Vice Presidential Debate

[irishpatrick]

Fair enough. All I was saying is that Romney and Ryan represent real America better than the incumbents, that’s all.

Sure, I agree with that. Yet, we must try to not let our emotions sway our views. Biden was rude, no doubt–but so what? Many on the left feel Romney was rude to the President during their first debate, so what? Last night’s debate was a win for both sides. Ryan held his own, and Biden did not really stumble as many thought he would.

I felt going in that Ryan just had to hold his own–and he did that well.

 

[irishpatrick]

Bidens performance last night was the result of Obama dismal performance last week. He was tasked with making the retorts the Left has been saying Obama should have made last week. He did a great job of throwing red meat to the Democrat base. However when you are a month out of the election it is a sign of trouble when you are still concerned about shoring up your base.

25 days. Three and a half weeks!

 

[Lost_Sheep]

Apologies about that. I am still adamant though that Obama does not represent the real America.

What is the “real America”?

 

[qui_est_ce]

You can’t tax a person on welfare.

This actually shows how clueless Biden and Obama really are.

Really sad.

 

[kimmielittle]

What is the “real America”?

I can’t speak for the new member.

But I think, the *real American - America * expects respect from their elected and appointed Administration.

Something that is lacking IMO by this Administration.

 

[qui_est_ce]

I would hope that the man who is a heart beat away would be presidential. Biden wasn’t, Ryan was.

Ishii

Ishii-
That only applied when Sarah Palin was the running mate.

 

[LisaA]

Biden’s debate reminded me of Robert Duvall’s character from A Civil Action who said, “to win a court case, object to everything! Keep objecting on every point so the other side can’t get a word in edgewise”

I heard a similar phrase from an attorney friend of mine:

*If you don’t have facts on your side, argue the law.
If you don’t have the law on your side, argue the facts

If you don’t have either one, pound on the table!*

I’ve been watching the news this morning. Apparently Biden interrupted Ryan 83 times. Overall the perception was that Biden’s tone might work in the Beltway or east coast urban areas but for most of the country it came off as rude and disrespectful. As I observed earlier, WOMEN were turned off in a big way. When a Democrat strategist was asked about Biden’s performance, she immediately launched into earlier polls that had Obama up with women. Didn’t want to go there as it were.

Did anyone else see Stephanie Cutter do the big dodge? When asked about Biden’s comment that the White House “didn’t know” about the requests for security or that it wasn’t the YouTube video, in contrast with sworn testimony the day before, she said “Oh I didn’t catch that exchange.”

Wow they sure don’t mind lying do they? Both Cutter and Wasserman Schulz are going to need rhinoplasty after this campaign!

Lisa

 

[SpeakInSilence]

Not true and completely off topic.

Characterizing Biden as “pro-abortion” is as wrong as it gets as made evident in his own remarks.

youtube.com/watch?v=kv3MRyKfEHA

 

[SamH]

I

Did anyone else see Stephanie Cutter do the big dodge? When asked about Biden’s comment that the White House “didn’t know” about the requests for security or that it wasn’t the YouTube video, in contrast with sworn testimony the day before, she said “Oh I didn’t catch that exchange.”

Wow they sure don’t mind lying do they? Both Cutter and Wasserman Schulz are going to need rhinoplasty after this campaign!

Lisa

It’s amazing what you miss when you play the three monkeys game while Biden is speaking.

 

[AnotherVoice]

Sure, I agree with that. Yet, we must try to not let our emotions sway our views. Biden was rude, no doubt–but so what? Many on the left feel Romney was rude to the President during their first debate, so what? Last night’s debate was a win for both sides. Ryan held his own, and Biden did not really stumble as many thought he would.

I felt going in that Ryan just had to hold his own–and he did that well.

“Biden was rude but so what”; some Americans wanted to hear opinions from both men on the issues without slurs and interruptions. Biden imposed his disrespectful behavior on everyone else. I was offended by his behavior.

Being rude and disrespectful does matter.

 

[Dawnia]

Note that I said the BIGGEST loopholes: Capital gains and carried interest. He is on record supporting the continuation of both of these. Most other loopholes are small change conpared to these two that Romney wants to KEEP. And there aren’t enough loopholes to close to pay for a defense increase AND a balanced budget. Which makes the Romney campaign’s complaints about rising deficits utterly insane: they have no viable alternative that would significantly lower the deficit within a comparable four year period.

It’s the hypocrisy that makes me ill. Not as ill as Biden’s hypocritical response to the abortion issue. But it’s still sickening.

Do you know what a loophole is? Because it appears that you don’t.

 

[He_Man]

Do you know what a loophole is? Because it appears that you don’t.

1. Cap gains is not a loop hole. Unless you consider income tax a loop hole too. And sales tax.
2. There is evidence all over this country’shistory, as well as Europe’s, that lowering cap gains taxes INCREASES revenue, dramatically. There has to be a floor of course (since zero is the theoretical threshold), but raising the cap gains tax generally stifles revenue flow.

It comes down to which is more important to people -

1. Raising as much revenue as possible?

or

1. Feeling like everyone is paying their “fair share.”

If the goal of the tax system is to make you feel better about fairness, but all means. go for two. Just don’t cry when you’re still poor.

 

[Kenny_Kamel]

I haven’t read though the entire thread but would like to point out a few things in case someone else hasn’t already:

1. Biden was friggin’ obnoxious. Aside from the laughing, interrupting, and other inappropriate behavior I was perturbed by his constant use of “my friends” when referring to Romney & Ryan, taking a page out of John McCain’s playbook I’d say. I noticed that he had slurred words a few times last night, I told a friend that it seemed like he may have had a few drinks prior to the debate.
2. I was annoyed by Biden and the moderator when they would say that Ryan wouldn’t or hasn’t explained himself when they kept interrupting him while he was trying to do so. They’d ask him to explain something, Ryan would talk for about 30 seconds, and they’d interrupt him. Things just seemed skewed in Biden’s favor all night, despite that Ryan stood his groud and didn’t get flustered. Ryan won in my mind.

