# Vice Presidential Debate Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 7, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999 "2012-10-07T16:46:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/281 "2012-10-12T02:44:35Z")
Yeah, I think the number-one thing that Biden has going for him is that you never get the sense that he’s doing that mental calculation before every word he speaks, “Is this part of my official narrative? Is it the right talking point? Am I hitting the right audience?” He seems far less like a Halloween-mask version of himself than any of the other guys do. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/282 "2012-10-12T02:44:49Z")
Well… Biden a tad too smirky on the attack, but that’s his style. Overall Ryan was flat footed and very ineffective in taking on Biden. Overall he got served. We’ll see if it makes a difference in the polls. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/283 "2012-10-12T02:48:20Z")
According to a friend of mine, NBC was calling this a toss-up. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/284 "2012-10-12T02:48:41Z")
Joe spanked that young punks ass. Whew. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous. Who is the cartoon character that Ryan looks like? I can’t figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/285 "2012-10-12T02:48:55Z")
One thing struck me odd, maybe I missed something. As unlikely as that may be… Did anyone else notice that, at the very end of his closing statement, Ryan switched to look directly into the “on” camera? Was this intentional, an effort to appear to be talking directly to the people? Who’s idea was that, and why? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/286 "2012-10-12T02:49:02Z")
CNN’s website says they’ll be announcing their flash poll results shortly. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/287 "2012-10-12T02:49:29Z")
I’d like nothing more than to hear Bob Sheppards’ voice next week- “Ladies and gentlemen…pinch hitting for Barack Obama…Joe Biden” Biden was phenomenal. You could see a man who cares passionately about the middle class. If Obama had displayed half of his passion last week then this whole thing would be over. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/288 "2012-10-12T02:49:44Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Biden was good. I don’t think he was the victor of each round, but I think he came out as the superior candidate. > > But damn, that man needs to stay away from numbers. “Eight million billion” came out of his mouth a couple of times. The reversals in his speech made me wince. > > That said, Ryan looked very young compared to Biden, and not in a good way. Yeah his youth did not work in his favor. He looked like a college kid debating with his professor. And doing a very bad job of it. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/289 "2012-10-12T02:49:56Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > I see they found the lost _Munsters_ episode “Grandpa Beats Up Eddie”. Stolen and Facebooked. I’ll pass on all the “likes.” ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/290 "2012-10-12T02:50:49Z")
For me the highlight of the night was Biden’s “Oh now you’re Jack Kennedy?!?” zinger. Seriously, you’d think Republicans would have learned a lesson about bringing up that name during a debate. I don’t think there’s any question that Biden dominated. And not at all surprising that conservatives are blaming the moderator. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/291 "2012-10-12T02:52:10Z")
I think the VP won, but he would have done even better if he hadn’t responded over the moderator’s follow up questions to Ryan. Early on she was challenging Ryan and he escaped answering because Biden was already arguing. ---
**Author:** ![Tarwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@Tarwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarwater)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/292 "2012-10-12T02:52:34Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Well… Biden a tad too smirky on the attack, but that’s his style. Overall Ryan was flat footed and very ineffective in taking on Biden. Overall he got served. We’ll see if it makes a difference in the polls. Biden had the Romney smirk going on, for sure. I thought it was awesome, but I can see how some people (republicans) might think it’s disrespectful. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/293 "2012-10-12T02:52:45Z")
Reince Priebus is now being interviewed on CNN explaining why Ryan was the clear winner. This man is such a slimeball that he makes Ryan look squeaky-clean in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/294 "2012-10-12T02:52:45Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Is Fox saying Ryan won? Probably not. Wouldn’t be surprised to see THIS headline, though. **VP DEBATE WON HANDS-DOWN BY BIDEN(R)!** ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/295 "2012-10-12T02:52:50Z")
There were exchanges of looks between Biden and Ryan. A lot was unspoken at this debate. Ryan was somewhat hesitant, somewhat eager. Biden was prepared and focused. Biden won on this metric. ---
**Author:** ![Nazarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nazarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nazarene)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/296 "2012-10-12T02:53:38Z")
Ryan got schooled. Fox News is making a concerted effort to make Biden’s “demeanor” the narrative. That’s a loser’s lament. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/297 "2012-10-12T02:54:20Z")
So, some horse-race thoughts: -The bad for Obama is that all the talk now is gonna be about Biden. You don’t want to be compared unfavorably to your veep, but that’s one of the narratives that’s gonna go out. Biden turned in a beautiful performance, whereas Obama’s was lackluster. Look at all the people wishing Obama could let Biden do his debates for him! That doesn’t look good for Obama. -The good for Obama is that, had Ryan mopped the floor with Biden tonight, it would have been a huge boost for the Romney ticket, solidifying the perception of their team as the one with the answers. Biden did a great job of taking the air out of that narrative. Overall I think it’s a major battle won for Obama, but there is the risk that Biden looked TOO good. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/298 "2012-10-12T02:55:26Z")
CBS polls Biden winner ---
**Author:** ![Nazarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nazarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nazarene)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/299 "2012-10-12T02:55:54Z")
I was put off by the religion question. I wish they would leave me out of these things. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999/300 "2012-10-12T02:55:55Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Really? > > Admittedly I did not watch the whole thing but I got a good part of it and was not happy at all with Biden’s performance. > > Mind you I say this as someone implacably opposed to Romney/Ryan. On the things that matter, yes. Foreign policy: Iran, Afghanistan and Syria, he killed it. On Medicare and Social Security: absolutely. Looked into the camera and addressed the elderly directly. On women’s rights: nailed the fact that one many’s religious-based opinion should not dictate what everyone else should have to abide by. Calling Ryan on his lies instead of just remaining silent. Ryan made some points, but overall, despite the smiling and laughing (which I took more along the lines of ‘can you believe what this lying little asshole is trying to make you believe?’), Biden wiped the floor with him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vice-presidential-debate-thread/636999.md?page=16)