Debating

Last night's vice-presidential debate, which, given its scope and intensity, was much more like a presidential debate​ than the first Obama/Romney encounter, was notable to this writer for two reasons. First, the Biden smirk, so persistently apparent on the split television screen, was at least annoying, and at worst a fatal debating error. The Democratic team watching must have cringed. Secondly, it was curious that the moderator, Martha Raddatz, chose to focus heavily on non-domestic issues, notwithstanding her own particular expertise in covering events abroad. Everyone knows that Congressman Ryan is a domestic economic policy wonk. But this writer for one was surprised that, as Ms. Raddatz fired off one foreign policy question after another, he was at ease in addressing Benghazi Consulate security (or rather, the lack thereof), Iranian intransigence, troop withdrawal in Afghanistan, ongoing Syrian slaughter, and large, impending cuts to defense expenditures.

Ryan's coaches must have been satisfied.​