***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.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

I agree this will be fun to watch. I have always told people that Biden is a top notch debater BUT I am worried that he has been in such a bubble for the last 4 years that he may not perform as well as in the past. We'll see though.

Regarding Ryan's budget. It will come down to framing. If Biden frames it as a shining example of just how right Ryan and Romney are and can defend that position, he scores points. I just can't imagine Ryan wouldn't defuse that easily. If I were him, I'd have my "zingers" ready for just that eventuality.

1)point out that Biden may want to check his calendar because he's reading a document that is x days old and no longer valid
2)make a funny but seemingly harmless, we're buddies, I'm just bustin your chops type of remark about his statement being a gaffe
3)explain what I currently have as my budget etc
4)make another reference to Biden "catching" up to current state of affairs

Then when Biden tries to say, "well you ONCE believed that.. that's important"

5)point out how he and Obama have evolved on certain issues (quote an embarrassing example or two) and why is he(Ryan) not allowed the same latitude

That pretty much kills the issue dead.

I've always liked Biden a lot more in debates, because he's far more disciplined. Almost all his hilarious/stupid gaffes seem to be in front of crowds where he gets amped up and flies off script.

Smart post though. I don't agree it kills the issue, I keep going back to it if I'm Biden. Past positions don't vanish into the ether, and the fact that the Ryan budget has kept evolving from the far right as we get closer to election time...

[Bo's Pelini]

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.

Why do people call Biden a FP expert? The guy wanted to divide Iraq.

[R8ers]

Ryan talks better than Romney, there won't be many if any personal attacks on each other , they will have the knives out for their bosses though.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Saul Too

So you think Joe Biden should use the "you're married to every statement you've ever made" approach? No way that could backfire since Biden doesn't have a history of saying things he regrets.

No, I'd say you're married to consistent policy statements you said right up until the point you realized you were running for (Vice) President.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by RINGLEADER

This will be fun to watch -- I think the last VP debate that had any impact one way or the other was the trainwreck of a debate that Jack Kemp gave in 1996...

Funny anecdote...one of the policy briefers that helped Kemp prep for that debate...

Paul Ryan

No shit? Heh.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I've always liked Biden a lot more in debates, because he's far more disciplined. Almost all his hilarious/stupid gaffes seem to be in front of crowds where he gets amped up and flies off script.

Smart post though. I don't agree it kills the issue, I keep going back to it if I'm Biden. Past positions don't vanish into the ether, and the fact that the Ryan budget has kept evolving from the far right as we get closer to election time...

Holy crap the Mayans were right.. the word is ending.. I pretty much agree with you throughout this thread!

OK, I'm off for a bit, I'll try to get back in during or after the debate.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by Saul Too

So you think Joe Biden should use the "you're married to every statement you've ever made" approach? No way that could backfire since Biden doesn't have a history of saying things he regrets.

"We have all made mistakes Mr. Vice President, but it's a good thing when a man admits he's wrong and learns from it...just like you did when you admitted you were guilty of plagerism..."

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Holy crap the Mayans were right.. the word is ending.. I pretty much agree with you throughout this thread!

OK, I'm off for a bit, I'll try to get back in during or after the debate.

Direckshun is mostly reasonable, but he's more reasonable when his guy is losing...

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

No, I'd say you're married to consistent policy statements you said right up until the point you realized you were running for (Vice) President.

So will Biden suggest partitioning Iraq?

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by Bo's Pelini

Why do people call Biden a FP expert? The guy wanted to divide Iraq.

Ha, it sounds nutty and he shouldn't have said it, but it's actually a solid idea. I won't dive into the whole messy reasoning why, but it has a ton of merit. May be wrong, may be right, no way to tell now, but it wasn't as silly as the media painted the idea.

Don;t underestimate Biden, he really is a FP guy, has been for a long ass time.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by R8ers

Ryan talks better than Romney, there won't be many if any personal attacks on each other , they will have the knives out for their bosses though.

Oh I don't know. You don't get much smarter than Romney, and Romney's had so much more practice in Presidential debates (he's been in 30+ going back to 2008), that I'd say Romney's the better debater.

Ryan's a really bright guy, but this is his first time on this stage. I'm willing to bet he makes a couple common mis-steps due to this inexperience.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Holy crap the Mayans were right.. the word is ending.. I pretty much agree with you throughout this thread!

OK, I'm off for a bit, I'll try to get back in during or after the debate.

Originally Posted by RINGLEADER

Direckshun is mostly reasonable, but he's more reasonable when his guy is losing...

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I've always liked Biden a lot more in debates, because he's far more disciplined. Almost all his hilarious/stupid gaffes seem to be in front of crowds where he gets amped up and flies off script.

Smart post though. I don't agree it kills the issue, I keep going back to it if I'm Biden. Past positions don't vanish into the ether, and the fact that the Ryan budget has kept evolving from the far right as we get closer to election time...

Of course he knows how to deliver prepared lines. If there's one thing Biden knows how to do, it's use the words of other people as his own.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Saul Too

So will Biden suggest partitioning Iraq?

Sure.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Oh I don't know. You don't get much smarter than Romney, and Romney's had so much more practice in Presidential debates (he's been in 30+ going back to 2008), that I'd say Romney's the better debater.

Ryan's a really bright guy, but this is his first time on this stage. I'm willing to bet he makes a couple common mis-steps due to this inexperience.

Romney's a Herman Munster robot...how he does that head roll without moving his body is a mystery to me...