The vice presidential debate: Joe Biden comes out swinging, wins raves

last updated 8 January 2015

The first and only vice-presidential debate began with foreign policy on Thursday night, with Vice President Joe Biden dismissing Paul Ryan's criticisms as "malarkey," suggesting that the Wisconsin congressman was "full of stuff." Ryan criticized the Obama administration for failing to protect the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and for allegedly failing to slow Iran's drive to produce nuclear weapons. But Biden was having none of it, laughing incredulously at Ryan's responses and defending the administration's record. Here, some Twitter recaps and reactions to the debate:

Biden also tore into Ryan on the economy: "I have had it up to here with that notion of 47 percent. It's about time to take responsibility. Instead of signing pledges to Grover Norquist, not to ask the wealthiest among us to contribute to bring back the middle class, they should be signing a pledge to the middle class saying, 'We are going to level the playing field and give you a fair shot again.'"