After President Obama sleepwalked his way through the first debate of three presidential debates and let Gov. Romney dominate, it was a sure bet that Joe Biden would not make the same mistake.
He did not.
Biden did not come off as a gaffe-riddled goofball, and Congressman Paul Ryan was not out of place on the same stage with someone with as much experience as Biden had. Even though this was a debate between an older Democratic vice president and a younger Republican candidate, it was not a replay of Lloyd Bentsen and Dan Quayle in 1988. Ryan never had the deer in the headlights look that Dan Quayle had during that debate when Bentsen made his famous Jack Kennedy remarks.
Biden won tonight's vice presidential debate, but it was not the shutout victory it could have been seen. Biden hurt himself early by laughing while Ryan was speaking. I come from the old school thinking that you don't do that during a debate and it did not make Biden look good. At the same time, Biden was clearly prepared, and just as he did when he debated Sarah Palin four years ago, he clearly knew his stuff.
Biden was far better on foreign affairs issues, while Ryan came off sounding like a Dick Cheney clone bent on increasing American involvement and threatening war against anybody and everybody.
I was astounded that Ryan continued the GOP talking point that changes would not have to be made in Social Security or Medicare for those of us over 55, but it would need to change for the younger. That seems like a naked ploy for the vote of the age group which is most likely to vote and most likely to vote Republican. I find it hard to believe that many of us would throw the younger generation under the bus as long as we do not have to give up anything. That is cynicism at its best and chicanery at its worst.
Ryan also failed to mention any specifics when it came to what programs would be cut or eliminated to reduce the deficit. While I realize that mentioning any programs (other than PBS which has already been named) would provide ammunition for the Democrats, not mentioning any programs leaves them all available as advertising fodder.
Ryan came across as sincere, respectful and earnest, all qualities that have always been attributed to him. Biden did not seem anywhere near as disrespectful as the Fox News announcers are making him seem as I am writing this, but as a I mentioned earlier, I was uncomfortable with his laughing early in the debate.
In conclusion, I am sure that no Romney supporters will convert after this debate, just as I am sure that no Obama supporters will defect to the GOP. What this debate did was frame the talking points for the rest of the campaign and set the stage for the next debate between the president and Gov. Romney.
8 comments:
I'm sorry, but I thought Biden's amusement was fantastically effective as a non-verbal signal that Ryan was making stale arguments and using pre-debunked information. It was like a toothy malarkey signal.
Biden won the debate easily. Ryan appeared sophomoric and ill at ease. Only Biden can get away with the laughter.
Jonathan, I am with you to a certain degree. I hated the laughing, but I though later when he was doing the raised eyebrow thing every time Ryan said something that was patently false was extremely effective.
I would also say that Biden came across well to the kind of blue collar voters and traditional old-style Democratic party (and maybe even some Reagan Republicans) that the president needs to be re-elected.
While I found Biden's laughing inappropriate, I was more concerned about his comments on Libya...that they (the President) only reported on what the intelligence community told them about what was happening there - a mob rioting - and that the President changed his comments as he was told differently. THAT is completely opposite of what was told, under oath, to Congress just the day before by the very same intelligence community. Did he misunderstand? I don't think so. I think he sacrificed the intelligence community to save his and the President's reputations.
I must say that I was watching in my local pub - and I have never seen so many people rooting for a political figure so fiercely, literally, on their feet like they were for Vice President Biden last night. There was something about his demeanor that really cut through the political B.S. It was real. It was honest. And people felt it. Also, when the (fantastic) moderator gave Congressmen Ryan the opportunity to *finally set the record straight on the Romney/Ryan tax plan (which is said to assist the rich and screw over the middle class and poor) and he refused to either go into specifics or provide any details... I have never, ever observed such disdain from a single response... such a cold and collective reaction from a roomful of people who don't even know eachother, ever. It really was a fantastic night.
The local restaurant I was at was on their feet cheering for Biden. He was incredible. He cut through all of the political B.S. and called out Ryan on his lies. Also, when the moderator (who was excellent) gave him the opportunity to finally clear the air about their supposed "tax plan" and he actually refused to offer any specifics or go into any detail... well, I have never witnessed such disdain for a single response in my life. Ever. It was an amazing night.
The local restaurant I was at was on their feet cheering for Biden. He was incredible. He cut through all of the political B.S. and called out Ryan on his lies. Also, when the moderator (who was excellent) gave him the opportunity to finally clear the air about their supposed "tax plan" and he actually refused to offer any specifics or go into any detail... well, I have never witnessed such disdain for a single response in my life. Ever. It was an amazing night.
Post a Comment