HAMPTON, Va.
With so much of Thursday night’s vice presidential debate centered on foreign policy, incumbent Joe Biden had a clear path to victory. His depth of knowledge separated him from Republican challenger Paul Ryan. The cheers at a Hampton Democratic Committee viewing party were ample evidence that Biden said much of what these Democrats had wanted to hear from President Obama last week.
Comments
I think a question asking candidates about their religion is inappropriate for a Presidential debate. It shouldn't have been asked.
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I agree that the question was fair, especially as it was introduced with mention of their both being Catholic. What was interesting was that they were asked to make it personal. Ryan spoke about a sonogram. I thought Biden held back. He started to talk about social justice as a religious issue but decided to stick to the question which was narrowly focused on abortion. He said he could not force his views on another person. I think it sums up the debate abotu abortion in this country. Is it a personal decision of conscience or is it a decision made by someone who is not pregnant on behalf of someone who is/will be.
I do wish Biden had been Biden and gone into the social justice issue. Nuns On The Bus have been going round the country talking against the Ryan budget and the American Catholic Bishops have called the budget immoral. Martha missed an important follow on question.
The premise of this article is RIDICULOUS. Jackson is trying to say, he watched this debate with the Hampton VA Democratic Committee, which actually, mirabile dictu, CHEERED THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE! Gee -- who couldn't see THAT coming? So, Biden won because his own Democrts cheered him. That sums up Jackson's IDIOTIC article.
Biden LOST BIG TIME. And NOT because he won or lost on substantive issues. Biden LOST, because of his INCREDIBLY RUDE BEHAVIOR. Constantly interrupting Ryan, and when not interrupting, smirking and laughing, even worse than in 2000 when Gore the Bore punted away his own debate against Bush with similar behavior which, however, wasn't nearly as egregious as Biden's.
Some might consider the use of ALL CAPS to be INCREDIBLY RUDE BEHAVIOR. How very Republican of you.
Agreed - VP Biden lost simply because of his body lanugauge. Who actually bothered listening to someone behaving so rudely and disrespectfully. It signaled his discomfort actually.
As I have previously noted. When Romney had a great debate I said so. Those on the left sulked. Those on the right gloated. Now I can comfortably say Biden won this one. Three issues are important to the American public, that portion that hasn't made up its mind and the thid one I'm not so sure about. But on Social Security and Medicare, Biden won easily. A strong defense of both programs. When asked regarding privatization Biden said forcibly, No. Ryan actually didn't answer. On the Afghan. factually Ryan was clueless. Biden kept it simple. We're coming home.
As to the smling and laughing Biden, some folks have been watching to many talking heads rather than accessing the debate on their own. A smiling, laughing Joe Biden is the same Joe Biden we've always seen. The same one I've seen on TV my whole life. You lose the debate and now cry, bad behavior. Please.
The last I consider a seperate catageory. Abortion. Biden was honest and heartfelt. Ryan backed away from the position that he has long held. Ryan supports the personhood amendment. So let us not say he lied, but he certainly made a statement not in line with his past rhetoric.
and that little thing called the economy and jobs?
@begolfing: have you seen the recent job figures?
For a while people may think that Joe won the debate. HOWEVER when people find out that Joe flat out LIED about the Administration's insistence that the Administration initially blamed the Libyan embassy attacks on a Video because of an "INTELLIGENCE FAILURE", the Obama campaign is going to be in deep doooo doooo. There was no intelligence failure whatsoever. That was Joe's biggest LIE by far
Why do you kiddies on the right or left love to use the word "lie". I don't accuse Ryan of lyng. I can only see two reasons, one: you lack a sohpisticated language or two: you don't understand politics. Either way it certainly doesn't make anyone want to vote for your candidate. Which I thought the purpose of commenting was either to convince or to add information. Perhaps naive on my part.
Screaming "liar" has become a hallmark of reactionaries. It's boorish and tiresome, but it's a good way to spot a Repub from a distance.
The short answer to your question, Derrick, is no. Biden's bullying and smirking might energize some party activists but it didn't play well with many undecided independents who are looking for serious politicians who are willing to work across the aisle. Ryan pointed out that he and Mitt Romney seek a bipartisan approach to solving serious problems and threats. That's worth a lot more than bluster and smirks from Biden.
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I was a short, skinny little Italian kid in our little country high school. Unimpressive to say the least. Our little gang used to just pleasantly insult each other the way people who like each other do sometimes. We took turns in insult laden go arounds where we all got our little licks in telling "Yo mama" jokes. One autumn a new kid transfered in from Hartford. He was good looking, big and wore geat sweaters. He joined our group and the whole dynamics changed. What used to be a shared fun session became a one man show. When anyone tried to share in a go around, the new big kid in his great sweater took center stage and talked over everyone. I occassionally tried to tell my favorite litte "Yo Mama " joke. The new kid smiled and talked loud interrupting to tell his own story. He could really talk and little by little he was the only one talking. Our group broke up after awhile and predictably, the new kid found himself alone because be was a high school verbal bully. Mr. Biden could have been that boy. He pushed and shoved with words that cut off Ryan's answers and laughed in redicule condescending to "my friend" the congressman. Bottom line, He won the debate because Ryan just was too small and skinny.
