Sunday Roundup

"I want to talk to you very briefly," Martha Raddatz told Biden and Ryan, "about your own personal character... what could you both give to this country as a man, as a human being?" What Ryan brought to the debate as a human being was hard work, including the ability to cram all night memorizing his talking points, and healthy habits -- he was well-hydrated and in good shape -- but no depth or wisdom. Biden, on the other hand, brought loads of experience and much more depth. But, in a different way, no statesman-like mastery of himself. He was a 69-year-old hothead in control of the facts, but at the mercy of his anger. In our troubled times, we are in desperate need of real character in our leaders -- which calls not just for intelligence but for wisdom and the ability to navigate not just the corridors of power but the dangerous shoals of one's own emotions.

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Comments

[The Smartest Monkees]

11:35 PM on 10/14/2012

I'm happy to see that most folks get it that Biden was being Biden. That Biden passionately cares about the little guy, and honest passion is something sorely lacking in our politicians today. Phony handling and talking points rule, where honest men and women on both sides once debated.

For those who found Biden's passion somehow offensive, think about this:

How offended will you be as Romney signs away Medicare and Social Security?

How put off will you be as Romney repeals healthcare for millions, many of them children?

How annoyed will you be as women's rights are signed away, and Republican politicians decide for them what they can and cannot do with their own bodies?

How ticked off will you be when you pay out an extra $2000 in taxes, so Romney can buy a new Bentley, yacht or second dancing horse for Annie?

How peeved will it make you, when Romney informs the nation that we're starting another Middle East war with Iran?

A "mean old man" schooling a young Representative for trying to bring those "annoyances" to all our futures, will look pretty tame by comparison.

As Biden said when he looked straight into the camera Thursday night, use your common sense!

Obama/Biden 2012!!!

[La Elle]

11:23 PM on 10/14/2012

I think it's a stretch to call Biden a hothead. It's not like the VP physically assaulted Ryan or was out of control. Biden stood his ground and rightly defended the Presidents policies, and did not let Ryan get away with falsifying information. I thought it was rather clear that Biden knew exactly what he was doing-and he did it well. He unnerved his opponent with geniality and a million dollar smile.

[LeoF]

07:59 PM on 10/15/2012

Biden also diverted attention from the points that Ryan was trying to make. I found it difficult to tear my eyes away from him on the split screen, with his incredible variety of facial expressions. I think those expressions were a successful debating tool, because I think a lot of people were paying more attention to him rather than to what Ryan was saying.

[jkkFL]

11:15 PM on 10/14/2012

Dispassionate, greedy and cold is how I view the GOP 'ticket'.
Give me a firey olld statesman, anytime!

[mikenjupiter]

11:04 PM on 10/14/2012

While I appreciated his passion and his version of the facts which I felt to be true, I wished he hadn't laughed so much. Let's hope Tuesday goes better for @barackobama.

[The Smartest Monkees]

11:11 PM on 10/14/2012

I miss the days of FDR and Harry Truman. When politicians who actually cared about the people and this nation rather than only the wealthy, were allowed to shout it to the skies.

The Pubs get praised for arrogance and mendacity. The Dems get rebuked for truth and passion.

God help us...

[RALPH PHILLIPS]

11:32 PM on 10/14/2012

Fanned.

[MosesDidItBest]

10:57 PM on 10/14/2012

I saw no anger in Joe Biden or heard any. What I saw and heard was VP Biden taking Paul Ryan to task for all his lies, distortions and misrepresentations. That's the way a debate should be. Ryan was overmatched, outgunned and outdone by the obvious. The obvious being that Ryan is a superficial and supercilious charicature more indebted to the Kochs, Grover Norquist and corporate America than the constituents he ostenbily represents, which in fact he does not.

[the meadow]

10:51 PM on 10/14/2012

Yeah, we don't want to know what they really think, like with Romney's 47% remark. Let me put a very different idea to this. I say each has two shot's of Good Scotch before the debate begins, then an other shot every ten minutes. Then, we all know what's really inside that brain of their's. !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[complexalien]

10:44 PM on 10/14/2012

I wouldn't exactly call Biden a hothead, more like a passionate American who can't just sit there while someone running as Vice President is trying to get away with telling lies to Americans.

[LeftCoaster64]

10:33 PM on 10/14/2012

Ms. Huffington got this one all wrong. Joe did what he had to do. If he'd have taken Ms. Huffington's advise, we'd be talking about what a great numbers guy Paul Ryan is. Instead, through the masterful use of confrontation and scorn, Mr. Biden showed Ryan to be as phony as his running mate.

[RALPH PHILLIPS]

11:18 PM on 10/14/2012

Fanned x infinity.

[skypix]

10:28 PM on 10/14/2012

Respectfully, I dont' agree, Airianna. i too decry the lack of depth and sophistication in our political process. But it's long been a free for all out there. And Sky Is Falling fear merchants have had far too many contest swing their way. Time to take the battle to the streets if that's the only choice left, as it seems to be in this mindless excuse for a political discourse we have in America. After team Obama is reelected, they can return to civility. For now, it's not possible. Joe had to come out and street fight to show Democrats have passion, and to have his Commander in Chief's back. It was energizing, and necessary. Joe Biden has a lot of moxie. That's what the Democratic Party has long been in short supply of.

[MacTheCat]

10:25 PM on 10/14/2012

We need leaders in control of themselves.

To me that means not owned by wall street, and unfortunately both parties are.

[linzybel]

10:17 PM on 10/14/2012

Wise words, Arianna. I wonder how many politicians are sufficiently self-aware to understand the danger that their flaws pose to the rest of us.

[The Smartest Monkees]

11:06 PM on 10/14/2012

Joe Biden has fought for the little guy for three decades, tirelessly. Romney and Ryan plan to gut a century's worth of social progress if elected.

Joe passionately put Ryan, who openly plans to throw the elderly under the bus, in his place Thursday. Any poor or middle class person who votes for Romney/Ryan, would deserve everything that would be coming to them in a Romney Administration.

Those of us who are rational, will not allow that to happen. We have to live in this country WITH the low information voters, and we don't intend to suffer another Bush-style presidency because of their lack of basic common sense.

Obama/Biden!!! 2012!!!

VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!

[the meadow]

11:47 PM on 10/14/2012

There are bully CEO's threatening employee's, and A, says talk nice?

[groundzero]

10:09 PM on 10/14/2012

I think you have to fight for what you believe in the best way you know how. Biden was fighting for the Democratic Party the best way that he knew how.

[AlaskanWannaB]

10:35 PM on 10/14/2012

Truer words have never been spoken. Also, I have observed Biden over the course of 30 years....that IS Biden's personality. Pull up some video of some of the confirmation hearings and you see the same guy. He didn't change. That was Biden on stage the other night. AH....it's so easy to criticize. I saw the real Biden during the debate. Maybe, if people would stop pretending...we will know what we are getting in a candidate. Ryan and Romney pretends. Biden brings himself to the debate and he did the job---well done.

[RALPH PHILLIPS]

11:21 PM on 10/14/2012

Fanned.

[Lisa SpomerKrasnoff]

10:09 PM on 10/14/2012

The more rhetoric I hear from the Tea Party (and make no mistake Ryan is TP)--the more hotheaded I get!

Obama/Biden 2012!!!!

[reality9900]

10:00 PM on 10/14/2012

Arianna be careful you are way on your way to alienating 99 percent of your readers.....but you did nail it!

[faith]

09:44 PM on 10/14/2012

Biden's expressions were not anger, Arianna, better identified as "Righteous Indignation".