Partisans and hosts of talking head shows will no doubt like this debate much better. Ryan used Romney's tactic of throwing out one inaccurate statement after the other. Obama chose not to take the debate and stuck to his points about Romney being a flip-flopper. Reporters did the fact checking later.
Biden got bogged down in bickering back and forth. It was more entertaining but not exactly Presidential.
Now Mitch McConnell is criticizing Biden for interrupting, being rude, and disrespectful. That's a hint that Romney and Ryan were both trying to get their opponent to become frustrated and take the bait.
Jim Lehrer is vindicated. There's nothing wrong with letting candidates talk at length about important issues. Tonight's moderator Martha Raddatz, ended the night with three horrible questions. The last two were a waste of time considering all the issues that weren't discussed.
What can you offer than nation that no other man can? Did she get confused and think she was hosting ElimiDate?
The funniest moment of the night came when Ryan responded to a question about negative campaigns making the troops sad by launching into a series of ugly, negative attacks. Ryan either has a great sense of irony or none at all.
Biden did a good job. Ryan came off smarmy and dishonest. For reporters in New York and DC, and others accustomed to thinking that being rude and over-aggressive is a virtue, I'm sure they think Biden did much better than Obama in the last debate.