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Joe Biden and Paul Ryan clash in high-stakes VP debate US running mates clash in 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 feisty clashes on national security, economic policy, taxes and healthcare.The debate opened with feisty clashes on national security, economic policy, taxes and healthcare.
Democrats hope to change the narrative after what was widely seen as a poor debate performance by President Barack Obama last week. Democrat Mr Biden was aggressive, frequently interrupting his rival as he defended President Obama's record.
Mr Obama said on Wednesday he had been "too polite" to his rival, Mitt Romney. Mr Ryan, a Republican Wisconsin congressman, was comparatively calm in his first debate on the national stage.
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 head-to-head came as Democrats hoped to rejuvenate their campaign after what was widely seen as a poor debate performance by Mr Obama last week.
Thursday night's debate featured dozens of lively exchanges, with Mr Biden repeatedly interrupting Mr Ryan, chuckling, rolling his eyes and raising his hands. Mr Obama acknowledged he had been "too polite", and it appeared his campaign had unleashed Mr Biden for a round of aggressive attacks on Mr Romney's proposals on taxes, government spending, the economy and other issues.
The vice-president repeatedly cut off Mr Ryan, chuckling, rolling his eyes and raising his hands.
'Aggressive''Aggressive'
The two vice-presidential hopefuls jousted on a series of topics, as moderator Martha Raddatz of ABC News sought to keep order. But Mr Ryan seemed not to be rattled. His goal was to defend gains Mr Romney has made in the polls in recent days, analysts said.
The two vice-presidential candidates jousted on a series of topics, as moderator Martha Raddatz of ABC News sought to keep order.
#VPdebateA serious, feisty debate. Biden was stronger, more aggressive and to some more irritating. No real victor.@BBCNewsUS#VPdebateA serious, feisty debate. Biden was stronger, more aggressive and to some more irritating. No real victor.@BBCNewsUS
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    • #VPdebateBiden - sure things said in this campaign wish hadn't been said - super PAC can be "an abomination"@BBCNewsUS#VPdebateBiden - sure things said in this campaign wish hadn't been said - super PAC can be "an abomination"@BBCNewsUS
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    • RT @BBCNewsUS: #PaulRyan on abortion at #VPDebate: "We don't think unelected judges should make this decision." http://t.co/Qz4aRtEgRT @BBCNewsUS: #PaulRyan on abortion at #VPDebate: "We don't think unelected judges should make this decision." http://t.co/Qz4aRtEg
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    • #VPdebateBiden - I accept my church's judgement (on abortion) but refuse to impose it on others @BBCNewsUS#VPdebateBiden - I accept my church's judgement (on abortion) but refuse to impose it on others @BBCNewsUS
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    • #VPdebateQuestion on their catholic faith and abortion@BBCNewsUS#VPdebateQuestion on their catholic faith and abortion@BBCNewsUS
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    • Content from Twitter. Learn more about content from Twitter.Content from Twitter. Learn more about content from Twitter.
    Mr Biden's goal, analysts said, was to challenge Mr Ryan and Mr Romney on their proposals, as well as to energise Obama supporters disheartened by Mr Obama's performance last week. The debate opened with an exchange on Libya.
    Mr Ryan, on the national debate stage for the first time, was comparatively calm, even as Mr Biden hassled him. His goal was to defend gains Mr Romney has made in the polls in recent days, analysts said. Mr Biden vigorously defended the Obama administration's handling of the attack last month 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.
    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. He said the administration's public statements were informed by the information available at the time. And he 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".
    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". In one of many caustic attacks, he said Mr Ryan's criticisms of the administration's handling of the crisis were "a bunch of malarky".
    And he said Mr Ryan's criticisms of the administration's actions were "a bunch of malarky".
    Mr Ryan, meanwhile, said the administration had disregarded requests for more security there.Mr Ryan, meanwhile, said the administration had disregarded requests for more security there.
    Next, the men jousted on Iran and on the US relationship with Israel, but showed little difference between their tickets' respective policies. Next, the men argued about Iran and the US relationship with Israel, but showed little substantive 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.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.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."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.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.Later, the two outlined their competing plans on the Medicare healthcare programme for over-65s.
    Thursday's debate 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.
    Budget debatesBudget debates
    The two candidates are virtually tied in Florida and Virginia while Mr Obama still leads in Ohio, but by a decreased margin. They repeated policy positions staked out months ago. Mr Biden defended the administration's 2010 health insurance overhaul, dubbed Obamacare; Mr Ryan derided it as a government takeover of the healthcare industry, and repeated a disputed assertion that Mr Obama had pulled money from Medicare in order to fund it.
    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. Thursday's debate was held at Centre College, a small liberal arts university about 80 miles (129km) from the city of Louisville.
    Both have kept lower profiles in the past week as they prepared for the debate. The rivals were 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.
    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. The two candidates are virtually tied in Florida and Virginia while Mr Obama still leads in Ohio, but by a slimmer margin.
    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.