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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Joe Biden wins debate by not losing and ‘malarkey’ accusations fly -- Biden, Ryan donnybrook was a debate to really remember - VIDEO

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Joe Biden wins debate by not losing and ‘malarkey’ accusations fly -- Biden, Ryan donnybrook was a debate to really remember - VIDEO

Posted on Friday, October 12, 2012 at 08:15 AM

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Joe Biden & Paul Ryan in last nights debate
(Credit: AP/Charlie Neibergall)

A CBS poll of undecided voters gave last night’s debate 50 to 31 percent to Joe Biden while a CNN poll of all voters gave it to Ryan by 48 percent to 44 percent.

I think Joe Biden shaded the debate last night by just being himself and clearly not losing. That’s not a load of "malarkey", ie hot air. The Irish expression somehow made it into the middle of the presidential debate, though some spell it "mullarkey".

Biden is one of the most liked men in politics, and that is what came across in the debate.

I have met Biden many times, interviewed him once when he was a senator, and always came away impressed with his easy manner and basic decency.

He has an easy Irish charm, hail-fellow well met and the Vice Presidency suits him well.

That was what came across with the Ryan stand-off. He was keeping Paul Ryan under pressure but managed it in an amiable way and he “righted the ship” as political editor Gloria Borger on CNN noted.

Biden accused his fellow Irish American of "malarkey" at every opportunity and kept Ryan off balance enough so that he never got to do a Romney and slam home unchallenged assertions.

Biden accomplished what Obama never did, aggressively challenging fundamental Republican policies.

The fear of Democrats on the way in was that Biden would collapse like a burst balloon as Obama did in the first debate.

Near panic had spread through Democratic ranks after Obama’s faux pas. The slippage in the polls was a nightmare scenario come true.

There has been a tendency on the right to paint Biden as a buffoon liable to go rogue at any moment but he proved far from that.

Read all the Election 2012 news here.

Biden proved a hardy road warrior, well versed in the key debate issues.

Ryan is an extremely smart politician who comes across as robotic at times, but is very much in command of his facts.

It was a fascinating debate, full of substance, superbly moderated. It was everything the first debate was not.

The key moment for me in the Vice Presidential debate was when they both dealt with their religion and the issue of abortion.

It was an intensely personal moment, devoid of the accusations and reams of figures that each can spout.

Ryan made clear that he was personally opposed based on his experience of listening to his first child’s heartbeat at seven weeks.

Biden referred to Catholic social teaching but also stated that he was personally opposed to abortion but would not impose his views.

It was hard not to accept both men at face value and understand they were sincere in their sentiments.

Biden has bought Obama time, a precious commodity, but Tuesday night’s debate in Long Island now takes on even more importance.

Bring it on!

Complete Vice Presidential Debate 2012: Joe Biden vs. Paul Ryan - Oct:

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Maxwells | Oct 12, 2012, 06:43 PM EDT

Biden's performance may have soothed the liberal base, but it cost him the independent and undecided votes, he was far more arrogant and unappealing then ever, only diehard loyalists would believe thats a good thing in a candidate.

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eiriamach | Oct 12, 2012, 06:07 PM EDT

"Surgical precision," precisely! Biden was flush with facts and justified the administration's policies well. He discredited Ryan on the 20% tax cut, foreign policy (war against Iran, Paul? An exploding Middle East?), Medicare and social security, abortion, and separation of church and state. Some people here seem to think that a debate is a performance contest in Emily Post etiquette. Nope. And Joe was a little toooo kind to the neophyte Ryan, letting him get away with bluster about tax cuts and no specifics about paying for them.

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eiriamach | Oct 12, 2012, 06:01 PM EDT

Now that's not a subjective observation, is it? many others feel that Ryan won.

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EdShevlin | Oct 12, 2012, 05:55 PM EDT

As someone on TV said this morning, the clear winner was Joe Biden's dentist! Smilin' Joe was sent out to try to bluster and blow away his opponent, but overplayed his role like a ham actor in an off Broadway show. Crude, rude and not worthy of the VP of the USA. Biden was apparently too busy being prepped for the debate that he wasn't aware that his statements about the Bengazzi attack were directly contradictory to sworn testimony in the Congress. I will not use the Obama administration's tactic of calling your opponent a liar because he apparently still didn't know the facts and like Obama, he has misrepresented the positions of his opponents on the issues so often that he begins to believe his own rubbish, rabble-babble, double talk and nonsense. Joe Biden is personally a truly likeable guy who can hold his own being himself; however he was sent out to play a role and badly over acted it. He came off a a blatherskite! Paul Ryan maintained a professionall demeanor and stuck to the facts. Unfortunately with the interruptions and histrionics by Biden, he wasn't given a proper forum .. even cut off twice by the moderator who gave Biden much too much leeway in his decorum. Bottom line: The real loser in all this is Niall O'Dowd for his audacious lack of objectivity.

