This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19912954

The article has changed 34 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
Joe Biden and Paul Ryan clash in high-stakes VP debate Joe Biden and Paul Ryan clash in high-stakes VP debate
(35 minutes later)
US vice-presidential candidates Joe Biden and Paul Ryan have clashed in their one and only debate, as polling shows the US election race tightening.US vice-presidential candidates Joe Biden and Paul Ryan have clashed in their one and only debate, as polling shows the US election race tightening.
The debate opened with a flashpoint over the handling of the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. The debate opened with feisty clashes on national security, economic policy, taxes and healthcare.
Democrats hoped to change the narrative after what was widely seen as a poor debate performance by President Barack Obama last week. Democrats hope to change the narrative after what was widely seen as a poor debate performance by President Barack Obama last week.
Mr Obama said on Wednesday he had been "too polite" to his rival, Mitt Romney.Mr Obama said on Wednesday he had been "too polite" to his rival, Mitt Romney.
The Obama campaign has since accused Mr Romney, a Republican former business star and Massachusetts governor, of shifting his policy positions to appeal to moderate voters and of lying during their meeting last week in Denver, Colorado.The Obama campaign has since accused Mr Romney, a Republican former business star and Massachusetts governor, of shifting his policy positions to appeal to moderate voters and of lying during their meeting last week in Denver, Colorado.
Thursday's debate is being moderated by Martha Raddatz, senior foreign affairs correspondent for ABC News, and will cover both domestic and foreign policy. At the start, Mr Biden vigorously defended the Obama administration's handling of the attack on the Benghazi consulate, as well as its initially inaccurate characterisation of the incident as a reaction to an anti-Islamic video made in the US.
It is being held at Centre College, a small liberal arts university about 80 miles (129km) from the city of Louisville. Mr Biden pivoted to attack Mr Romney, saying the Republican's decision to hold a political press conference the morning after the attack was "not presidential leadership".
The debate will be split into nine 10-minute segments. And he said Mr Ryan's criticisms of the administration's actions were "a bunch of malarky".
'Let Joe be Joe''Let Joe be Joe'
The two vice-presidential candidates are tasked with keeping their respective campaigns competitive, as new polls suggest Mr Romney has narrowed or erased Mr Obama's lead in several key swing states. Mr Ryan, meanwhile, said the administration had disregarded requests for more security there.
rel="stylesheet" rev="stylesheet" href="http://static.bbci.co.uk/modules/twitter/0.1.55/css/gel_preset.css"/> rel="stylesheet" rev="stylesheet" href="http://static.bbci.co.uk/modules/twitter/0.1.55/css/gel_single_account.css"/> "Al-Qaeda and its affiliates are on the rise in Northern Africa," he said.
#VPdebate@BBCNewsUS Biden keeps looks straight to camera when talking to seniors.
10 minutes ago
    • #VPdebateSo far, people will choose the winner according to their politics - both men are having a good debate @BBCNewsUS
    19 minutes ago
    • #VPdebateFairly even bout on Iran and Libya - both men smiling too much for the subjects@BBCNewsUS
    30 minutes ago
    • #VPdebateBiden calls R & R points on Iran "bluster and loose talk"@BBCNewsUS#VPdebateBiden calls R & R points on Iran "bluster and loose talk"@BBCNewsUS
    3 minutes ago
    		• 37 minutes ago
    • #VPdebateNo blood drawn so far. Raddatz moderating very well.@BBCNewsUS#VPdebateNo blood drawn so far. Raddatz moderating very well.@BBCNewsUS
    5 minutes ago class="sps-tweet notables" id="tweet_113984838"> href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell" title="View this persons Twitter Account"> class="tweets_user_info"> href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell" title="View this persons Twitter Account">Mark Mardell href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell" title="View this persons Twitter Account">@BBCMarkMardell 40 minutes ago
  • class="infinite_loading"> loading
    • #VPdebateBiden - "not a single thing he said is accurate" @BBCNewsUS
    11 minutes ago
    • #VPdebateBoth trying to rush all their FP thoughts into their fast answer - rather than answer the question@BBCNewsUS
    13 minutes ago
    • #VPdebateFirst question on the Libyan killings@BBCNewsUS
    17 minutes ago
  • loading
    • Content from Twitter. Learn more about content from Twitter.Content from Twitter. Learn more about content from Twitter.
    An href="http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/11/14352371-nbcwsjmarist-poll-romney-gains-in-key-swing-states" >NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released on Thursday showed Mr Romney making gains in three states said to be essential to his presidential hopes. Next, the men jousted on Iran and on the US relationship with Israel, but showed little difference between their tickets' respective policies.
