9:03- I thought it was interesting that the first topic discussed was a current event rather than a policy or an issue on the political agenda. The September 11 attacks in Libya were controversial for a variety of reasons, including the vague nature of the attack. First the attack was a response to the ant-Islam video made in California. Eventually though, the attack in Benghazi was dubbed terroristic. I thought it was an unorthodox start.
9:09- “First of all, that’s a bunch of malarkey.” –Joe Biden. Enough said.
9:15- I really enjoy watching the facial expressions of the candidate who isn’t speaking. I suspect neither of these men is good at poker.
9:19- “It’s just a bunch of stuff!” –Joe Biden. “What exactly does that mean, ‘a bunch of stuff?’” –Martha Raddatz
9:24- As the debate goes on, I find myself making more observations about the physical aspects of the debate. Biden is literally on the left of the screen and Ryan on the right. Biden sports a bright blue tie and Ryan wears a red one. All of this just in case you forget which candidate is which.
9:26- Paul Ryan’s fact about Scranton was curious. On one hand, it played on emotions. He attempted to make Joe Biden and in turn, Obama, look badly. If Biden and Obama can’t even take care of Biden’s hometown, what will they do for me? That is what Ryan was going for. Unfortunately, when Ryan quoted the unemployment rates, he implied that this is a trend throughout the entire country. The September jobs report clearly indicated a decrease in the unemployment rate. This point at a glance was moving, but if you know the facts, it may not have supported Ryan’s point as well as he hoped.
9:35-The moderator for this debate is so much more efficient than the man who moderated the first presidential debate. She keeps the two men on task and doesn’t let them go over their times.
9:50- Biden’s comment about getting his time just sends me over the edge. He is presenting himself as childish by his condescending attitudes and constant laughing. Making faces while the Ryan is talking displays nothing but disrespect. Obviously Ryan doesn’t agree with everything Biden is saying but at least he has the composure to keep a straight face while Biden is speaking and appear to be listening.
Overall, I enjoyed this debate more than the first presidential debate. I like that Biden, Ryan and Raddatz are all sitting down. It creates an image of an “even” playing field. I felt like Biden and Ryan really discussed the issues instead of dancing around the questions and bashing each other. While there was a lot of eye rolling and disgusted laughter, this debate actually moved forward.