Video: Joe Biden's 'up-close' moment with Ashton Carter's wife goes viral

Washington, Feb 19: US Vice President Joe Biden became a butt of jokes on the social media after his public display of affection (PDA) for Stephanie Carter, the wife of new US Secretary of defense Ashton Carter, created an online outrage on Tuesday, Feb 17.

The mushy incident happened during the swearing-in ceremony of Ashton Carter as the 25th Defense Secretary of the United States, in the Roosevelt Room in the West Wing of the White House.

The video that has gone viral on the social media shows Biden placing both his hands on the shoulders of Stephanie Carter, for around 20 seconds and whispering something into her ear.

Here's how Twitterati reacted to the gaffe:

15 times Joe Biden didn't understand personal space http://t.co/5N6NEd7uyy @mashable

— NARENDHAR KUMAR (@NarendharKumar) February 18, 2015

Apparently Joe Biden loves the smell of women’s earlobeshttp://t.co/CgxqoAPv7Q pic.twitter.com/DxbwAQHm4L

— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) February 18, 2015

ISIS? Ashton Carter can't even fight off Joe Biden... pic.twitter.com/zpcVWYJU4E

— Brad Thor (@BradThor) February 17, 2015

If Joe Biden did this to my wife, SHE'D knock him out. I'd have to take a number and wait my turn... pic.twitter.com/QDTeCmV8uA

— Brad Thor (@BradThor) February 17, 2015

Oh, just Joe Biden whispering sweet nothings http://t.co/DuGTIkafcY pic.twitter.com/qrhmiLdBAr

— Mashable (@mashable) February 17, 2015

This is not the first time that the US Vice President has publicly come too close with his colleagues.

Biden praises Carter for deepening defense ties with India

Biden praised new Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on his key role in deepening defense relationship with India during his previous capacity as US Deputy Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon.

Carter's significant role in deepening Indo-US defense relationship in particular the path breaking Defense Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) came for praise during his swearing in ceremony at the White House.

"This man has a driving intellectual force behind all that he does and all this administration has been doing, strengthening our nation's cyber capabilities, improving the way the Pentagon does business and implementing the Asian-Pacific rebalance, including deepening defense cooperation with India," Biden said.

Carter is known for the path breaking Indo-US DTTI which has resulted in the two countries agreeing on co-production and co-development of four high-tech defense items.

Carter served as the Deputy Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon from 2011 to 2013.

"I could not be more confident that Ash Carter is going to do an outstanding job as Secretary of Defense. And he is hitting the ground running, having already spent a lot of time in this administration and in the Pentagon," Obama said as he met Carter later in the day at his Oval Office.

OneIndia News

(With PTI inputs)