Other Reaction to the Vice Presidential Debate

A CBS instant poll of uncommitted voters found Joe Biden the winner over Paul Ryan in last night’s vice presidential debate, 50% to 31%. A CNN/ORC poll of registered voters saw a closer debate but slightly in favor a Ryan, 48% to 44%.

I thought Biden was the clear winner.

Josh Marshall: “Biden made the whole Democratic argument — on policy and values and he hit Romney really everywhere Democrats wanted him to. He left nothing unsaid. You can agree with those points or not. But this was exceedingly important for recovering the damage from last week’s debate when many Obama supporters simply felt that Obama wasn’t willing or able or something to make the case Democrats around the country are hyped up to make. Why didn’t you say this? Why’d you let him get away with that? Biden said it all. And for Democrats around the country that was extremely important.”

Andrew Sullivan: “Ryan was hampered by an insurmountable problem on the impossible mathematics of the Romney budget. I think his inability to answer that question – how do you pay for it? – has to be the driving question now.”

Dave Weigel: “Reading this transcript is going to be like scanning a David Mamet play. Biden never gave up the momentum he won in the first five minutes — he seems physically unable to let Ryan finish an answer, interrupting him as if he’s livetweeting to correct every factoid he dislikes. Whether or not this Biden performance helps Obama, you could sell bootleg DVDs of it to Dems for $20.”

Peggy Noonan: “In terms of content–the seriousness and strength of one’s positions
and the ability to argue for them–the debate was probably a draw, with
both candidates having strong moments. But in terms of style, Mr. Biden
was so childishly manipulative that it will be surprising if
independents and undecideds liked what they saw.”

Ben Smith: “The Vice Presidential debate appears unlikely to have the effect on the presidential campaign that Barack Obama’s stumbles last week did, and the performances were far more even. Ryan held his own where Obama failed. But Biden’s performance gave Democrats hungry for energy, punch, and emotional connection what they needed to end a week that had veered at times near panic.”

John Fund: “Joe Biden’s biggest fault is that he doesn’t know when to stop talking.
Tonight, he added to that another problem — he doesn’t know when to stop
smirking.”