Thursday, October 11, 2012

Reflections On the Vice Presidential Debate

Unfortunately, I missed the live debate tonight because a long schedule dinner with some amazing clients of the boyfriend.  Once I have viewed the debate and made my own analysis and come to some of my own decisions, I will comment further.  In the short term,  from what I've seen on various news channels, it looks like the majority believes that Joe Biden won the debate.  Here's Andrew Sullivan's closing comments:

I have to say that Biden did to Ryan what Cheney did to Edwards in style and demeanor and authority. Ryan was hampered by an insurmountable problem on the impossible mathematics of the Romney budget. I think his inability to answer that question - how do you pay for it? - has to be the driving question now. The only way to afford it is to cut middle class deductions and middle class entitlements much more than Obama-Biden would. I'd love radical tax reform - but I'm not crazy enough to believe you can actually tackle the debt by cutting taxes and increasing defense spending and leaving Medicare basically alone (no ACA-style cost-controls) and only removing deductions for the very rich. It doesn't add up. They know it. And when challenged - even by Fox News - he cannot provide the details. 

So this was a solid win for Biden, I'd say; as well as a competent performance by Ryan. The star? Raddatz - the woman the far right just tried to intimidate. She was tough on both, controlled the debate, and knew her shit cold.
As for my own view, I will note however, that if one wants a poster girl for the idiocy that now passes as leadership and logic in the GOP, look no farther than Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee who was just interviewed by MSNBC.  If this disingenuous, answer avoiding blond bimbo can be a spokesperson for the GOP, then this nation is in VERY serous trouble if the GOP regains the White House.   I'm not anti-female by any means.  I have two bright talented daughters who deserve to make their own decisions about their lives.  Ms. Blackburn is a mental midget and would hand these decisions over to chauvinistic, bigoted white men.

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