In sharp contrast to last week's exchange between President Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney, the vice-presidential candidates clashed repeatedly during their 90-minute encounter. They differed over how to create jobs, whose taxes should and should not be cut or increased, how best to ensure the solvency of Medicare and Social Security, and whether the Obama administration's foreign policy in the Middle East and Afghanistan is working. The part I saw, Biden didn't make points as much as he attacked. And exposed his pearly whites in a Cheshire-cat grin every time Ryan spoke.
Porcelain caps? Those teeth did not look natural.
The other contrast with the presidential debate was the absence of a clear winner. Romney was universally judged to have bested Obama in Denver, but Biden and Ryan each made their points with force and conviction.
Biden tried to dominate the debate and was a far more vigorous presence than the president last week. But he may have hurt his case by smiling sarcastically as Ryan made some of his points and interrupting repeatedly as the Wisconsin congressman defended his and Romney's policies. I expect this was a test-run for 02, where The 0ne will be more "Presidential".
"I've had it up to here with this notion, that 47 percent," he said. "It's about time they take some responsibility here. And instead of signing pledges to Grover Norquist not to ask the wealthiest among us to contribute to bring back the middle class, they should be signing a pledge saying to the middle class, 'We're going to level the playing field.' " I though Joe over-acted that part.
At one point, he looked into a camera and said, "Look, folks. Use your common sense. Who do you trust?" Trust in more hope and more change. Some day.
But Ryan argued that the administration's policies have failed many of those same people. He noted that the unemployment rate in Biden's home town of Scranton, Pa., is higher today than it was when Obama entered office. Joe nodded sagely, but did not interrupt.
"Look, did they come in and inherit a tough situation? Absolutely," Ryan said. "But we're going in the wrong direction. Look at where we are. The economy is barely limping along. It's growing at 1.3 percent. That's slower than it grew last year, and last year was slower than the year before. Job growth in September was slower than it was in August, and August was slower than it was in July."
As vice president, Biden is accountable for the Obama administration's record -- a key target of attack by Ryan throughout the exchange. Ryan, meanwhile, came into the forum as the architect of the House Republican budget blueprint and acknowledged as the intellectual leader of the new Republican Party. Ryan and his budget came under direct attack from Obama in spring 2011, at a time when Obama was saying little about Romney. Ryan's budget? Whaddabout the President's budget? How does Ryan's compare? Or did our Prez not offer one up for fear it might be found wanting? Come to think of it, Wasn't O's budget voted down, nearly unanimously?
The vice president implored voters watching at home to make a gut decision about which party they trust to protect their Medicare benefits. "Folks, follow your instincts on this one," Biden said.
In other words, whatever you do, don't think.
Later, he added, "To cut the benefits for people without taking other action you could do to make it work is absolutely the wrong way. Look, these guys haven't been big on Medicare from the beginning. . . . And they've always been about Social Security, as little as you can do. Huh? Get that shoe outta your mouth!
Look, folks, use your common sense. Who do you trust on this? A man who introduced a bill that would raise it $6,400 a year, knowing it and passing it, and Romney saying he'd sign it? Or me and the president?" Not bad, for an old dingbat.
Ryan countered by charging that the Obama administration had been "caught with their hands in the cookie jar" by cutting $716 billion in Medicare funding in Obama's health-care law. And Ryan said the Democrats do not have a "credible solution" that would stabilize the costly entitlement program for the future.
"He'll say all these things to try and scare people," Ryan said. "Here's what we're saying: Give younger people, when they become Medicare eligible, guaranteed coverage options that you can't be denied, including traditional Medicare. Choose your plan, and then Medicare subsidizes your premiums, not as much for the wealthy people, more coverage for middle-income people, and total out-of-pocket coverage for the poor and the sick." No wonder the Dems prefer attack ads. It's harder to lie when the other side answers right back.
Noting the historic significance of two Catholic candidates sharing the debate stage, Raddatz asked each man about the role their religion plays in their policy views on abortion.
Ryan said he opposes abortion in part because of his Catholic faith, but also because of "reason and science." He said a Romney administration would oppose abortion with exceptions for rape, incest and to save the life of the mother. "I don't see how a person can separate their public life from their private life or from their faith," Ryan said.
