Biden his time: How Joe Biden may have saved the election for Barack Obama

By Lee Cole–

How President Obama got through the full 90 minutes of his first debate without mentioning Bain Capital, the 47 percent comments and outsourcing remains a mystery.  The first debate was full of missed opportunities, all because Democrats would like to remain, or at least appear to remain, above the fray.  If there is ever a time to jump into the fray, however, it’s in the debates, and Obama’s apparent lack of energy and fighting spirit is symptomatic of a larger problem in the Democratic Party.

It can’t really be said that Romney won the debate on substance, as he spent most of his time spewing half-truths, vague generalizations and fictional characterizations of Obama as a quasi-socialist.  He did at least appear confident and aggressive; he showed up ready to have an argument whereas Obama showed up to teach.  Obama gave specific figures while Romney made wild promises without the corresponding math.  President Obama has to understand that he can’t talk to the electorate like he talked to his college classes.  Not everyone brings the same kind of measured attention to detail to the discussion, and the Republicans have always understood this.  What good will numbers and studies do when Romney categorically denies everything that independent analysts have said about his platform?  Instead of doing the same thing and calling Romney out when he lied (and he did, quite a bit), Obama stuck to his rehearsed message and ended up sounding too careful and tedious.

In the past few years, a pattern has been emerging in American politics.  Republicans are increasingly willing to do just about anything and say just about anything to get elected.  Democrats have employed the novel strategy of telling Americans the truth.  They’ve given us facts and figures and put us all to sleep in the process.  Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, while they may be great lawmakers, come across as stammering, neurotic Woody Allen-types.  And just like a Woody Allen movie, no one gets the references, the characters are measured intellectuals and the meaning is influenced by centuries of literature, history and philosophy.  The American public doesn’t want Woody Allen; they want Larry the Cable Guy.  They don’t want high-minded analyses and interpretations; they want the political equivalent of fart jokes.

Enter Joe Biden.

Just when Democrats thought all hope was lost, Joe came in to the second debate like a silver-haired Scranton bulldog, leaving behind him a wake of one-liners, furious rebuttals and the kind of savage intensity you’d expect to find in a P90X commercial.  Like a conquistador of old, he carved a swath through the jungle of malarkey with his machete of truth, his ivory dentures twinkling.  Ryan looked too small for his suit and came off as boyish and underprepared, which was amazing considering Time’s coverage of his workout routine.  Apparently while Paul Ryan was getting his swell on, straining for one more bicep curl whilst listening to the “Atlas Shrugged” audiobook and reciting his mantra, “be John Galt, BE JOHN GALT,” good ole’ Joe was preparing to eviscerate him in Danville.

Virtually every lie that Romney uttered during the first debate was echoed by Ryan, and then promptly ripped to shreds by Biden.  It wasn’t just that Joe did well; it was also that Ryan did an especially poor job.  He had several “open net” moments early in the debate, when he brought up stimulus money (he criticized the stimulus, yet secretly asked for funds) and with his ready-made, touching anecdote of Romney visiting a car accident victim (Biden’s daughter and wife were killed in a non-hypothetical car accident).  Ryan’s closing statement was so glib and obviously rehearsed that he just seemed obnoxious.  Republicans criticized Biden for being condescending, but how could he help appearing that way when Ryan’s voice sounded like he was in the early stages of puberty and his cheesy, “golly gee” demeanor would’ve been rounded out perfectly if he had been wearing a multi-colored propeller cap?

I never thought I’d have to say it, at least in this universe, but I hope President Obama takes some rhetorical lessons from Joe Biden before the next debate.  Had someone told me a year ago that Biden would be articulating the campaign’s points and arguing more effectively than Obama, I would’ve laughed heartily.  I’m sure Paul Ryan thought the same thing, as he was completing his tricep reps and making intense, stimulating eye contact with his Ayn Rand poster.

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Photo:Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press