By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

Vice President Joe Biden's motormouth was causing trouble again on Thursday.

In intemperate remarks on national TV, Biden spread some panicky words about swine flu. He said people should not fly or ride in subway cars or they could get sick -- essentially telling millions of Americans to stop going about their daily business.

That's absurd and irresponsible advice given what's known right now about the low number of cases of swine flu in the United States.

“I would tell members of my family — and I have — I wouldn’t go anywhere in confined places now,” Biden said on NBC’s “Today” show.. “It’s not that it’s going to Mexico. It’s [that] you’re in a confined aircraft. When one person sneezes, it goes all the way through the aircraft. That’s me."

Yes, it was just Biden being Biden. But he has to realize his words actually matter now that he's the vice president.

Of course, the administration had to rush out a press release to tamp down any panic over Biden's original comments -- and to try to urge Americans not to take it.

So what did Biden mean to say?

That Americans "should avoid unnecessary air travel to and from Mexico," the new press release said. "If they are sick, they should avoid airplanes and other confined public spaces, such as subways."

So instead of tens of millions of people not flying on airplanes, Biden actually meant just to target the much smaller number who are sick with some sort of disease, swine flu or not?

Well, why didn't he just say so?

Because he's Joe Biden, who's used to jabbering on before the thought process gets fully engaged.

That's not a leadership quality Americans need as they face so many unknowns while confronting the swine flu threat.