Tell me what you think of the debate.
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
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Someone should explain to Phil Hughes that it is stupid to walk the leadoff hitter in every goddamn inning.
So he took your advice. Instead of a walk, he gave up a home run.
I wish you were living blogging. For some reason I really REALLY enjoy anyone live blogging anything.
Sorry, I was laughing too hard to live-blog.
You and Biden both. Laughing too much was about the only mistake he made, but it’s hard not laugh when confronted by such nonsense.
Is it a problem that Joe Biden is auguring at Paul Ryan?
Need glasses, can’t find them. That should have read “laughing.”
I was wondering if his new title should be pontifex maximus.
same here, returning to our Latin theme. Cicero was an augur. But Boo should blame it on evil spellcheck.
Ryan has the power to read the minds of the “Ayatollahs” when he is totally clueless about American women. What a putz.
I’m watching baseball – is Joe kicking that pipsqueak’s butt?
Oh, yes even though Ryan is being effective at filibustering and Raddatz is letting him get away with it.
Plus Biden is demonstrating his natural likeability.
Joe sparked up when Ryan said we gave the stimulus to “Special Interest Groups.”
Joe Biden is kicking so much ass right now that Barack Obama had better be taking good notes right now.
The $716 millon medicare lie rears its head again.
Biden is having fun AND making his points clearly.
And once again a Romney anecdote ends up favoring the opposition.
Ryan just set up a home run for Biden if he swings for it.
Or two home runs since it connected in his first sentence — “death panels, heard it from Palin; guess its what VP candidates claim.
Right out of the FDR clip: “Trust me, not going to cost any more.”
And a rock solid final response for the segment — nobody does outrage with as much calm passion as Biden.
Ryan is one shifty goofball. A punk.
Kudos to the moderator. No specifics. Ha!
Biden is passion! He is freaking good. Cuts through Ryan’s bull and says your taking a guaranteed program and screwing with it (social security).
This is so awesome compared to the last debate! Biden is calling him out on everything.
I want Joe Biden for President 2016!
Joe Biden, bullshit translator 2016
Oh, now you’re Jack Kennedy!
That was CHOICE!
Can hear the righties screaming that Obama called in his marker from his buddy Martha Raddatz.
Sweeet Wingnut Tears… I’m gonna have to check out the Fox News Post-Debate show. Or at least try.
Don’t do it its Seasame street level over there.
Ryan is going to get creamed in the post debate fact-checking. Should be more brutal than what he was handed for his convention speech.
We could be in Afghanistan for 10000 yrs and it will not stop the Taliban from hiding in Pakistan until this over.
Bin Laden is dead Al Qaeda is shattered. Lets freaking go home!
Joe “We are leaving in 2014 period!”
Ryan’s anecdote about a friend from Janesville in Afghanistan very cheap and hollow.
True.
Clear, precise, extremely well stated.
Clear, emphatic, and resolute. Ryan is unable to respond, because he is a moron.
Go Joe! Eat that little bastard up!
Hell yeah the Afghans are part of the dreaded 47%?
This is great! Assertive. No nonsense. No head hanging. No taking crap. Obama, please watch.
Ryan arguing for continuing the war. Yeah, that will get votes!
Ryan on the ropes.
Now this is how a debate is supposed to go. At the beginning it was boring until they started interrupting each other. Joe’s got the rhythm. If Ryan drinks anymore water he’s gonna piss himself.
I thought there was an agreement to not call Ryan by Congressman Ryan.
Guess that just fucking blew up right from the start.
Martha introduced him as Congressman.
I know. But somewhere I read that Biden was supposed to call him Mr. Ryan. Must have been some bad info. Hard to believe something like that could happen on the internet. 🙂
I saw that published too in several places. I LOVE that Biden violated that agreement.
I mean, what is Ryan going to do … whine to the media “I know I’m a Congressman and I go by “Congressman Ryan” all the time, but Congress’ ratings have been the lowest ever since my party took over the House so I got Biden to agree not to call me “Congressman Ryan” and he still did it!!!”
Yeah, in 2004 the press might have fallen for that … I mean the press did decide to ignore Bush’s flat out lies because Kerry mentioned that Cheney’s openly gay daughter was gay, as part of pointing out that Cheney agreed with his position on gay rights.
But not in 2012.
Vouchers Vouchers Vouchers. I hope Obama’s team has wall-to-wall advertisements with that them. Every fucking voter has to know that a vote for the GOP at any level – Prsident, Senator, House – is a vote to end guaranteed health care for seniors with a voucher program. THAT issue need to define the campaign, ’cause if it does it will be a landslide.
And look: Romney LIED 11 times about the $7xxB medicare cut KNOWING it was a lie. Sorry, no gentlemen’s agreement for people who are evil to the core. Sorry, you rich fucking bastards, this isn’t a parlor game. Millions will die if your fucking medicare bill becomes law.
he called him “my friend” most of the time. I thought that was impressive
Joe’s mostly been calling him “my friend.” Just like a Senator does.
Ryan — On Syria, etc. “we would use tougher language.”
“[Ryan] never answers the question.”
I heart Uncle Joe.
“The freedom fighters” Ryan refers to are Islamic fundamentalists. I don’t like the Syrian government, but fuck the Syrian opposition.
