'A bunch of malarky': Joe Biden goes on the attack to pull it back for Democrats in vice presidential debate against Paul Ryan
Rupert Cornwell
Known for his commentary on international relations and US politics, Rupert Cornwell also contributes obituaries and occasionally even a column for the sports pages. With The Independent since its launch in 1986, he was the paper's first Moscow correspondent - covering the collapse of the Soviet Union – during which time he won two British Press Awards. Previously a foreign correspondent for the Financial Times and Reuters, he has also been a diplomatic correspondent, leader writer and columnist, and has served as Washington bureau editor. In 1983 he published God's Banker, about Roberto Calvi, the Italian banker found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge.
Danville
Friday 12 October 2012
Related articles
A boisterous Joe Biden led a riproaring Democratic counterattack last night on Republicans, using his vice presidential debate with Paul Ryan to repeatedly criticise – and sometimes openly laugh at – his opponents’ policies on every topic from taxes, the economy and health care to the Middle East and Iran.
The 90-minute encounter in this small Kentucky college town may have been as uninhibited as any in debate history, as Mr Biden challenged Mr Ryan at every turn, something President Obama signally failed to do in his first debate with Mitt Romney last week.
With seconds of the start, the two were odds with the young Republican Congressman charging that events in Iran, Syria and Libya showed “the unravelling of the Obama foreign policy.” Mr Biden instantly hit back. “Not a single thing he [Ryan] says is accurate, I don’t understand what he’s talking about. With all due respect, that’s a bunch of malarky.”
That exchange set the tone for subsequent set-tos on economic policy, with Mr Biden zeroing in on the Republican proposals, largely shaped by Mr Ryan, the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, to reduce the deficit while at the same time cutting tax rates.
He blamed the Republicans for holding hostage iniatives that would help the middle class in order to preserve tax cuts for the very rich who didn’t need them. “Stop talking about how you care about people,” Mr Biden declaring at one point, “show me how you care. These guys [the Republicans] are so concerned now about the debt they created, I love it.”
Though more low key and restrained in style, Mr Ryan however would not be cowed, scoring points of his own. Republicans later grumbled about Mr Biden’s derision of his opponent, and they might have a point. In 2000, vice-president Al Gore was widely perceived as being insulting and condescending when he audibly sighed at arguments advanced by his opponent George W Bush.
But senior Democrats afterwards were delighted that Mr Biden had at least taken the fight to Republicans, after Mr Obama’s limp performance last week. “These guys have been peddling shell games and lies, and Biden called them out,” Maryland’s governor Martin O’Malley told reporters afterwards.
Probably, few voters will change their minds as a result of the sound and fury in Danville. But Mr Biden may help slow, or even reverse, Mr Romney’s post-debate rise in the polls. Throughout he portrayed himself as veteran statesman against the bright but simplistic novice – “like the college principal debating the class president,” as David Axelrod, Mr Obama’s top strategist, put it.
Whether that is true, the contrast in moods afterwards in the celebrated ‘spin room’ was notable. Republicans were subdued, criticising Mr Biden’s tone as they defended Mr Ryan. Democratic representatives were buoyant – and confident Mr Obama would take a leaf from his vice-president's book in his second match-up with Mr Romney next Tuesday.
The debate saw clashes on health and entitlement policy as well, especially on Mr Ryan’s proposal to part-privatise the Medicare programme for the elderly. “We will not be part of any voucher plan,” Mr Biden retorted, his eye in particular on the large elderly population in Florida, a key swing state where Mr Obama and Mr Romney are neck-and-neck.
In response, Mr Ryan accused his opponent of using “completely misleading” arguments. “That’s what politicians do when they don’t have a record to run on.” Mr Obama, he said, had campaigned on a platform of hope and change, but now had a new strategy of “attack, blame and defame.”
About the only thing they did agree on was the 2014 target date for withdrawal from Afghanistan. But there too, as Mr Ryan warned against imperilling hard won successes, Mr Biden was more emphatic: “We are leaving. We are leaving in 2014. Period.”
-
That's some guestlist! Stunning images show huge dynastic wedding between Ultra-Orthodox Jewish families which attracted 25,000 guests
-
Emergency landing at Heathrow sparks further controversy over London airport capacity
-
Two bailed after arrest over Woolwich attack Twitter comments
-
Exclusive: Woolwich killings suspect Michael Adebolajo was inspired by cleric banned from UK after urging followers to behead enemies of Islam
-
Men arrested after RAF jet is scrambled to escort Pakistan Airlines passenger plane to London Stansted Airport
- 1 What, let gays get married? We must be bonkers
- 2 'Something passed underneath us, quite close': Airbus A320 has close encounter with UFO
- 3 Rocky Horror star Tim Curry 'suffers major stroke'
- 4 Lord of the Sings: Sir Christopher Lee, 91, to release heavy metal album
- 5 Exclusive: Woolwich killings suspect Michael Adebolajo was inspired by cleric banned from UK after urging followers to behead enemies of Islam
Get your summer started with British Military Fitness
BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes
Visit York
Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world
Making reading fun for kids
Nook is donating eReaders to volunteers at high-need schools and participating in exclusive events throughout the campaign.
Introducing the 'Get Reading' campaign
Get the latest on The Evening Standard's campaign to get London's children reading.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Independent Dating
Day In a Page
The man who's eaten everywhere
A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?
Banned Iranian director to attend Cannes Film Festival
The 10 Best salt and pepper sets
Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed
Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them






Comments