VP debate: Did Joe Biden win?
Everyone agrees that Biden's debate performance topped President Obama's. But did the veep beat Paul Ryan?
President Obama lost big in last week's debate against GOP challenger Mitt Romney. But after Thursday night's face-off between Vice President Joe Biden and Romney's No. 2, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), says Daniel Politi at Slate, "the only thing everyone seems to be able to agree on without equivocation is that Biden did better than Obama" — and that, for better or worse (depending on your partisan lean), Biden was dominant in Thursday's debate. MSNBC declared Biden the winner, Fox News declared him a boorish and condescending loser, and CNN's Wolf Blitzer scored it a draw. Even with the "its a tie" crowd, though, says Politi, "if you read a bit between the lines, the consensus seemed to see a Biden victory." In a media environment where "winning" seems to move polls, did Biden score a run for Team Obama?
Biden killed it: On almost every topic, "Biden was on the offensive and owned the conversation," says Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo. "I don't think it was close." He nailed Ryan on Romney's mathematically impossible tax plan, "47 percent" flub, foreign policy — basically, "he hit Romney really everywhere Democrats wanted him to." Ryan clearly believed the Right's caricature of Biden as "some sort of Crazy Irish Uncle, gaffetastic, and corny," and he paid the price. "After the debate ended, Republicans were calling it a draw and Democrats were calling it a strong win for Biden. That tells you all you need to know."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Ryan at least fought to a draw: Ryan could have pushed back more aggressively, but "he more than held his own" against Biden and "did what he needed to do," says Kimberley Strassel at The Wall Street Journal. Still, I'm sure "the judgment of many in the media is that the bigger win went to Mr. Biden." Why? The press "loves a good comeback tale — especially when it's their guy coming back — and reporters and pundits have been priming" the Biden-stanches-bleeding story all week. "The real proof will, of course, rest with the voters," and I doubt they'll be impressed with Joe's "contemptuous" bluster.
Biden wins the split decision, barely: Biden seems to have fallen into "the awkward middle ground... between a tie and a modest win," says Nate Silver at The New York Times. The two big insta-polls are split between a statistical tie (CNN) and a 19-point Biden win (CBS), and social media suggests Democrats are happier with Biden than Republicans are with Ryan. My best guess is that Biden earned a "hold," a baseball stats term for "something a bit shy of either a win or a save." It "might have done his team a bit of good," but it won't mean anything unless Obama steps up his game.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Read more political coverage at The Week's 2012 Election Center.
-
Today's political cartoons - November 2, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - anti-fascism, early voter turnout, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest Man
In the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder
By The Week UK Published
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backing
The Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
1 of 6 'Trump Train' drivers liable in Biden bus blockade
Speed Read Only one of the accused was found liable in the case concerning the deliberate slowing of a 2020 Biden campaign bus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published