Following a somewhat unusual Presidential candidate debate last week, featuring possibly the most futile moderation in history from PBS’ Jim Lehrer (I’m still puzzled by Lehrer’s good-natured laugh in response to Romney’s vow to cut funding from the public broadcasting network as a method of balancing the Federal budget), liberal voters are left to anticipate this week’s Vice-Presidential throw down between current office holder Joe Biden and GOP hopeful Paul Ryan. The event is being positioned by both parties as a clash between the old and new guards of American politics.
Team Biden is promoting the debate as the definitive choice between experience and wisdom versus youthful, brash ignorance. On last Sunday’s edition of Meet the Press, NBC’s Political Director Chuck Todd cautioned those who might expect a fumble from the foot-in-mouth-prone VP, “Everybody talks about the gaffes on the trail, but he won most of the Democratic primary debates in 2008.”
Joe Biden, a man with a lifelong penchant towards shooting from the hip, is not the bumbling caricature of Gerald Ford comically delivered by Chevy Chase in the Saturday Night Live parodies of yesteryear. It would serve naysayers well to remember that Biden was a Senate veteran with 26 years of experience before he was promoted to the White House. The 15th longest serving Senator in history built a career out of bipartisan cooperation, and is widely considered one of the most likeable lawmakers in the nation. It may also serve the opposition to recall that when Biden was added to the 2008 ticket, it was in part an effort to strengthen then-candidate Obama’s foreign policy credentials. Joe Biden is no lightweight.
On the other side of the spectrum, Paul Ryan supporters are positioning the week’s rhetorical skirmish as a battle between fresh, wonky ideas versus the old and tired status quo. In the same Meet the Press broadcast, panelist and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich characterized the 42 year-old elected official as “one of the brightest people in Congress. I think he knows an immense amount of facts.” It is tempting to point out that personality traits that might render one well-prepared for an evening of bar trivia are hardly a recommendation for America’s second-highest office.
Debate watchers may also be curious as to what set of “facts” Ryan will be armed with on the evening in question. Will he bespeak the much-maligned, if personably delivered, “truth” about the Romney budget plan that Mittens tried to sell to registered voters last week, a plan infused with magical fairy dust that permits the elimination of the deficit without destroying the social safety net or cutting taxes further for the wealthy? Or will Ryan adopt the Dr. Phil-esque “get real” approach so yearned for by the likes of New York Times columnist David Brooks? Does Ryan have the courage to talk to likely voters like adults, detailing the real impact of a Romney administration?
Scheduled several weeks after the strangest, most deceptive Republican National Convention in recent memory, gamblers may want to place their bets on the fairy dust edition of Paul Ryan.
With the benefit of a higher “Q” rating and an established presence as a genial and intelligent public servant, a report this week from Yahoo! News distills Joe Biden’s mission for the evening to one simple goal: “Biden needs to enter the ring with his boxing gloves on. Ever since Romney picked Ryan as his running mate, the Obama campaign has been attacking the Ryan plan left and right, and Biden has to be ready to throw punches against Ryan’s economic philosophy.”
That’s right. Vice-President must accomplish what President Obama failed to do in his opening battle with Romney: put Ryan on defense and keep him there. It’s a winning strategy because Ryan’s budget plan is heartless, bad for America and when properly scrutinized, indefensible. Just keep smiling Joe and watch the young kid strangle himself.
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Andrew Rei
Oct. 10th, 2012 at 12:27 am
The punk kid from Wisconsin has got no chance…his ideas and policies are toxic to the people whom Mittens the Liar Rmoney needs to win: women, the poor, people with disabilities and seniors. Eddie Munster was the worst pick Mittens could make, but he made it. Now, the GOP have to live with this and will probably die as a political party on the night of 6 November, 2012. Somebody make sure to call a priest to administer last rites LMAO
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Eykis
Oct. 10th, 2012 at 8:50 am
Truthful article. Thank you. LyinRyan is a PUNK,pure and simple – he is NOT A WONK – he cannot even hold a meeting or interview with media as he constantly spews his nonsense and when called, he either has people arrested and removed or he walks out like the petulant child-man he is – he has NEVER been taken to task and Biden must do it.
Taibbi’s RS article is a GREAT REMINDER of how the MEDIA has committed malpractice. http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-hype-became-bigger-than-the-presidential-election-20121009
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Sandra
Oct. 10th, 2012 at 11:31 am
Joe Biden will be himself. He’s a smart, knowledgable, informed and experienced individual Who can forget how he allowed $arah Palin to defeat herself and hit back when she claimed as VP, she would have control of Congress. Lying Ryan as usual will come out with his lies, his pathetic excuse for a budget which neither the CBO, TPC or anyone else can decipher much less calculate in costs because it’s bereft of actual facts, figures and numbers. Is he planning on adopting Romney`s debate strategy, lies, interruptions and illmannered behaviour? We shall see.
GO JOE/2012
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Robert
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 11:36 am
Paul Ryan is more than just a liar, he is a pathological liar who is psychological bound to tells lies to extend his own value of self worth, no matter how foolish or egregious those lies, his is trapped into generating them.
This best tactic would be to subtle prod Paul Ryans sense projected self worth ie the psuedo catholic with his appalling adoration of all things Ayn Rand.
