***OFFICIAL VP DEBATE THREAD***

[BigRedChief]

A little early but I was just sitting in the park this afternoon when a small group of runner's came by me and it was Ryan running along the waters edge. They were running a pretty damn good clip. A quick pace for a jog that's for sure.

WTF is he doing his debate prep in St. Pete?

On Saturday night Romney held a big rally about 1/2 mile from my house and right across from where Ryan was running.

[mlyonsd]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Where Ryan is staying tonight for debate prep.

Not that you're stalking him or anything.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

Not that you're stalking him or anything.

Hey, I was just minding my own business, he came into my space.

BTW, found out later that is the hotel where Romney stayed during the convention.

[fan4ever]

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

Biden wont get slashed. He is an old hand at this stuff. Ryan, as good as he is, and he is 10x the intellect of Biden, will have his hands full.

Id expect Biden to go full out Chicago and throw out every misleading and wrong characterization he can get into his allotted time, assume Ryan will want to refute them all and burn his time up, then launch into a new round of bullshit.

Couldn't have said it better myself; Biden won't be shown up like his boss; he's the consumate bullshit artist and he's loaded for bear.

[WilliamInnerCircle]

Is somebody posting posting vacation pics? Because if so... The community will not stand for that.

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by WilliamInnerCircle

Is somebody posting posting vacation pics? Because if so... The community will not stand for that.

This is me at the county nut fry and wine festival

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by WilliamInnerCircle

Is somebody posting posting vacation pics? Because if so... The community will not stand for that.

nope, just neighborhood pics.

[mnchiefsguy]

I think Biden has a lower threshold of expectations tonight. Most expect him to screw up at least once, so more of the pressure is on Ryan.

[Iowanian]

I expect Biden to come out in attack dog mode. He'll come out swinging for the fences, will sling dirt and will eventually spittle all over himself and say something stupid.

I think Paul Ryan is a seasoned enough politician to counter-punch most of Biden's blabber and by the end of the night will tie a knot in Biden's ass. I also think he'll come out aggressive.

Romney needed to be seen as likable and in-tune with America. Ryan will do some of the dirty work tonight.

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

I expect Biden to come out in attack dog mode. He'll come out swinging for the fences, will sling dirt and will eventually spittle all over himself and say something stupid.

I think Paul Ryan is a seasoned enough politician to counter-punch most of Biden's blabber and by the end of the night will tie a knot in Biden's ass. I also think he'll come out aggressive.

Romney needed to be seen as likable and in-tune with America. Ryan will do some of the dirty work tonight.

Seems very plausible to me. Ryan also seems to be the type that will take advantage of any Biden gaffes and make him look even more foolish than he already does.

Question is....how many voters will tune in tonight?

[jjjayb]

Originally Posted by mnchiefsguy

Seems very plausible to me. Ryan also seems to be the type that will take advantage of any Biden gaffes and make him look even more foolish than he already does.

Question is....how many voters will tune in tonight?

At least one. <-----------------

[Direckshun]

Will be interesting to see what these two can do.

They are perfectly created to take on each other's weaknesses.

Biden is a values-laden foreign policy expert. Ryan a details-laden economics expert.

Could be a ton of fun.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Will be interesting to see what these two can do.

They are perfectly created to take on each other's weaknesses.

Biden is a values-laden foreign policy expert. Ryan a details-laden economics expert.

Could be a ton of fun.

Biden's big problem is the current state of foreign affairs. With Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Pakistan, Iran, Syria-Turkey, Afghanistan(green on blue violence) etc... foreign policy is (at least in the most current news) not a strong suit for this administration.

Ryan certainly doesn't have a record of his own to run on here but it may be enough to point out all the current "failures". (I put that in quotes because it is all about perception RIGHT NOW and not whether you think that is the reality or not)

[Direckshun]

That said, if I'm Biden (and for all you guys know, I am -- you've never seen me in the same room as him...), I keep singing the praises of the original Ryan budget. Because that thing is a nightmare for a Presidential campaign to sell in the United States.

Even if Ryan backs off parts of it, and says something like "I've since revised the parts on Medicare to not include today's seniors" I'd rebut that he still included it in the original thinking at one point that it was wise policy, and that that is indicative of where his priorities lie, which suggests dire consequences for future policy. (If Ryan attempts to escape by saying his views are not necessarily Romney's views, I'd remind him that god forbid, should something happen to Romney, you're the guy we're stuck with. That's why we have veeps, that's why we're on this stage. Otherwise nobody cares about us.)

Before Romney embraced the Moderate Mitt persona, he endorsed the Ryan budget at one point, and selected the guy to be his goddamn Veep. Marry him to it.

[displacedinMN]

I saw that pic of the beach. Why would anyone want to watch tv with a view like that.

I think I will watch MASH reruns

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Biden's big problem is the current state of foreign affairs. With Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Pakistan, Iran, Syria-Turkey etc... foreign policy is (at least in the most current news) not a strong suit for this administration.

Ryan certainly doesn't have a record of his own to run on here but it may be enough to point out all the current "failures". (I put that in quotes because it is all about perception RIGHT NOW and not whether you think that is the reality or not)

No doubt the attack in Libya has been handled really shitty.

But the administration has been given incredibly complex issues in the Middle East, and did its best to cling to the least shitty options. When Syria is murdering their own civilians, there's really nothing you can do that's """"good"""", which is also true of our Libyan campaign, Egypt's popular revolution, Yemen's revolution, Pakistan's instability and harboring of enemies, Iran's brutal crackdown.... Afghanistan's the only true cluster**** we could have had any major hand in, and man -- you want to talk about nothing but shit options.

So you're dead right -- it's a ton easier to criticize how things are going down in the Middle East than it is to offer solutions. Blah.

If I'm Biden, I'd argue the following accomplishments: we withdrew out of Iraq. We're withdrawing out of Afghanistan. We killed OBL on a ballsy mission that delivered on a key Obama 2008 platform -- the guy puts his money where his mouth is. We neutered Qaddafi without putting our boots on the ground, we applied backroom pressure to Mubarak, and we've economically crippled Iran. We've chased terrorists everywhere in the Middle East, essentially wiping out AQ in Afghanistan.

Of course, you know me AC. I've despised plenty of what we've done in the Middle East. But if I'm Biden, that's a lot of the stuff I run on.