For those Democrats who needed to be juiced up again after last week’s first presidential debate, Vice President Joe Biden came through for them during last night’s vice-presidential debate with Republican candidate Paul Ryan.
While there will surely be some jeers about Biden’s many laughs and interruptions, it was pure Biden on display. Nobody really expected anything different. And the criticisms will do little to direct attention away from Ryan’s attempts to massage the facts. The two men sparred over everything from the Romney-Ryan tax plan to the Middle East and foreign policy. And whenever Ryan when into spin mode, Biden fired back, pointing out inconsistencies, fabrications, and empty rhetoric that at times it didn’t even seem as though Ryan himself believed.
Case in point: abortion. When Ryan was asked about his views on women’s health, he hesitated and launched into some long-winded answer about state’s rights.
But one of the best moments of the debate was when Biden brought up Mitt Romney’s disparaging “47 percent” remarks. An overly prepared Ryan quipped that Biden was known for saying things incorrectly, which drew some laughter. But Biden instantly returned with: “but I say what I mean.”
Without calling Romney or Ryan liars, Biden reminded the public that the Romney they’ve been seeing lately isn’t the Romney that’s been campaigning for the last year. And what we all heard him say candidly on that infamous video, a Freudian slip of the tongue if you will, was the real Romney who wants to be president.
Shortly before the debate, the Ryan camp decided to release photos of him working out in the gym. It was a strange decision, but there was Ryan with baseball cap turned back and bicep flexed. Ryan, however, looked more like he was auditioning to become a Backstreet Boy rather than vice president.
There was no clear winner from last night’s debate, but Biden was able to expose Ryan’s style over substance with ease.
This article appears in Oct 10-16, 2012.
Biden’s retort that he “says what he means” just begs to be mocked, given the treasure trove of his disavowals of offensive, bizarre and clueless gaffes. Yes, he really meant it when he said that the administration of which he is part has “buried” the middle class. Yes, he really meant to threaten an African-American audience with “chains”. Yes, he really meant to describe Obama as clean and articulate. Yes, he really meant to say you need a South Asian accent to patronize a Dunkin’ Donuts. Yes, he really meant to pad his resume and misrepresent another person’s words as his own.
Now in a childish and boorish exhibition unworthy of the high office the people have entrusted to him, he disavows the disavowals.
Stay classy, moonbats.
That Ryan is touted as one of the intelligentsia of the Republican Party says a lot about the GOP leadership….and even more about its rank (VERY rank) and file.
Tim,
I have begun to get discouraged by your continual “rants” for that is what they are. Both Ms. Fein and Mr. Moule are more balanced in their view than you are with yours! I do understand that writers have beliefs, but, for the last few weeks you have become both an apologist for the President and an attack dog at the same time. I admit that my views are far to the right of yours, but, I do respect intellectual honesty. The President did a bad job in debate number one…and, Saturday Night Live got it right…the VP was bordering on a comedy act of over reach! I do not expect you to change your views, but wonder if you might be more balanced?