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October 12, 2012
In Vice President Joe Biden’s Debate Performance, We See the Attitude of an Administration
In less than a month we will know if the Oct. 11 vice presidential debate made any difference in the 2012 election, but we think the bullying and condescending approach of the incumbent vice president itself speaks volumes about the attitude of the Obama administration toward those who hold different political and policy views.
During the 90-minute debate, an often smirking Joe Biden accused Paul Ryan of “malarkey” and said in one instance, “Not a thing he has said is accurate.” By one count, Biden interrupted Ryan 82 times during the 90-minute debate. If you missed it, you can see a complete video of the debate.
To his credit, the Republican candidate told Biden: “I think people would be better served if we don’t interrupt each other.” Perhaps Ryan’s most effective line on the Obama administration came in his closing remarks, when he said, “You have a President who ran for President four years ago promising hope and change, who has now turned his campaign into attack, blame and defame.”
Polls conducted immediately after the debate showed split results. CNN and CNBC polls showed viewers favoring Ryan, while the CBS poll showed Biden the winner. Overall, Biden was viewed as more passionate, while Ryan was seen as more likable It may be that the vice president was trying to make up for the seeming lack of passion of President Obama during his debate with Gov. Romney.
In judging Vice President Biden’s performance and his record, gun owners should remember that he is an ardent gun control advocate who was instrumental in passage of the federal assault weapon law.
The political pundits will debate whether Vice President Biden’s rude debate behavior has helped or hurt the sagging Democratic campaign effort. Historically, vice presidential debates have not been known to affect electoral results. The question for gun owners, however, is whether the Obama-Biden ticket will respect traditional American values and rights such as the Second Amendment. When Congressman Ryan spoke about standing up for American values, the Vice President laughed. That’s something for you to think about when you #gunvote.
Categories: Conservation, Top Stories
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