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Ryan vs. Biden: Why the VP Debate Matters

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October 11, 2012 • Kyle Wintersteen
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Normally the vice presidential debate has a negligible impact on the election. But, when Paul Ryan and Joe Biden square off tonight at 9 p.m. EST in Danville, Ky., it won’t be under normal circumstances.

Everyone thought President Obama was poised for an easy cruise to reelection. The polls certainly looked that way. Yet in the wake of one of the biggest one-night comebacks in presidential history, Mitt Romney has a slight lead.

The momentum has swung. It’s arguably the first time President Obama–a brilliant campaigner–has appeared frazzled. Conservatives and even independents seem, perhaps for the first time, genuinely excited about candidate Romney. We’ve unexpectedly got ourselves a real horse race of an election, with an interested public, and there’s more pressure on the vice presidential candidates to seize the reins than anyone could’ve predicted.

What are the candidates’ goals?

“The Obama campaign has lost all the momentum they had and now are in danger of falling behind,” said ABC News political analyst and former George W. Bush campaign strategist Matthew Dowd. “Biden is important to stop the bleeding and regain their footing. And as important, Ryan has to not step in it, so the Romney trajectory can continue.”

Vice President Joe Biden is considered the underdog by a majority of Americans–55-percent of voters believe Paul Ryan will win (the same percentage thought Obama would win his debate). However, while Republicans predict that Ryan will run circles around the gaffe-prone Biden as Obama screams into a pillow, Biden should not be underestimated. He is a highly intelligent, veteran politician, and an incredibly underrated debater. He did well in his 2008 debate against Sarah Palin (remember the hype surrounding her?), and he had moments of brilliance during the 2008 Democratic Presidential Debates. In fact, one of the reasons then-candidate Obama chose Biden as his running mate was for his debate prowess.

So, don’t be surprised if Biden holds his own or even outperforms his less experienced debate partner.

What do you think? Will Biden help Obama hit the reset button, or will Ryan further the GOP momentum?

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  • Hunter1

    I expect both of them will come out swinging. The one thing both men will have to remember is that tonight IS NOT about them, it’s about the guys they are going to work for. If they start talking about themselves and not the presidential candidates they are there to support, they will lose.

    On October 11, 2012 at 1:32 pm • Reply
  • Richard Wiedenheft

    Biden doesn’t want the truth out because he keeps interrupting Ryan.
    The Oboma administration has done this from the beginning…they don’t want to listen or cooperate with anyone.

    On October 11, 2012 at 10:04 pm • Reply
  • John Wachlarowicz

    Truth,,,the truth or proof is in the pudding. It is too easy for a candidate to say they are for guns, hunting, life, but it is quite another thing for them to support the policies that promote these like jobs, affordable health care, and tax breaks for the middle class so they can afford to buy guns and have the time to enjoy them; environmental protection and farm legislation so we have land and game to hunt; etc. In MN we had to pass a constitutional amendment dedicating tax funds to the environment because both parties couldn’t do the job we had sent them to do!

    On October 12, 2012 at 7:17 am • Reply

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