Biden said he opposes abortion in his personal life, but said he does not believe the government should make such restrictions on citizens. "I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christians and Muslims and Jews, and I just refuse to impose that on others, unlike my friend here, the congressman," he said. "I do not believe that we have a right to tell other people careful, Joe
that -- careful....
women they can't control their body. It's a decision between them and their doctor." The doctor we will choose for you, unless we choose send you to an abortionist.
Posted by: Bobby ||
10/12/2012 05:47 ||
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#1
"Folks, follow your instincts on this one," Biden said.
Yes thank you, I will. You once again showed us your arse. We're going to show you the DOOR!
Quite difficult if not frightening to believe this disrespectful, arrogant, smirker sits only a heartbeat away from being president of the United States.
Moderator Raddatz did a splendid job as a leftest, partisan hack I might add. Poor confused soul. She has a problem living with leftest foks, but has no problem at all supporting them as presidents and vice-presidents for the rest of us.
#2
I was not able to watch, but from all the reports, Ryan was the better man character-wise. Grace under fire: the virtue my lib-"Christian" associates extol highly, so will either have to admit Ryan was the better man or their own hypocrisy. I will be pushing that angle fiercely.
My only quibble is that, from the reports, he didn't call out the "bought referee", but perhaps the strategy was to pay out the rope: my key fear was Biden getting beat up by Ryan and getting the underdog vote, but the bias was so obvious that Ryan will get it.
I'm sending $100 to Romney's campaign today, but I'll have to send another $100 for Ryan's performance. A far better man temper-wise than I, and very worthy of my vote.
#3
Biden was that obnoxious drunk at a bar that keeps interrupting and getting in your conversation. A total asshole
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/12/2012 8:04 Comments ||
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#4
I think the 'hammer called it right - if you listened to it on radio (and are not well acquainted w/facts - my opinion) then Biden won. If you read the transcripts it was a tie. If you watched the t.v. debate Ryan won.
This a.m. Lib media is calling this a Biden win (big surprise). I agree that he controlled the debate but I don't necessarily equate that to a win, unless style and passion are your prerequisites over substance and class. The smirking shit he was doing looked totally un-professional and I think undercut the points Joe was trying to make. I think he does connect w/a certain portion of the populace - which is a sad commentary on the state of our electorate.
Personally, I think Ryan should've hit him harder on Benghazi - especially IRT the additional security requests that were denied by that consulate. When the VP said he had not heard that I would've pounced - gave dates, names, etc -- then connected that to an incompetent admin and that the OBL killing, while good, did not stop AQ from re-constituting in Libya. Also, when the VP through the intel community under the bus I would've hit him on that to. As well as Susan Rice being ill-informed (aka incompetent or a liar). On Iran I would've hit him on symbology of showing daylight between us and the Israelis and tied in the Vegas trip as proof of an un-serious pres. Overall, I think Ryan did well considering he's not specifically a foreign policy guy like Biden is supposed to be.
#7
I began to think Biden was deliberately trying to get Ryan to lose his temper. But Ryan kept his cool and kept plugging. He must have known that would be part of Biden's strategy. In that respect, Biden showed himself to be a monumental jerk and lost the debate big time.
I've seen this before and it must be recognized as a classic liberal strategy: When you don't have the facts be sure to shout down your opponent when he tries to present his.
Martha Raddatz gets a big F for her failure to keep this thing from degenerating into a shouting match.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
10/12/2012 10:09 Comments ||
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#8
'We're going to level the playing field.'
I supposed that comment of Biden's was a comment on social justice, fairness (as seen by the Donks), and redistribution of people's income from the working to those who don't.
Biden came across like the Aurora shooter; crazy eyes, nuts, and weird disconnected smiling and laughing over serious matters. The only thing missing was the Batman costume, According to the feedback this a.m. Biden interrupted Ryan 82 times. The moderator did a poor job of moderating and controlling these Biden interruptions. Biden, I think, must have talked far more than Ryan Of course, that might have been a strategy. I wouldn't be surprised to see more of this in Tuesday's Presidential debate.
