The Post-Game Show

A few immediate post-debate thoughts

The Vice Presidential debate was certainly a different beast that the first Presidential debate. For one thing, this one was far better moderated. For another, it was more confrontational. And for another, the Joe Biden (in my opinion) won.

I will concede that Republicans may view that differently. Unlike the first Presidential debate, which was clearly won by Mitt Romney, your view of the outcome this time is, to some extent, going to depend on your point of view going in to it. As the next few days unfold, we'll get a better picture of how the public at large sees the whole "who won?" question.

But I'm not sure that that's what matters. I think it's more important that neither candidate screwed the pooch. There were no "killer" lines, it's true, and I have to confess that that's what I was waiting for (admit it...you were too). Frankly, they both looked good.

I was heartened to see Biden going after Romney's flip-flops, something that Obama totally failed to do.  And I thought that Ryan failed to support Romney adequately at these times. But then, that's coming from a staunch progressive (are we not supposed to say "liberal" anymore?) and a more conservative observer would probably have a different view.

Biden was also more willing to go after Romney/Ryan for those "47%" comments Mitt made then tried to deny believing, something that Barrack Obama was unwilling to do last week, something that helped to cost the President that debate. Over all, I like the fact that both candidates came out swinging from the word "go!" and didn't duck (well, not much).

And this debate also dealt with the question of abortion, something that last week's debate didn't do all that well. Whatever your position, you at least got a clear view of where each set of candidates stood.

Actually, I got a far better idea of where Mitt Romney stood on several issues than I could ever have gotten by watching him cover all possible sides of every position, switching from one to the other as the occasion/venue requires, which so marked his performance last week. I found Ryan a much more forthright  advocate of his candidate than the candidate himself could ever be, or at least has ever been.

I watched the coverage on MSNBC, and as soon as it was over Rachel Maddow called it an hour-and-a-half that felt like five minutes (or words to that effect) and I have to agree. This debate was more of a debate. Not a high school argue-for-points kind of debate, I'll grant you, but two guys each defending their position to the best of their ability.

Frankly, I thought that the public got a much better, more accurate view of how each candidate/party stands on a number of issues. And wasn't that the whole idea?

The Blues Viking

The opinions here expressed are mine and if you don’t like them you can get your own damn blog.