Oh shit. Ending it all by talking about “faith”.
Finally. Two Catholics debate abortion. With 15 minutes to go.
First Amendment right to prevent someone else from having an abortion!
Religion is where every sane politician lies. Self preservation rules.
Final Conclusion:
Biden looks cool and Presidential and adult.
Ryan looks like a nasty teen-age punk.
A smarmier version of Eddie Munster, if that’s possible.
One element of Ryan’s persona that Ted Olson couldn’t spit shine for the debate — in part because Olson is also smarmy. Otherwise, given what he had to work with, Olson did an excellent job and prevented Ryan from melting down into a quivering pool of goo.
Also morphing into an older version – Dracula.
Ryan is a moron.
Biden has absolutely annihilated Paul Ryan. Well done, Vice President. I should’ve had more faith.
I love Joe Biden.
That is all.
What can you bring Ryan says “Honesty” give me a freaking break!!!!!!
Honesty!!! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Definitely biggest lie of the night.
That describes exactly what could be heard in the living room here.
Ryan == Quayle
Congressman, you’re no Joe Biden.
Winner: Biden
Definitely.
Awesome! Joe Biden my hero!
Eddie Munster is right about one thing – the choice is clear.
Ain’t that the truth.
Joe takes no shit.
Blitzer calling the debate “a draw.”
You’ve got to be kidding.
He’s such a douchebag.
Seems to be the consensus CNN is pushing, that the whole thing was equally good for both sides, no clear winner, tune in to find out what the
ignorantundecided voters think.Oh, and Biden was rude and smiling too much. They’re giving him the Gore treatment.
msnbc hosts happy. Somber over at Fox.
Kudos to Raddatz. Overall, I think she did a good job. Right up until the last question about abortion and their Catholic faith.
Meh, for a Villager she did a good job, but her framing on certain issues definitely had a Beltway mentality about it.
Well, that’s pretty much baked into the cake. But I don’t think it overwhelmed the debate. Probably the best one could hope for.
I thought she did pretty well and even pushed back with Ryan to offer some specifics.
My critique of her debate moderation is the same as with her foreign reporting. I think sometimes she is unable to maintain her objectivity and pushes the ideas from the military people she is close to. It is understandable, but not helpful.
Yes, the military, and THE DEBT AND SS ARE GOING TO KILL YOU IN YOUR SLEEP!
But such a large portion of the debate was FP that it really stuck out to me.
That was weird. I thought she was about to start crying while she was asking the question.
I think she was excellent, contrary to my expectations. Biden was incredible. The pundits are going to call this a draw because nobody had obvious stumbles, but Biden came off as worthy of a presidency and Ryan came off as a smart and shallow fratboy. There was really no comparison.
Brit Hume sez Biden was smirky and RUDE. Gretta too. He was just so mean to their boy.
Rude, overbearing, condescending, Sneering. Just a mean mean old man! Pout! (and we’ve always liked him up til now…)
That was a better description of his guy last week and he thought it was awesome.
The Wallace spawn Chris sez Biden was disrespectful!
“Malarky” “Bunch of STUFF!” so disrespectful!
Laughing and smirking about IRAN! Laughing, smiling.
Ryan got too far into the policy “weeds” cuz he’s so smart and serious.
Now they’re fact-checking Biden’s LIES!
Okay. switching channel.
Told you you would regret it.
I got what I wanted. They were holding back the tears. They knew the momentum for their guy DIED tonight.
And those were the best parts of the debate.
One fellow wiped the floor with the other.
Coming back from dinner with wife and reading blogs. Best news of night: Wolf “Israel Uber Alles” Blitzer thinks the debate was a draw. If that wingnut thinks it was a draw then Biden drew serious blood.
If Bill Clinton is “The Explainer in Chief”, then Biden is the “Executive Vice Explainer in Chief” for the core principles of the Democratic Party.
I’m pretty sure Ryan mentioned the car crash to try to throw Biden off. Just doing his job. Glad to see Biden just kept steamrollering him.
I thought Raddatz’s abortion question was an insulting reduction of Catholicism, but I’m an atheist.
Ryan was pretty poised, but playing a weak hand: defending lies and loathed policies.
Maybe, but it’s how the Pope and the Bishops have defined their belief system. I say that’s on them, not Martha.
My evangelical protestant mother (who is btw a super-hardcore pro-abortion Dem) felt the same.
Yes, Sarah Palin did the same thing, a reference to Biden’s first wife’s death to throw him off. But it brings out a deeper emotion in him that reaches viewers. This time also he sounded like he might start to cry, but the emotion helped him reach the audience Imo
The other thing about mention of the car crash I think they assume Biden would get upset and go off on a tangent, but he addressed his loss, he talked about it. Ppl so steeped in denial of everything could never understand that
Think I agree with Josh Marshall’s take.
the most critical point in terms of the trajectory of the debate was that Biden left nothing on the field
Have to disagree with him that Ryan was unprepared. He was coached by a master, Ted Olson. Would have worked exquisitely well if Biden hadn’t called out half his bs and objected to Ryan’s attempts to filibuster.
Have not seen an experienced professor take down a pretentious sophomore for years.
Really takes me back.