#9
Martha Radditz also gets an F for not allowing Ryan to hit harder on Benghazi.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
10/12/2012 10:19 Comments ||
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#10
When will Republicans stop agreeing to "moderators" who are shills?
If they want Ratt-tits as moderator, then Republicans should have asked for Limbaugh for the next debate.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
10/12/2012 10:34 Comments ||
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#11
Interesting that neither Biden nor the moderator would let Ryan talk about 100 pending criminal charges in the Energy Dept regarding the 90 billion in alt energy.
Posted by: Water Modem ||
10/12/2012 10:39 Comments ||
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#12
BTW did you catch the part before the debate where they said the audience was not permitted to carry cellphones with cameras?
Do they currently have plans for cellphones without cameras from the major cellular companies?
Like... no smirks for the cam?
Posted by: Water Modem ||
10/12/2012 10:41 Comments ||
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#13
Biden reminded me of a cross between Jerry Sanduski and a used car salesmen who'se just tried cocaine for the first time. I especially liked how his meds ran out and he crashed at the end of the debate and started speaking in a monitone. Maybe they should up the dosage at his speaking engagements.
#14
Interesting ther SAM, I was thinking that if I had been trying to buy a guy from that guy, I would not have only left but thought about burning the place down.
Laughing at serious questions and misery. Something a person would expect from grade school debate, and expect to be DQ'd for it.
#17
Perhaps a serious person on TV will not that weapon devices don't have to be screwed onto a missile a la Wile E. Coyote. Its like saying, Al Qaida could not possibly attack US targets because they lack cruise missiles. Perhaps that jackhole Cloony could bring his movie Peacemaker next time he overnights at the White House.
#18
Personally, I think Ryan should've hit him harder on Benghazi - especially IRT the additional security requests that were denied by that consulate. When the VP said he had not heard that I would've pounced - gave dates, names, etc -- then connected that to an incompetent admin and that the OBL killing, while good, did not stop AQ from re-constituting in Libya. Also, when the VP through the intel community under the bus I would've hit him on that to. As well as Susan Rice being ill-informed (aka incompetent or a liar). On Iran I would've hit him on symbology of showing daylight between us and the Israelis and tied in the Vegas trip as proof of an un-serious pres. Overall, I think Ryan did well considering he's not specifically a foreign policy guy like Biden is supposed to be.
My guess is that he wasn't as prepped as he should have been, and off-the-cuff answers are dangerous, because every GOP debate point has to have been pre-vetted for all the holes the media will pick in it. Given the partisan nature of the media, Democratic misstatements of fact will skate by, whereas tiny GOP mistakes will be examined under a microscope. I don't blame him for departing from his prepared script. His problem was inadequate preparation in foreign policy and Biden's repeated use of lies - that went unchallenged by the moderator - to make his point.
#21
Slow Joe knows the way to the ladies' hearts is to be an arrogant, condescending, jackass.
Posted by: regular joe ||
10/12/2012 12:03 Comments ||
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#22
I would like to see pop-up video commentary and fact checking added to political speeches snd debates. Give a ten minute lag and you could have a team on each side. Split screen the debate and add snark and facts as you go.
#23
My wife noticed something like that, he gave a rude snippy condencending remark to the moderator (towards the beginning) and my wife then noticed how tiny and plumb uncle joey's hands are. "Like little cocktail sausages stuck in a bisquit."
Clancy tackled the concept of a nuclear device delivered without a missile decades ago. Perhaps the next time Afflack and Freeman stay over they can bring that ruinous movie they made.
#24
At the end of the day, no one votes for the VP. This was great theater, but not really that critical to anything.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
10/12/2012 13:46 Comments ||
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#25
swksvolFF - little hands -- heh...
Posted by: Water Modem ||
10/12/2012 14:26 Comments ||
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#26
You think because we are tolerant, we are weak. Your arrogance offends me
Liam Neeson, Taken
Posted by: regular joe ||
10/12/2012 14:54 Comments ||
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#27
No one votes for VP but a lot of people saw the sneering left clearly for the first time and hopefully it opened a few eyes. You have Ryan talking about bipartisanship and working together with Democrats to close loopholes and such and you have Biden sneering. Nice contrast in seriousness.
