Biden Shops at Costco

Doug Mills/The New York TimesVice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. made a surprise stop at a newly opened Costco in Washington on Thursday. Mr. Biden flashed his Costco card as he walked through the doors to loud cheers before engaging in an extended shopping spree that included taking advantage of the store's free food samples.

A time of austerity in the nation's capital? Not for Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who went on a holiday shopp ing spree at a new Costco store on Thursday.

Mr. Biden showed up for the grand opening of the discount chain's first store inside the Washington city limits, joining the co-founder, James D. Sinegal, a prominent campaign fund-raiser for President Obama and Mr. Biden, and the company's chief executive, Craig Jelinek, whom the president called this month to talk about the federal financial crisis.

Flashing his own Costco card, the vice president then made his way through the aisles, filling a shopping cart with all sorts of consumer goods. Among the items spotted by reporters traveling with him were at least a dozen children's books, a big apple pie, fire logs and a 32-inch Panasonic television.

“Now you know why my wife doesn't let me shop alone,” Mr. Biden told reporters cheerfully.

Doug Mills/The New York Times Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. made a surprise visit to a new Costco in Washington on Thursday.

Mr. Biden also appeared intrigued by the watches, studying a $1,200 timepiece for a while and even calling his daughter Ashley to “get some guidance.” It was not clear whether he ended up buying it.

But he resisted when Costco employees tried to lure him into the tire department. “Hey, man, I don't need tires,” he said. “I don't drive anymore.”

Mr. Biden's colleagues in the White House have expressed concern that the automatic tax increases set to take effect at the end of the year would depress consumer demand by as much as $200 billion next year. Evidently, Mr. Biden was trying to single-handedly prevent a “fiscal cliff” for the nation's retailers.

Some of the purchases, like the children's books, were bound for a charity founded by his wife, Jill. But others were clearly meant for presents. “I know you won't tell anybody what I bought for Christmas,” he told reporters.