THE MNOST CHARITABLE CONCLUSION IS THAT THE BRAIN SURGERY WENT AWRY:

Joe Biden says Egypt's Mubarak no dictator, he shouldn't step down... (Dan Murphy, January 27, 2011, CS Monitor)

... and wonders what the Egyptian protesters want. [...]

Mr. Biden's comments are unlikely to be well-received by regime opponents, as they fit a narrative of steadfast US support for a government they want to bring down.