If Vice President Joseph R. Biden smiled too much during his debate Thursday night, the White House said the blame lies with Republican Rep. Paul Ryan and his position on the Obama administration's 2009 stimulus plan.
Many viewers said Mr. Biden appeared condescending or arrogant by smiling and laughing while Mr. Ryan, the vice presidential nominee from Wisconsin, was speaking during their debate in Danville, Ky. But White House press secretary Jay Carney said Friday the vice president likely couldn't help himself.
"When Congressman Ryan starts attacking the administration over the [stimulus bill] and the split-screen shows the vice president smiling, I can tell you, I can guess why he was smiling," Mr. Carney said. "Because he knew how hypocritical that was, because he had seen the letters written by Congressman Ryan requesting [stimulus bill] funding, because it would help the economy in Wisconsin."
Mr. Biden also appeared amused while Mr. Ryan was discussing Iran, Afghanistan and other national security issues.
Read more: White House defends Biden's debate demeanor - Washington Times http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/oct/12/white-house-defends-bidens-debate-demeanor/#ixzz297f2tX7g
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
[An Nahar] U.S. President Barack Obama If you have a small business, you didn't build that... tried to steady panicking supporters Wednesday, insisting he would win re-election despite a "bad night" in a first debate in which he had been "too polite" to Willard Mitt Romney ...former governor of Massachussetts, currently the Publican nominee for president. He is the son of the former governor of Michigan, George Romney, who himself ran for president after saving American Motors from failure, though not permanently. Romney has a record as a successful businessman, heading Bain Capital, and he rescued the 2002 Winter Olympics from the midst of bribery and mismanagement scandals. More to the point, he isn't President B.O... "I got this," Obama said in a radio interview and predicted that Democratic "hand wringing" over his limp performance, which precipitated a polling slump, would be a mere memory after his next clash with Romney on Tuesday.
Obama's campaign team meanwhile launched a new assault on the resurgent Republican nominee, 26 days before the election, accusing him of hiding "extreme" stances to win support in the vital political center ground.
Democrats were mystified by Obama's peevish and lethargic effort in Denver last week, and watched Romney's subsequent surge into the lead in national polls and comeback in several battleground states with alarm.
In his most expansive review yet of the debate nightmare, Obama insisted to ABC News that his off night would not cost him re-election.
"Governor Romney had a good night. I had a bad night. It's not the first time I've had a bad night," Obama said.
"What's important is the fundamentals of what this race is about haven't changed," Obama said.
Obama said in another interview with radio host Tom Joyner that he had been "too polite" to Romney, after his foe kept mouthing untruths.
He also rebuked supporters who had begun to see his re-election bid as a "cakewalk," saying the race was always going to be close, and his prior lead was a result of Romney's repeated mistakes.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/12/2012 00:00 ||
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AT last check, Romeny's post-debate one point lead oer the Bammer fell widin the MOE, so the best that can be said statistically was that he seriously outperformed the Bammer but didn't defeat him.
As for the scheduled VEEP Debate, I know a local patron whom sezzes he would love to see Paul "Mandingo" Ryan sit on Joe "Gaffe/Gafferty" Biden lap like a Grandkid sitting on his Grandpa and ask "Grandpa" Biden to tell a story or say something.
[Daily Nation (Kenya)] Willard Mitt Romney ...former governor of Massachussetts, currently the Publican nominee for president. He is the son of the former governor of Michigan, George Romney, who himself ran for president after saving American Motors from failure, though not permanently. Romney has a record as a successful businessman, heading Bain Capital, and he rescued the 2002 Winter Olympics from the midst of bribery and mismanagement scandals. More to the point, he isn't President B.O... 's presidential campaign demanded "complete candor" from the B.O. regime Wednesday over what happened before and during the deadly assault on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Read (Libya consulate was invaded, torched by armed mob: US)
The Republican nominee, currently campaigning in Ohio, has taken President Barack Obama I've now been in 57 states -- I think one left to go... to task for not clarifying exactly what led to the September 11 attack that left the US ambassador and three other Americans dead, or whether there was sufficient security at the facility.
"With each passing day, we learn more about the ways in which the B.O. regime misled the American people about the tragic events that transpired in the terrorist attack on our consulate," Romney policy director Lanhee Chen said in a statement.