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paddyo | Oct 12, 2012, 05:53 PM EDT

If this were a race result, it would show Biden finishing first, but being disqualified. His behavior was incredibly rude, laughing and making faces to distract the viewer, cutting in on Ryan 31 times. The moderator let him and when Ryan wanted to reply, she would say let's move on. I have never seen more unprofessional behaviour by a vice president.

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paddyRanger | Oct 12, 2012, 05:51 PM EDT

Biden......is the perfect argument for term limits the man is a waste of rations, a sorry excuse for a human being, the biggest liar in Washington, he smirked when talking about deaths of Anericans in Benghazi, can one of you lefty morons explain what is so funny with death's of an American Ambassador, 2 Ex Navy seals and an Ex Air Force guy

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paddyRanger | Oct 12, 2012, 05:49 PM EDT

hahahaha surgical precision, another blinder from the moron downunder....by your own words you live in Australia, you don't live in USA, you don't pay tax here, why doesnt an ignorant moron who has no say in what happens in USA feck off

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seanomelb | Oct 12, 2012, 05:40 PM EDT

Biden proved he was a seasoned,well informed VP and cut through the GOP Bull with surgical precision.

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joeboy1 | Oct 12, 2012, 05:19 PM EDT

Joe Biden should have retired along time ago he another carreer politician who been in Washington way to long ,please Joe find the nearest golf course and get the hell out of politics !

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Chiefjustice | Oct 12, 2012, 04:50 PM EDT

I watched the debate, very closley. And Have read the Comments. Thay are all deepley devided along party lines. So in My humble openion ,,It was Cousin Paul that won....

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aloistmartin | Oct 12, 2012, 04:31 PM EDT

Biden Failed, to terrier Paul Ryan from his Great White burrow. With the longest Liberal Administration since F.D.R. ( Kennedy/Johnson ) on the line, you would think Biden would have gone after Ryan/Romney like a Wolverine after a Dog Bone ! The Cold Hard, Fact of the Matter is, Biden`s Clinton/Obama patronizing of the Bourgeois " Middle Class " ( The Middle Class is the Backbone of America ?/ Now That`s What I Call Malarkey ! ) only illustrates the utter futility of Bi-Partisan American Politics. Abolish the Egalitarian Capitalist Caste System ! Support Jerry White of the Socialist Equality Party for President of the Untied States of America !

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allentown | Oct 12, 2012, 04:17 PM EDT

CNN Poll Ryan wins. Not only did Ryan win, but he won being more likeable to young women voters. Why not---------when you have an old VP with hair plugs, a made over face and bleached teeth being totally disrespectful of the young Congressman who maintained his poise during Biden's incessant interruptions, smirking and blurting out words trying to stem the clear, concise comments of Paul Ryan.

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McNamara31 | Oct 12, 2012, 04:04 PM EDT

As Biden said last night "use your common sense" America. Do you want to vote for someone who is totally beholding to corporate greed as Ryan/Romney is time and time again. Whether its trying to privatize social security, as Ryan would love to do, or destroying medicare as the foundation of medical security for the elderly, as he'd also like to do...or put your faith in a team who knows the importance of these basic American principles? Americans have to wake up and see the American dream is being slowly eroded; taking away all that once meant "being American". The powers of corporate greed are after your job (by outsourcing) raiding your pension (like Bain Capital did) after your healthcare, medicare and social security because the transfer of those funds would mean trillions to Wall St.And, they are working around the country to bust all unions so the working middle class will have no organized voice to represent them. Remember, if you enjoy yourself this weekend, thank the unions because before them, having the weekend off was non existent, and if Ryan/Romney get in we'll be steps away from those days again.

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Mairin67 | Oct 12, 2012, 03:09 PM EDT

I wish I knew where you Repubs come up with your weird notions. Someone mentioned that it was "rude" of Biden to take notes during the debate. Well if you would get your head out of your narrow minded Repub Toosh, you'd see ALL the candidates take notes during a debate...Ryan did, Romney did as did Obama. What were you watching?

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TexasMJM | Oct 12, 2012, 02:51 PM EDT

"When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man, the foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest" - Proverbs 29:9; or something like that.

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