My issue with Ryan’s reply about abortion is that he rightly says life begins at conception. Then how can Romney and Ryan be OK with abortion in the cases of rape, incest, life of the mother, etc.? There’s still a life involved.

Check the link in my sig line, an international medical symposium recently conducted in Ireland concluded that abortion is NEVER necessary to save the life of a mother. Whether Ryan knew this or not he made his statements for political posturing.

 

[Lost_Sheep]

Biden’s laughing and use of the phrase “my friend” would have made for a good drinking game.

 

[He_Man]

Makes me wonder why they even call it a debate. Lots of strawmen and ad hominems. No rules of logic enforced. The question, especially the first just set Biden on his talking point. Off-topic remarks.

She was a worthless moderator, her voice is terrible for the job, and she stepped on Ryan more than once.

The debate itself was boring, and not very informative. Biden grinned a lot and lied repeatedly, but had some good things to go after Ryan with.

Ryan was about as exciting as watching paint dry. He had a lot of good points to make, but he needs to find a balance between being too aggressive and being too passive. He looked timid at times, but got better. It isn’t a speech Paul, it is a debate.

Especially with regards to Libya, Ryan should have hammered WAYYYYY more. if Mitt doesn’t drop the hammer on the administration and their blatant lies, he doesn’t deserve my vote, frankly. Biden crapped all over the interl industry, and the dead Americans. Unfortunately, they led with that, when Ryan was still nervous and settling in.

Ryan should have also asked Biden if he was such a good Catholic, why did his own Church say he should refrain from Communion (Chaput)? Was it because he was TOOD GOOD of a parishioner?

Not because the entire country cared when they discussed religion, but because it would make Lieden squirm to answer. He’d of course say “that’s not true,” but at least you force him into yet another lie for the fact checkers.

 

[Julianna]

Neither. If you are a one-issue voter, then I suppose Romney is a step in the right direction.

I have voted third party in every election I’ve participated in for this reason: I refuse to be given only ONE pro-life option. It’s completely unacceptable that faithful Catholics should feel obligated to vote for ONE guy just because he’s the only one of two options opposed to the murder of innocents. There ARE other options out there, but they are ignored by Catholic voters. If they cease to be ignored, liberal Catholicism will have a voice.

Totally understandable. I have also noticed the Christian Right vanished from this political campaign. Something about not being able to stomach an LDS for President (evangels/fundies have been preaching for years how LDS is one big cult) and a Roman Catholic Vice President…? Jerry Falwell must be rolling over in his grave for sure. Keep in mind, the Christian Right/Coalition never opened it’s arms to Catholics…ever. The Republican Party now must rely on big money vs. the big mouths of the CR/C.

 

[SamH]

I’m trying to figure out how anyone can think that interest expense on a business loan should not be deductable. If you really want to destroy the economy try putting that in play.

 

[Trader]

Without being too obvious, who the Vice-President is does not matter much, unless something bad happens to the President. Then it matters a lot. That is why the Constitution specifies exactly the same qualifications for both President and Vice President.

Last night, one of the candidates was disrepectful to his opponent and his audience with frequent interruptions and insisted on calling the president of a sovereign nation and ally by his nickname, BeBe. Four years ago, most people thought Sara Palin was not ready to be President. In this debate, only Paul Ryan showed himself to posess the intellect and demeanor to represent me as President of the United States. Biden would be an international embarrassment to all of us as President.

Maybe even more important, since both Presidential candiates are relatively young and healthy, the selection of a Vice President running mate says a lot about the judgement of the Presidential Candidate.

 

[qui_est_ce]

She was a worthless moderator, her voice is terrible for the job, and she stepped on Ryan more than once.

The debate itself was boring, and not very informative. Biden grinned a lot and lied repeatedly, but had some good things to go after Ryan with.

Ryan was about as exciting as watching paint dry. He had a lot of good points to make, but he needs to find a balance between being too aggressive and being too passive. He looked timid at times, but got better. It isn’t a speech Paul, it is a debate.

Especially with regards to Libya, Ryan should have hammered WAYYYYY more. if Mitt doesn’t drop the hammer on the administration and their blatant lies, he doesn’t deserve my vote, frankly. Biden crapped all over the interl industry, and the dead Americans. Unfortunately, they led with that, when Ryan was still nervous and settling in.

Ryan should have also asked Biden if he was such a good Catholic, why did his own Church say he should refrain from Communion (Chaput)? Was it because he was TOOD GOOD of a parishioner?

Not because the entire country cared when they discussed religion, but because it would make Lieden squirm to answer. He’d of course say “that’s not true,” but at least you force him into yet another lie for the fact checkers.

I agree Ryan was timid. To use Obama’s excuse, maybe Ryan was thinking “I think it’s fair to say I was just too polite, because, you know, it’s hard to sometimes just keep on saying, ‘And what you’re saying isn’t true,’” . “It gets repetitive."

What bothers me is that many Americans think it is acceptable to behave the way Biden did.

 

[livnlern]

Biden doesn’t like non-answers and essentially accusing the Administration of doing nothing to stop it, while not be able to say they’d really do anything differently, is just a lie. I don’t blame him for reacting the way he did.

Really? So it’s okay with you that the Vice President of the US lacks the self-discipline to keep from grinning and chuckling to himself when someone expresses a difference of opinion? I have to wonder if he does this with foreign dignitaries. Does he do this when he and (his best bud) “Be Be” get together?
He didn’t seem able to control himself.