The only way to deal with a liar is to talk over him. What our far too polite President did not do to Romney, Biden did to Ryan. When you are in a debate with a liar, what is the other option but to call him out?
With all due respect, Kate, please obtain a written transcript of the debate. Check the details on the statements Mr. Biden made in their entirety and see if you still believe he was telling no lies.
Biden has gotten #EVERY FP decision wrong his whole career. He lied about Benghazi.
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A comment removed- and it wasn't even mine! Now I feel slighted!
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no
yes?
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VP Biden was very disrespectful last night, to his opponenet, the moderator, and the process as a whole. Did he feel above it all? I couldn't imagine giggling in a meeting while a colleague was speaking, let alone interrupting. He didn't behave like someone whose job is on the line. His body language and physical demeanor detracted from his words and lowered his credibility. These debates are important because they remove the telepromters/speech writers from the communication, allowing us insight into the person speaking.
I will defend JB on the issues, not on his mannerisms. However, let's be honest here: see Brown/Warren, first debate especially, for an equally appalling exhibition of mean-spiritedness, smugness, arrogance, condescension. And I don't mean on the part of "Professor."
Joe Biden came out looking like a senile old man who could only disrupt and smile and didn't realize he was a big turn off. The folks at the gym today couldn't believe what a disgrace and how disrespectful Joe Biden was. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and this man is a heart beat away from the presidency..
.And the spokes person for Pres. Obama doesn't think that the murders of our ambassador & others should not be brought up especially for days it was only a demonstration gone wrong, but then I guess the new thing now is to bring rocket launchers to demonstrations, maybe this is what they do in Chicago style. The last thing the democrats want now is anyone to find out who really knew and when about these murders...If Hillary Clinton & Pres. Obama were not told immediately about this attack when at the time it was going on they were talking to the state dept. should be known.
Remember the request for more security for this consulate was denied by the state dept. and Valerie Jerrit Pres. Obama's staff member and friend has more security guards then the murdered ambassador in Syria had....something is wrong with that picture.
Biden clearly LOST the debate in my objective opinion - how could that possible help President Obama? I was really disappointed.
Biden, super-charged and passionate? Just what the dems needed in his clear path to victory? He sounded far worse than Howard Dean did in 2004. We can only hope for similar results. Stop the spin.
If you believe mannerism decides a debate, I got a bridge to sell you. If you think the VP debate has a lot to say about the election, then you don't know politics. If you think the race is any different then it has been all along, you really don't understand politics. This has always been a close, bring out the base election. It hasn't changed since it started except in the minds of zealots on both sides.
Gee whiz attaturk, you're so level headed and omniscient, thanks for the wisdom and knowledge. Glad you're around. One thing though, some of us actually think for ourselves. Keep on watching the television.
Well hey your welcome. By your posts I always assumed you merely voted R cause it was in amongst your crowd.
I mean good lord you didn't see anything Biden did that was good? I did. Did you see anything Ryan did that was good. I bet you did. I did too.
Like I said a zealot sees what he wants to see. But I'm just commenting you can be as big a zealot as you want.
Let me be perfectly clear. Abominable behavior distorts the message. That's all. Your assumptions scare me.
No.
Biden's response to every question was to shout and gesticulate, as though such behavior makes up for lack of content. To hear him tell it, the Obama Administration has performed wonderfully for four years despite "two wars on a credit card", the ever-obstructionist GOP, and of course the dishonest 47%-hating Romney team.
While watching the debate, I found myself nodding when Biden spoke; he was powerful and persuasive. Unfortunately, his persuasive rhetoric was full of errors and distortions and a health dose of hypocrisy.
Biden voted for both wars, and of course everyone knows that Afghanistan, at least, was a necessary and correct response to the 9/11 attacks. The Obama Administration has overseen 4 years of record-breaking budget deficits which have taken the U.S. deeper into catastrophic debt, and as Ryan correctly pointed out, during 2008-2010 the Democrats were in absolute control and could have done something about it, but didn't. Joblessness has remained stuck at 15% (the U-6 rate which counts those who have given up searching for jobs as well as those grossly under-employed and working 4 hours a week), even as Obama celebrates the tiny down-tick from 8.3% to 7.9% or whatever made-up-number was announced. The embassy attack in Libya was poorly handled, and Biden blamed it on our own intelligence services, not very diplomatic in a public debate. The fact is that the embassy requested more security, and they were rebuffed by Obama's government. The buck stops here. Not over there.
Issues aside, Mr. Biden behaved in an un-genteel manner, frequently interrupting, snickering, and smiling/smirking obnoxiously as an unflappable Rep. Ryan made his earnest responses. This is definitely not what Democrats should have hoped for more of from Obama.
Ryan, for his part, was evasive on certain questions, to be sure. But he also stayed on topic the entire evening: criticize the Obama policies, and present credible alternatives.