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Friday, October 12, 2012

God Bless Joe Biden


The things I'm hearing this morning leads me to believe that if you are a Republican, you think Paul Ryan won and if you're a Democrat you and think Joe Biden crushed the young upstart. If you measured it by glasses of water consumed, Paul Ryan won. Most of the pundits I've heard have agreed that Joe Biden gave the liberals new life and Paul Ryan didn't embarrass himself or the party. It's funny how conservatives are annoyed because Biden interrupted Ryan but they called that taking charge of the debate when Romney did that to the president. It's hard for Democrats to please the conservatives because, when the president didn't challenge Romney last week, it was a sign of weakness, last night Biden's performance was deemed arrogant and condescending to them. It's one of those “do as I say not as I do."

I don't have a problem with people giving the vice president demerits for his style last night because it's the only way that you can have a conversation with a Republican legislator. I saw the congressman try to interrupt the vice president, and I also saw his facial reactions during the debate. I think Biden was a sitting fact checker who didn't allow Paul Ryan to use his slanted talking points effectively. Joe Biden called Ryan on his hypocrisy for railing against the stimulus plan, yet he wrote two letters to Joe Biden requesting funds for his district. Once again, neither Joe Biden nor the moderator could get Paul Ryan to say what the deductions he would cut in their tax plan. Joe Biden let the country know that Paul Ryan was and probably still is ,very instrumental in trying to privatize Social Security. If you've been around for while, you know that the Republican Party is not trying to strengthen Social Security and Medicare; they want to take small steps to eventually abolish it. You also know that Romney and Ryan are trying to sell the same old “supply side trickledown economics" that's never worked.

I do think that Paul Ryan effectively hit the administration for their response to Benghazi. The administration is vulnerable on this issue and they will continue to be until all the facts are out, blame is taken and remedies are put in place. The Republicans on the investigation committee took it a little too bit too far because they ousted a CIA operation in their quest to embarrass the administration.

I think Martha Raddatz did a suburb job in moderating the debate because she used her skills as an investigative reporter to follow up on some questions that weren't completely answered. She tried that with Joe Biden by saying that some generals want to stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014. Joe Biden let her know that he's in the room when those decisions are made and he doesn't doubt that there are generals' who disagree with decision made by the pentagon.  Martha’s expertise in foreign policy might have influenced  her to allow that segment to go on longer than it should have.

I knew that Biden's many years of sitting on and eventually chairing the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and his position as vice president would give him an overwhelming advantage over Paul Ryan. I believe that's the reason for the lot of the “I can't believe he's that naive" laugh. Joe Biden made two critical statements, he said we would definitely be out of Afghanistan by the year 2014 but it takes a little bit of time to complete that transition. He also put Paul Ryan on the spot and by asking him if he wanted to go to war with Iran or Syria. At first Paul Ryan said he was against a timeline and then he was for it but in my opinion, he was out of his elements.

I did hear a Romney supporter in a focus group say that Biden actions were unbecoming of a sitting vice president. Vice President Joe Biden is a realist and this is the same way he has conducted himself, in the many debates he has participated in. I have learned from the books I've read that it's as the way military strategy is conducted. I remember the president dressing down General McChystal and reminding him and General Petraeus that he was the Commander in Chief and he would be treated that way. Politics and debates are the battlegrounds for the American vote to be president and vice president of the United States; not a church social.

Overall, the debate won't make much difference in the polls because most people have already made up their mind. This debate showed the contrast between the two parties especially at the end. I know in my heart of hearts that Paul Ryan does not believe that there should be exceptions such as, rape, incest and life of a mother but that's what he said as a company man. Governor Mitt Romney told Mike Huckabee that he favored a personhood bill but like everything else, he backed off of that lately in order to get elected. Joe Biden said that he believes in the teaching of his church on abortion but he doesn't want to impose his beliefs on non Catholics. You would have to be pretty naive to think that Romney would not try to repeal Roe v Wade. As Joe Biden said, "this election is about one and maybe two Supreme Court judges."

You noticed how the families of Joe Biden and Paul Ryan met and exchanged pleasantries; that was genuine. People who know Joe Biden are familiar with the northeastern back and forth and they don't take exception. Paul Ryan & Joe Biden joked about their passionate Irish heritage. It's different with Mitt Romney where  even his Republican opponents disliked him.

