Thursday, October 11, 2012

Tonight's Vice Presidential Debate

Joe Biden didn't do near as poorly as Barack Obama did, but he didn't do nearly as well as Paul Ryan did.

Update, 10/12/12:  Peggy Noonan was succinct as well as fair, saying,  “National Democrats keep confusing strength with aggression and command with sarcasm. Even the latter didn’t work for Mr. Biden. The things he said had the rhythm and smirk of sarcasm without the cutting substance.”

11 comments:

mmazenko said...

Biden and Ryan are both full of crap. But Biden is a hell of a lot more fun.

Darren said...

If you're a Jerry Springer-watcher, I guess the "lot more fun" thing matters. There was only one adult on that stage tonight, and it wasn't the vice president and it wasn't his lapdog moderator.

mmazenko said...

Well, we all have our biases. I mean Mitt Romney was so over the top in his responses and talking over Jim Leher that commentators speculated he was on Adderal. But, Biden is simply human - and Irish - in a relaxed, sit-down debate, and he's not an adult? That's really sweet, D.

Darren said...

We're obviously watching different debates if you think Biden was *at all* relaxed. He looked like he was frothing at the mouth--and why wouldn't he be? Look at the administration he's trying to defend.

Darren said...

Exit quotation from Greg Gutfeld: “Biden is the drunk at the bar; Martha is the unhappy bartender, and Ryan is the unfortunate salesman caught in the middle.”

allen (in Michigan) said...

"Over the top" meaning, in this case, Romeny left Obama looking like the cigar store Indian he is. Sorry if Obama's inadequacies leave you scrambling for rationalizations but that's what you get when you elect a man whose is representative of you.

And in the veep debate tonight? I felt sorry for everyone who cares personally for Biden. He made Al Gore's eye rolling and heavy sighing look positively genteel by comparison.

Ryan could hardly open his mouth without Biden interrupting him. When Biden wasn't interrupting Ryan he was mugging for the camera in a manner appropriate to a child who hopes by elaborate displays of disdain to win an argument for which he knows his responses would be inadequate.

Smilin' Joe said...

Ryan was the salesman, selling snake oil. Biden was the skeptic not letting Ryan get away with his stream of lies. Skeptics often come away looking "angry" because they're shooting down someone's untenable fantasy.

Martha Radditz did a much better job than Jim Lehrer.

Biden moved the narrative off last week's debate, and exposed Ryan for the the charlatan he is: calling Ryan out for begging for stimulus ("porkulus") money was priceless. Ryan had no answer.

Big picture: now we wait for next week's debate. If Obama's awake this time, all will be well heading into the election.

Anonymous said...

My 14 year old daughter came in and sat down with the laptop and started working. She looked at me after about 10 minutes and said "that guy is so annoying, can you turn this off". Meaning Biden. She then added "that other guy is cute, I like his eyes". You've got to love 14 year olds.

Darren said...

Smilin' Joe: You think my guy lied, I think yours did--especially about embassy security, which *everyone* is calling him out on.

Anonymous said...

Kool Aid is a wonderful thing....it makes me feel all hopey and changey and view debates through rose tinted glasses.

maxutils said...

I would take either of the two veeps over Obama or Romney. Biden was good, but he was clearly lying frequently, particularly with regard to Benghazi. And, minus points for being boorish and interrupting constantly. Ryan clearly understands principals of taxation at a level that Biden could never hope to understand. And, he's so ignorant that when Ryan attempts to explain something factually correct, like broadening the base, he can only fall back to a mocking 'oh that's silly'laugh. Tax general Electric at whatever rate you want. They still paid ZERO dollars in taxes last year. Why? Because of the loop holes. I wish Romney would actually freaking release the details of what they want to do. Because I think I've figured it out -- they wantto basically eliminate all deductions for people above a certain income level, while retaining them for every one else, and then lowering rates for everyone. I GUARANTEE this would increase revenue, because no one is better at hiding moneythan those who have it. But they can't be specific, because that would mean they would have to say, "We want to eliminate the mortgage interest deduction for the rich," and then Obama puts out an ad eliminating the last three words, and uses it at every stump speech, and Romney loses because American voters are largely too stupid to do any research or understand economic concepts. And Romney loses. Biden asking if he thought Romney's effective tax rate being lower than some middle class fok was embarrassing. . .look at how many MILLIONS of dollars he paid the government, after giving away a huge amount to charity . . .