"On an issue of this importance, nothing short of full and complete candor is acceptable."
Nearly a month after the attack, the government "continues to offer incomplete and indirect responses to simple and straightforward questions," he said.
"It is up to President B.O. and his administration to ensure that congressional Sherlocks and the American people have a full accounting of the facts not just from that day, but from the days and months leading up to the attack."
White House front man Jay Carney was repeatedly pressed on the evolution of explanations coming from the administration on the Benghazi attack.
Asked whether the administration had misled Americans over the cause of the strike, Carney answered: "absolutely not. The president of the United States referred to it as an act of terror immediately after it occurred."
Carney also argued that the intelligence on the attack changed as more information became available, and that officials, including UN envoy Susan Rice, had tried to be as open about the unrest as possible.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/12/2012 00:00 ||
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Well the administration has already leaked Special Intelligence and CCTV capabilities which confirmed what was taking place real-time in Benghazi. Could they provide a bit on any predictive analysis that might have been derived prior to the attack ? Could reports from survivors be released ?
Obama deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter said Thursday that the "entire reason" the terrorist attack at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi that killed four Americans has "become the political topic it is" is because Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan talk about the attack.
STEPHANIE CUTTER: In terms of the politicization of this -- you know, we are here at a debate, and I hope we get to talk about the debate -- but the entire reason this has become the political topic it is, is because of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. It's a big part of their stump speech. And it's reckless and irresponsible what they're doing.
BROOKE BALDWIN: But, Stephanie, this is national security. As we witnessed this revolution last year, we covered it--
CUTTER: It is absolutely national security--
BALDWIN: --it is absolutely pertinent. People in the American public absolutely have a right to get answers.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/12/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
Cutter is almost right. Benghazi Is only an issue 'Because of Romney and Ryan.' They and the internet were the only ones to bring the debacle up for the public to see. The O admin was trying to spin and bury it, as it shows the administration's total incompetence and lack of basic understand of the nature of our enemies who are also the enemies of civilization.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
10/12/2012 1:52 Comments ||
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#2
Infantile
..which then brings a new perspective of why things happen the way they do from inside the Donk camp.
#4
The Bengahzi attack, the murder of Americans, the reasons for the attack were suspect from the beginning. The bloggers were on this. I'm glad Romney and Ryan brought this up immediately and projected it onto the national scene early and got through the MSM screen. Many would not know otherwise. Security was bungled by this administration in Benghazi and the cover-up should never occurred. The narrative they were selling was that AQ was on the run, their leaders killed and their networks destroyed. They could not have a 911--part deau on their watch before election. They were covering up a widespread failure in their mideast policy of appeasement of the muslims.
#8
It's not wymin. It's not just Cutter, Smoot, and Wasserman Schultz. It's the lunacy of the left. They have created a far more dangerous world in their goofiness. They don't like guns and don't think anyone should have them. However, criminals and lowlifes have a way of getting them. I don't want criminals and the government to be the only ones to have guns. Consider Nazi Germany and the confiscation of personal firearms. That opens the door to would-be tyrants. It is naive to think that negotiation, appeasement, and sanctions work with evil people such as AQ or the Iranian mullahs. The left dangerously assumes the values of the Iranian mullahs or AQ are the same as ours. We have seen the results of such naive and feckless actions in the past prior to and during WWII.
#9
The Administration keeps citing that the Romney people want to politicize this, but them coming out initially and for days that it was a spontaneous attack, was the bight politicization ever. Even Ted Mack is embarrassed.
Posted by: Jack Salami ||
10/12/2012 14:23 Comments ||
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#10
And we would have gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for those meddling kids, and their dog.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
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Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
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Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
In sharp contrast to last week's exchange between President Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney, the vice-presidential candidates clashed repeatedly during their 90-minute encounter. They differed over how to create jobs, whose taxes should and should not be cut or increased, how best to ensure the solvency of Medicare and Social Security, and whether the Obama administration's foreign policy in the Middle East and Afghanistan is working.
U.S. President 
Obama deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter said Thursday that the "entire reason" the terrorist attack at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi that killed four Americans has "become the political topic it is" is because Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan talk about the attack.