    On the economy, Mr Biden unleashed a broadside against Mr Romney's recently publicised comments that the 47% of Americans who pay no federal income tax should take responsibility for themselves.
    And he reminded the audience that Mr Romney had opposed government action to save US auto manufacturers.
    "I've never met two guys that are more down on America," Mr Biden said, referring to Mr Romney and Mr Ryan.
    Mr Ryan sought to deflect the attack with a story about Mr Romney's personal generosity and by referring to Mr Biden's own record of verbal blunders.
    Later, the two outlined their competing plans on the Medicare healthcare programme for over-65s.
    Thursday's debate is being moderated by Martha Raddatz, senior foreign affairs correspondent for ABC News, and covering both domestic and foreign policy.
    It is being held at Centre College, a small liberal arts university about 80 miles (129km) from the city of Louisville.
    The debate is being split into nine 10-minute segments.
    The two vice-presidential candidates are tasked with keeping their respective campaigns competitive, as new polls suggest Mr Romney has narrowed or erased Mr Obama's lead in several key swing states.
    The two candidates are virtually tied in Florida and Virginia while Mr Obama still leads in Ohio, but by a decreased margin.The two candidates are virtually tied in Florida and Virginia while Mr Obama still leads in Ohio, but by a decreased margin.
    The Romney campaign has added extra campaign stops in Ohio in the coming weeks, aware that no Republican has ever won the White House without winning the Midwestern swing state.
    Also on Thursday, a New York Times/CBS News poll suggested that likely voters in Colorado, Virginia and Wisconsin - all states "in play" on 6 November - gave Mr Romney stronger marks for leadership than previously.
    However, the new poll showed no sharp movements in support for either candidate.
    Mr Biden, 69, is known for his frank but folksy manner and foreign policy experience, while Republican Mr Ryan, 42, who has served in Congress for 14 years, styles himself as a fiscally conservative budget hawk.Mr Biden, 69, is known for his frank but folksy manner and foreign policy experience, while Republican Mr Ryan, 42, who has served in Congress for 14 years, styles himself as a fiscally conservative budget hawk.
    Both have kept lower profiles in the past week as they prepared for the debate.Both have kept lower profiles in the past week as they prepared for the debate.
    "Joe just needs to be Joe," Mr Obama told ABC News on Wednesday. "Congressman Ryan is a smart and effective speaker. But his ideas are the wrong ones."
    The president played down the importance of his own first debate performance, saying: "What's important is the fundamentals of what this race is about haven't changed".
    Senior Obama adviser David Axelrod told CBS on Thursday that he believes "the big challenge for [Biden] is to pin Congressman Ryan down".
    "Right now the Romney campaign is running away from some of their positions like unwanted stepchildren."
    Mr Romney expressed confidence in his running mate at a campaign stop in Ohio: "I think Paul Ryan will do great," he said.
    The Wisconsin representative himself said he was not intimidated by Mr Biden.
    "Joe Biden's one of the most experienced debaters we have in modern politics," Mr Ryan told reporters. "But the Achilles heel he has is President Obama's record."
    Budget debatesBudget debates
    The debate is expected to focus on the federal budget plans Mr Ryan put forward as the chair of the House budget committee.
    While the Obama campaign has sought to portray Mr Ryan's place on the Romney ticket as an endorsement of the Ryan plan, the Romney campaign has worked to play down that impression.While the Obama campaign has sought to portray Mr Ryan's place on the Romney ticket as an endorsement of the Ryan plan, the Romney campaign has worked to play down that impression.
    "You have to remember that there is [a] Romney-Ryan ticket and there's one presidential candidate," Romney adviser Kevin Madden said. "So the focus again will be on what Governor Romney's plan is for reforming Washington."
    Mr Biden is said to have studied Mr Ryan's most recent budget plan during his debate preparations.Mr Biden is said to have studied Mr Ryan's most recent budget plan during his debate preparations.
    The event is not expected to draw the approximately 70 million people who watched four years ago when Mr Biden debated Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.The event is not expected to draw the approximately 70 million people who watched four years ago when Mr Biden debated Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
    That debate did little to change the 2008 campaign but helped Mrs Palin after a series of disastrous interviews.That debate did little to change the 2008 campaign but helped Mrs Palin after a series of disastrous interviews.
    "Normally vice-presidential debates are good political theatre and sort of interesting from a talent scout standpoint, as you evaluate the up-and-comers on the political stage," Alan Schroeder, author of a book on presidential debates, told the Associated Press."Normally vice-presidential debates are good political theatre and sort of interesting from a talent scout standpoint, as you evaluate the up-and-comers on the political stage," Alan Schroeder, author of a book on presidential debates, told the Associated Press.
    "But this year could be different because of the negative reviews of Obama's performance. That heightens expectations for this second debate."