Ayn Rand is Paul Ryans Achilles heel and will force him into telling lies, pre-armed with the truth in that regard can readily undo him.
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ibwilliamsi
Oct. 10th, 2012 at 12:48 am
I’m hoping that Joe will tear Ryan apart the way that Ted Kennedy tore Romney apart in 1994.
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Colleen
Oct. 10th, 2012 at 3:13 am
He will explain the budget plan by saying that it is too complicated to explain and would take too long. All us stupid people really couldn’t understand his brilliant math.
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Paws
Oct. 10th, 2012 at 6:46 am
You’re right, Colleen. Ryan and Romney have such contempt for the majority of the American people. They think we’re stupid. Obama and Biden talk to the American people like they are intelligent enough to understand what they’re saying; they don’t have to play fast and loose with the truth – they can tell us straight up and they believe we will understand. Not so much for Ryan and Romney – they think we’re too stupid to understand basic math.
I really hope VP Biden wipes the floor with Ryan.
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SinghX
Oct. 10th, 2012 at 7:42 am
Hopefully, Joe will be Joe cut loose with nothing to loose and will come out with that infamous smile that lets ya’ know he’s on ya’ like like…never mind I hate clichés…I digress.
The VP will not let Ryan portray him or the dems as old news, tired ideas, etc. He’ll invigorate the listener not only with the facts, but passion for what he does and how “ideas” have become reality in this administration.
One of the best tactics Joe can use is make sure he pulls Ryan off script by leading the discussion; make sure Paulie’s replies are disjointed as he fumbles around defend, deny in order to revealing who he really is; Joe needs to set him up and let him drift…make it so all those little fake acting lessons crumble and little Paulie makes the gaffes…
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Beverly Allen
Oct. 10th, 2012 at 8:07 am
Joe Biden needs to come out hard and strong with the facts about Rommeny’s agenda. He needs to identify the “Tell them what they want to hear syndrome” and every time Ryan comes up with a new lie he should identify it as the “Tell them what they want to hear syndrome”. He needs to lay out the facts, if asked, about the Affordable Health Care Act and tell people it will extend their lives. People need to be made aware that this is a class war. He should point out how republican Governors like Scott Walker in Wisconsins and Rick Synder in Michigan want to repeal Union Barganing Rigts. He needs to talk directly to people who have had their pay cut and loss bargaining rights because of the right wing agenda. Joe needs to tell the people what they need to know, while Ryan “Tells them what they want to hear”.
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WTF1113
Oct. 10th, 2012 at 11:07 am
“Joe Vs. The Wonkano” – premieres Thursday 10/11/12 @ 9PM Eastern
Spoiler alert: turns out the Wonkano is just full of hot air.
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Diane B
Oct. 10th, 2012 at 11:43 am
Biden needs to do what he does best—put his teeth in and remind us why he was nicknamed “Joey the Shark.” I am very hopeful, but to my peril? I recorded the first debate, and deleted it without watching it because I was too disappointed hearing Mittens won. Our country needs that not to be repeated this Thursday. The Republican ticket is indeed toxic for our nation, and it is certainly not one that is not “under God.”
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clarence swinney
Oct. 10th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
O would have won with these I sent him–
R said: “My first act will be to defund Planned Parenthood.”
KING OF ABORTIONS–
PP prevents more abortions than any unit in America. Free contraceptions.
Sir, have you read of Jesus Christ? The number oen word used by him in the Bible is POOR.
PP provides free preventative health care for the poorest of poor women.
“My first Act will be to repeal Obamacare.”
Sir, in Americam We create “laws”. One cannot change on a whim.
DICTATOR KING OF ABORTIONS
Just imagine the reaction had O been Active on these 2. Lock up reelection witht just two items
clarence swinney lifeaholics of america
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Inez
Oct. 10th, 2012 at 11:16 pm
Ryan is still on the ballot for reelction to his Congressional seat……………….BOOOOOOOO….loser double time.. Sent a donation to Wisconsin Democratic party to help defeat him. Biden will show him a thing or two…Joe is no slik tric, but a knowledgable VP.
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clarence swinney
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 3:17 pm
Biden will do well to attack full bore all guns blazing.Bush 8 left +92% spending +112% debt(doubled) lowest job creaiton since Hoover–2 wars–Great Recession that killed our economy.
We are moving the ship ahead And do not need to stop wiht tax cuts for rich, playing with safety nets.
Hit him Joe
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Anne
Oct. 13th, 2012 at 9:56 am
Just as Republicans consistently underestimate President Obama, they also underestimate VP Biden. They take his occasional gaffes as an indication that he’s not too bright, which gives him a decided advantage when he goes into attack mode. Unlike Willard, whose aggressiveness was accompanied by flagrant lies, he hit Lyin’ Ryan with well-documented and indisputable facts. Of course, the moderator played a significant part in the outcome because she was well-informed about a number of issues, and wasn’t afraid to ask questions. She also kept control of the debate, unlike Jim Lehrer. Ryan was put in the position of defending an untenable agenda, and he messed up on a lot of issues. In any case, his reputation as a numbers man has suffered, because Biden exposed the mathematical impossibility of Ryan’s budget as a means of faciltating economic stability. He also exposed the toxicity of that budget.
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