By The Numbers: Moderator Raddatz Attacked Ryan 9 Times, Biden Once

nutmeg · Oct 12, 2012

I just want to talk to you about right in the middle of the crisis. Governor Romney -- and youâre talking about this again tonight -- talked about the weakness, talked about apologies from the Obama administration. Was that really appropriate right in the middle of the crisis?
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Suppose we consider this inappropiate.

If not Romney who is going to bring up this issue. Rightly, perhaps another high profile republican should have called Obama to the task. But no one did or has. Everyone standing around with their thumb up their ass, i'd gve Romeny a pass for bringing it up...at least someone has some balz in this town.

Was that really appropriate right in the middle of the crisis?

Ya'd thunk it was the job of the press or any media to do this. Bunch a wimp ass mofo's leaving this for romeny to do or no one is going to do anything. just give obama a free ride.

CaptainObvious · Oct 12, 2012

My views exactly. Ryan just wasn't prepared to jack Bidens jaw. I could not believe how he squandered that first question.
I doubt this debate, as it transpired, will carry are real weight, but it does give the leftist media something to talk about until Tuesday, other than the real issues. Had he knocked Biden out Team Obama would have been seriously knocked back on their heels, and the leftist media would have been amusing to watch explain the disaster. It was a missed opportunity. As it is, it's all on Romney to crush Obama on these foreign policy issues.

Quote from AAAintheBeltway:

I had a totally different take on Raddatz.

First, she handed Ryan a huge opportunity by starting the debate on the subject of Libya and specifically the Benghazi disaster and coverup. Biden lied through his teeth, but Ryan failed to make much of it, despite congressional hearings this week on the failures. Instead, he inexplicably wandered off to a discussion of Iran and Afghanistan.

Yes, she pushed Ryan on seveeral subjects, but in doing so she gave him an opening to make his points and rebut the implied criticism. A good debater, a Newt gingrich or even a Romney, would have smacked those sitters out of the park. Ryan stumbled. His worst moment was on the tax deductions he would cut. I don't see it as the slightest bit unfair to ask him to specify them. He won't, and the reason is because they will be deeply unpopular with the republican base. That is not Raddatz' fault.

Ryan could also have used the opportunity to point out that Obama has never come up with any program cuts, other than defense and medicare. It was a perfect opening for him to level with the voters and convince them that obama is dissembling. he didn't do it.

Same with abortion. She asked him an easy follow up about women losing the right to an abortion. All he had to say was that if Roe were to be overturned, abortion rights would be determined by the states. It wouldn't be "outlawed" as Biden claimed. He could have also made the point that all Romney would control would be soem federal policies regarding paying for abortions and forcing religious instituions and doctors to provide them against their consciences. It was a softball querstion he should have hit out of the park, Instead he buckled his knees.

Basically, what we saw with Ryan was a very inexperienced debater who seemed awfully tight in his first big league appearance. He managed to recite his preplanned talking points, but seemed clumsy in responging to Biden's jabs. He also needed to show a little more backbone and tell Biden to knock off the constant interruptions.

AAAintheBeltway · Oct 12, 2012

I think one of the democrat spin guys on Fox got it right. he said Biden was annoying but he wondered if maybe they just didn't care. His job was to get across the Obama talking points and trash Romney's plans, which he did. the fact he was a jerk really didn't matter since no one is voting based on who the VP candidate is.

Still, it was an interesting contrast between an old school, blowhard liberal and a wonky numbers guy. All those independents who keep telling pollsters they are sick of the old politics and want people to work together now have a clear choice.

AAAintheBeltway · Oct 12, 2012

Quote from CaptainObvious:

My views exactly. Ryan just wasn't prepared to jack Bidens jaw. I could not believe how he squandered that first question.
I doubt this debate, as it transpired, will carry are real weight, but it does give the leftist media something to talk about until Tuesday, other than the real issues. Had he knocked Biden out Team Obama would have been seriously knocked back on their heels, and the leftist media would have been amusing to watch explain the disaster. It was a missed opportunity. As it is, it's all on Romney to crush Obama on these foreign policy issues.

Ryan missed another golden opportunity with the closing question about some returning vet telling Raddatz how the sleazy ads sickened him.

He could have said, look, I'm a guy whose children got to watch an actor who looked just like me push a grandmother in a wheelchair off a cliff. Then they run an ad essentially saying Romney caused the death of a guy's wife. Obama and Biden hide behind the claim that these were independent groups but we know they worked with the campaign. Neither one of them has ever denounced either ad, even though the mainstream media called them atrocious. I am asking Joe right now, either denounce those ads or defend them.

jem · Oct 12, 2012

I'd like to make an analogy to moot court.

When the law is on your side argue the law, when the facts are on your side argue the facts, when neither is on your side make a lot of noise and pound the table.

Joe Biden pounded the table. that was all he could do... and if he was not smirking and being a buffoon when Ryan was speaking, he would of won. Which means he really pounded the table well.

Because Ryan had the law and the facts he should have crushed Biden.
He did not crush Biden and he was lucky Biden smirked his way to a loss.

Overall I thought Raddatz was a great moot court judge. I would have loved to have been in her court... She was excellent. She cut Ryan off a bit, but as AAA said perfectly, she also set him up for some haymakers.

Grandluxe · Oct 12, 2012

These people have to be vetted thoroughly.

maxpi · Oct 12, 2012

Democrats are all mouth... it's what they do

tradingjournals · Oct 12, 2012

If someone moderates a high profile debate, and is ugly and not/less competent when compared to many others of someone's gender , then what criterion was used to select the moderator?

Ricter · Oct 12, 2012

"WASHINGTON -- In a much replayed moment from Thursday night's debate, Vice President Joe Biden and Rep. Paul Ryan tussled over whether it was mathematically possible for Mitt Romney to cut tax rates by 20 percent and not add to the deficit. Ryan claimed that it could be done by eliminating unspecified loopholes and deductions, and said that history had demonstrated that such a plan was workable, citing President John Kennedy.

Biden challenged him, arguing that no such thing had ever happened.

In a rare moment of bipartisan accord, Romney himself agrees with Biden's assertion. "

Tsing Tao · Oct 12, 2012