Friday 12 October 2012

The Vice Presidential Debate

The Obama camp just breathed a sigh relief. In a fortnight which saw the President comprehensively beaten and exposed in the 1st Presidential debate, and the revelations that the US embassy in Benghazi had been refused extra security prior to the attacks that killed four Americans including ambassador Christopher Stevens, this was a second wind the Democratic Party desperately needed.

Biden came out like an Irish prize fighter. He actually seemed more presidential than the president. I think maybe Ryan was a little taken aback; that was evident early. It looked to me like Ryan was expecting to encounter a dog with his tail between his legs, apologetic and stuttering. Instead, Biden was like an old hand. Ryan, the novice.

Don't get me wrong. Ryan was NOT slaughtered like the Obama grill and roast the week before. (Romney is still licking the meat off the bones).

Ryan's biggest problem was not standing up to the rudeness of Biden. Biden lost points for this, in my eyes. But Ryan lost even more for not at least attempting to negate it, or even to tell Biden to stop. Ironic that Ryan was talking about America being exposed as weak to her enemies, all the while himself being exposed as weak for not biting back hard enough at Biden.

82 times Biden interrupted Ryan. He was most rude when Ryan was attempting to explain how he would lower tax rates by 20 percent, while also increasing defence spending. If Biden really wanted answers to his questions he would do well to listen.    

(Extra note): I have a feeling Americans won't take kindly to Biden's dismissal of Iran's nuclear threat. At best it was generous, at worst reckless.


 

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