Axelrod jokes about drunk driving, quickly backtracks

Senior White House adviser David Axelrod cracked a joke Wednesday about drunk driving and then quickly realized he may have gone too far. 

During an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program, Axelrod recalled where he was when he heard that Beatles icon John Lennon had been murdered. Wednesday marked the 30-year anniversary of Lennon’s death.

“I was driving home from a Chicago Bulls game with a friend, and we heard [about Lennon’s death] on the radio, and I almost swerved off the road,” Axelrod said.

A smiling Axelrod said his swerve behind the wheel could have been partly due to the fact he was a little buzzed.

“I also had a couple of beers at the game, so that could have been part of it,” he added.

Realizing that he had just made a joke about drunk driving on national television, Axelrod swiftly backpedaled. “No, I shouldn’t joke about that, it’s a serious thing,” he said.

Host Joe Scarborough also caught the slip, and jumped in to remind Axelrod that he was live on the air.

“Hey, we’re not in a [commercial] break, buddy!” Scarborough bellowed, before deftly changing the subject.

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