POSTING #13

The US Presidential Election Campaign’s VP Debate 

The Guru called me from the Buffalo Airport where he was waiting for the arrival of his wife, Gloria, who had been visiting their daughter.

“Well,” I asked, “what did you think of the debate between Biden and Ryan?’

“Oh, damn, they’ve just announced that Gloria’s plane is going to arrive early. Would you and Paula be free tonight to drop over for coffee and dessert around 8 PM so we can hash over the debate?

“Sure we can make that, but in the meantime have you got time to give me a quick summary?’

“OK, let me read the points I’ve just finished for my next newsletter:

1. As we expected after Romney’s abominable behaviour at the first presidential debate, it wasn’t a debate, it was a brawl---a school yard brawl presided over by the stern-looking school marm, Martha Raddatz.

2. Again as we expected, Ryan would follow the tactic used by Romney in his two-minute responses to questions. He spent his first 10 seconds responding to the moderator’s question and then launched into a series of lies and misrepresentations that Biden could not possibly deal with in his 2 minute response time.(By the way, a friend tells me that this tactic was specifically banned from his college debating club.)

3. Biden was ready for the tactic and opted to fight fire with fire, by going rogue himself. He made derisory faces and gestures while Ryan talked, interrupted him and threw out comments like ‘malarkey’ and ‘stuff’.

4. And Biden used every opportunity to introduce embarrassing references to things like the 47% comment, and letters from Ryan begging for stimulus funds.

5. I chuckled when Ryan asked him not to interrupt. But Biden carried on, with a smile, as though saying ‘You want to brawl, that works for me.’

6. Martha Raddatz seemed to recognize the game Ryan was playing and allowed Biden a good bit of leeway. But she threatened the two of them with her ruler when things started to get out of hand.

7. And she asked pointed follow-up questions when one of them waffled on what she deemed an important issue.

8. I hope Candy Crawley copies Martha’s approach in the next presidential debate. That should give Obama the scope he needs to respond to Romney’s attacks.

9. John Garner, VP under FDR, famously said that ‘the vice-presidency isn’t worth a bucket of warm piss’, but Biden showed that if you add a little vinegar you can clean a clock or two.

10. Now, it is up to Obama. We know that he is competitive under the basketball net. We can expect to see him show that same 'hustle' in exposing Romney's lies and misrepresentations.

“Gloria’s plane has just arrived. See you tonight.”

“That’s good stuff! See you at 8.”

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If you have any comments, please leave them below or drop me a line at johnpathunter@gmail.com. The next Icewine Guru posting will appear in the fullness of time. My other blog, The Letter from Virgil,   appears on a more regular basis.