This is the last time that I will put up with a selfish intrusion of my blog. According to the IP address, this blogger will change his name in order to try piggyback his baseless propaganda rather than post it on his own blog. I was in a good mood yesterday ,so I let it slide but I'm not that naive. I don't try to push my ideology on any one and I respect the right of others to publish what they want on their own blogs. I would never even think of disrespecting other bloggers.

I think it was one of the best debates ever.

If you think Paul Ryan won,then by all means post it.

8 comments:

Mike said...

I see where the local right wingers are mocking the vice president's teeth and hair but if that's all you got,then your knowledge of politics are lacking and it's another way of saying "my man just got owned. "

born2Bme said...

That is in the same context of when people start criticizing a persons spelling and proper use of the English language, instead of attacking what they are saying. It's because they don't have anything else, but want to say something negative.
Personally, I don't see where Biden did anything worse than Romney did the other night. Last night's debate was a draw as far as I'm concerned. Biden did what he needed to do to try and get under Ryan's skin and to boost the Democrat's confidence, and Ryan just held his own.
For those who have already decided, this debate is not going to change any minds.
It all hinges on the next 2 Presidential debates. President Obama better bring his A game next time. He's got it in him.

Mike said...

Good points born,but I think Biden won it hands down because he didn't allow the same old talking point to prevail....That's OK, we can disagree without being disagreeable..:-)

I think Paul Ryan is an intelligent legislator but his bipartisan comment was laughable. The one Democratic senator,Ron Wyden,who worked with him,walked away because Ryan didn't really want to compromise.

I remember when John Boehner went on 60 Minutes and the interviewer could get him to say the word "compromise."

I think Biden gave the president a lot of material to use for the his next debate Tuesday.. President Obama won't be as aggressive as Joe was but he is still going to push to get Romney to tell the American people what deductions he will cut to arrive at his 20% across the board tax cut... It's going to be mostly on foreign policy, so the president should have a heads up, except for the response to the death of the Americans in Libya.

born2Bme said...

I think they need to find a way to explain to the average American why Romney's tax plan won't work. They need an example that speaks to people. Maybe Clinton can tell President Obama how to handle that. LOL

dale said...

Howdy Mike,

First, what is a "personhood" bill?
Second, the Veep's teeth? Speaking of teeth, there is a bill board on the Houston Hiway advertising Uncle Mike's Rental Store. The fellow's teeth would make a curious fellow want to see if Uncle Mike's teeth were real. I went there years ago, I and they appear genuine. Perhaps Mr Biden is using the same approach.

Read on CNN a comment about Mr Biden, "He is like your favorite uncle who pulls quarters from behind your ears." I kinda agreed with that comment. Nice guy I would guess, definitely a fellow to enjoy at Thanksgiving Dinner.

I have only one request for Mr Obama. Please tone down the voice and do not appear to be lecturing me on every thought you have. I noted that observation to a few of my friends during the week. They feel the same way. But then again, as a Conservative he may feel I need the lecture and the demeaning.

Have a great weekend. Hope to see you at the parade Saturday at 10am.

Mike said...

Hello dale

You're a smart man, so don't think I'm not aware you are sandbagging me..I know you know what a "personhood" bill is but you want me to discuss it..:-)

..Here is the definition but it's as far as I will go..Nice try .....With respect to abortion, 'personhood' is a term used to describe the status of a human being having individual human rights. The term was used by Justice Blackmun in Roe v. Wade.[21]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personhood

I am not disagreeing with the favorite uncle analogy ..."to each their own".... If you've ever been to New Jersey, Brooklyn or Philadelphia, then you would know what I mean about northeastern United States culture... Chris Christie has some of that.

I've never heard of the lecturing attitude in President Obama but thank you for enlightening me.

And what parade is that?.. I don't do parades.

Have a great weekend

Legion said...

The parade that never was, until now Mike, for the Vietnam Veterans.

My brother is coming from Houston to participate.

Mike said...

Oh,how silly of me...I'm sorry I didn't mean any disrespect but I completely forgot.....Many thanks to your brother and others who served in that war.