By Judith Gayle | Political Waves
Joe Biden, providing a balm to growing liberal angst, kicked some ass this week. Taking license from candidate Romney’s steamrolling performance last week, Joe chortled, mugged and snorted his way through the debate, poking holes in opponent Paul Ryan’s protective coating of studious sincerity. Steeped in superior experience and a passionate persona, Joe cast doubt on the veracity of the know-it-all Republican second, who is, at best, part policy wonk, part numbers cruncher.
Although the Pubs called it a mere draw, a good deal more of the nation thought it a Biden win, with Joe seizing the direction of the debate early. This surely moved the trajectory of the polls, if not the election. As polarized as we are, there is no way to call this close race nor even to isolate the undecided voters who supposedly hold the fate of the nation in hand. I think there’s more wiggle room in vote manipulation than in undecided votes, and although it matters, much of what we’re watching this week — and into early November — is moot. What is NOT moot is the direction in which the nation chooses to go.
Although no presidential campaign has been swayed by attractive vice presidential candidates, it was important to balance out the sharp decline in poll numbers that came with Obama’s stumble, and more, necessary to tarnish the halo erected over Mr. Ryan’s head by those who seem oblivious to the fact that Ayn Rand was not an admirable figure. Think of the Prez as the club and the VP as the bouncer: Mr. Ryan may work out to gain his showy muscle, but Joe’s been around the block a couple of times and knows how to throw a roundhouse. If the Vice President’s part was to pull an e-brake on Mitt’s momentum, he played his role expertly. All the push-back Barack seemed unable to deliver, Joe salted into his comments with a generous hand.