(NewsBusters) "One would think that Biden’s debate preparation was watching
repeatedly 'The Shining,' and I think he did an excellent imitation of
Jack Nicholson."
So marvelously said syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer on Friday's Special Report on Fox.
Update: CNN insta-poll of undecideds shows tie; Update: Ryan wins CNN insta-poll overall, 48/44
I expected “table-pounding atmospherics”
from Biden but I didn’t expect him to act like a total jackhole for
fully 90 minutes. Give him credit for knowing his target audience,
though: His task tonight was to get the left excited again after Obama
fell into a semi-coma in Denver, and evincing utter disdain for Ryan —
grimacing, shouting, laughing inappropriately, constantly interrupting,
the total jackhole experience — is just what the doctor ordered. He
might have irritated independents and undecideds, but probably not so
much that it’ll change people’s votes. The Democrats needed someone to
go out there and clown for liberals, and if there’s one thing this guy
knows, it’s clowning.
Here’s a taste of what I mean via Mediaite, centered around one of Ryan’s more cutting lines of the evening. For what it’s worth, the media lost patience
with Biden’s shtick too, but I doubt that’ll cost him anything
tomorrow. And yes, needless to say, Raddatz was also terrible. Exit
quotation from Greg Gutfeld: “Biden is the drunk at the bar; Martha is the unhappy bartender, and Ryan is the unfortunate salesman caught in the middle.”
Vice President Joe Biden and Rep. Paul Ryan were the two candidates
on stage at Thursday’s vice presidential debate, but a third character
emerged: Joe Biden’s laugh, which didn’t escape the notice of tweeting
politicos. (And led, of course, to at least three satirical Twitter
accounts: Laughing Joe Biden, Biden Smirk, and yet another Laughing Joe Biden.)
TIME’s Michael Scherer: “Not sure debate cameras have been light tested for Biden’s teeth. Best to watch with sunglasses.”
Washington Examiner’s Philip Klein: “Biden’s strategy seems to be to laugh at Ryan constantly. Will it work to infantalize Ryan, or backfire like Gore sighing?”
