on cam here, we thought we'd dig up some of our best naptime videos featuring your favorite sleepy politicians.

Napping greatest hits – Our very own Jeanne Moos highlights political napping that goes back to the Reagan administration, when the president nodded off in front of Pope John Paul II, and Dick Cheney taking a snooze at a briefing.

[cnn-video url="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/offbeat/2008/01/22/moos.greatest.naps.cnn"%5D

Presidential REM – In all fairness, many of these sleepy lawmakers do work long hours. CNN's Jason Carroll looks back at presidential sleeping habits and gives some insight into why our politicians sometimes get caught with their eyes closed.

[cnn-video url="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2009/01/23/am.carroll.presidential.sleep.cnn"%5D

Budget Z's – Despite the hype over the California budget crisis, this hearing shows that clearly not everyone was interested.

[cnn-video url="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2011/04/14/vault.ca.budget.nap.cachannel"%5D
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Filed under: Bill Clinton • California • Dick Cheney • George W. Bush • Gotta Watch • Politics
soundoff (76 Responses)
  1. ole lady

    Hey throw a shoe at biden and see if he can duck as fast as bush did. LOL

    April 14, 2011 at 6:05 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Patty

    TOM POST#3

    Up yours Idiot!!! Obama will get relected and then U can eat your words sprinkled with horse manureA.

    April 14, 2011 at 7:48 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Che-3

    Old man Biden couldn't keep up with a young energetic Black Prez. with amazing blazing amount of NON-STOP Energy! Folks it’s in the GENE!
    Eat your hearts IMPORTANT Racist GOP and Tea Baggers! This president has MORE energy than ALL US President put together ........................ Period! Major beneficiary? The First Lady!

    April 14, 2011 at 11:58 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Jeff

    Just what i wanted to spend my tax dollars on, sleeping politicians. Let someone in the military fall asleep on duty. They can recieve a reduction in rank, loss of 1/2 a months pay for 2 months and possibly confinement. All will making a fraction of what these weasles make.

    April 15, 2011 at 12:00 am | Report abuse |
  5. Che-3

    Typo i previous post!
    It’s "IMPOTENT" not "IMPORTANT" as corrected below:-

    Eat your hearts IMPOTENT Racist GOP and Tea Baggers! This president has MORE energy than ALL US President put together ........................ Period! Major beneficiary? The First Lady!

    April 15, 2011 at 12:02 am | Report abuse |
  6. joeincal

    whats the news on this, everyone is sleeping in washington right now.

    April 15, 2011 at 12:54 am | Report abuse |
  7. Jazzzzzzzz

    That's why it took them so long to get a budget passed, LOL

    April 15, 2011 at 12:57 am | Report abuse |
  8. cj

    What's the big deal. Maybe the man was up all night working to help this stupid ignorant nation. We as a people are so ept to see the left before the right. The negative things are focused on more than the positive things. Our president and vice president is working more than any other president before and yet the GOP refuse to recognize the truth. Why? Because they are the frills of the DEVIL.

    April 15, 2011 at 8:24 am | Report abuse |
  9. Ben

    Wow, it happens all the time. Its not a big deal. Thank you CNN for making sure I again don't misjudge Obama and his administration.

    April 15, 2011 at 10:43 am | Report abuse |
  10. Dan Bednarik

    Political narcolepsy - OR, is it political apathy? If they can fire air traffic controllers for sleeping on the job, why can't we fire politicians for the same thing? Very symbolic of our "crashing" economy.. maybe because there is no guidance for a smooth landing.

    April 15, 2011 at 12:07 pm | Report abuse |
  11. IKHAN

    @ banasy
    thanks. Yeah sure I winked off in many a boring lectures & seminars.
    I just remembered though that I didn't get a penny for doing that and no perks either. Do I file a claim somewhere?

    April 15, 2011 at 12:58 pm | Report abuse |
  12. libdisorder

    Perhaps this phenomenon is truly bi-partisan... politicians are boring.

    April 15, 2011 at 1:39 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Andy

    Naps are important.

    – A

    April 15, 2011 at 2:31 pm | Report abuse |
  14. farid

    politician are same human being. they can fart , sleep, etc... why media make big deal out of it

    April 17, 2011 at 5:52 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Sleep disorder qld

    Day spa san francisco than 100 types of problems with sleep. The most common sleep problems are usually ; insomnia, snore, Narcolepsy, stressed legs symptoms,...Narcolepsy

    January 29, 2012 at 8:37 pm | Report abuse |
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