This ‘n’ that from last night’s laughably dubbed historic vice presidential debate:
9:15 The hardwatching staff arrives late, having taken our nightly post-prandial promenade with the Missus. Immediately notice two things: 1) Joe Biden is mugging for the camera like Grandma the Clown. 2) Paul Ryan has apparently borrowed Mitt Romney’s patronizing smile for the occasion. It’s going to be a long night.
9:20 Biden’s talking points: bunch of stuff, facts matter, loose talk. Just to be clear: He’s reffering to Ryan, not himself.
9:23 Ryan refers for the first of many times to the Romney-Ryan Five-Point Economic Plan. Wake us when he reaches six.
9:26 Ryan: “The Mitt Romney I know? He’s a car guy.” Not to get technical about it, but Mitt’s a car elevator guy.
9:29 Biden invokes his dead wife and daughter. Over-under was 9:45.
9:34 Yankees 1, Orioles 1.
9:41 Biden to camera: “All you seniors – have you lost any benefits the past four years?” Ryan to Biden: “Mediscare!!!”
9:44 Yankees 1, Orioles 1.
9:52 Blah blah blah blah blah Romney $250,000 tax break for the rich blah blah blah blah blah Obama cost 710,000 jobs.
9:56 Ryan: I went to Afghanistan [in a Pentagon bubble] and all I got were these amazing stories from soldiers. Biden: 49 – 49 – 49 – 49 – 49 allies say we should get out in 2014. Conclusion: Thank God Ryan is already out.
10:01 Yankees 1, Orioles 1. Derek Jeter strikes out for the second time with runers in scoring position.
10:07 During foreign policy discussion, Ryan is dropping names like Hansel and Gretel dropped bread crumbs.
10:12 Yankees 1, Orioles 1.
10:14 The Cathaholic segment of our program.
10:21 Mr. September strikes out – pathetically – with men on second and third. Gets booed on walk of shame to dugout.
10:27 Closing statements. Ryan: Blah blah blah blah blah five-point plan. Biden: Blah blah blah blah blah period.
11:46 Email from Barack Obama:
Hey,
Let’s get Joe’s back, and say thanks:
https://donate.barackobama.com/Our-Team
Barack
11:54 Orioles 2, Yankees 1.
12:08 Orioles win 2-1 in 13.
12:32 Joe Biden email:
Hey,
I did my best to make you proud tonight.
But I hope you remember one thing: This debate wasn’t about me, or Congressman Ryan.
It was about you, and what we’re fighting for together.
So if you’re standing with Barack and me, like we’re standing with you, please chip in $5 or more to show it:
https://donate.barackobama.com/Our-Team
Thanks,
Joe
Hey,
Enough already.
Campaign Outsider 
Well done. Did you note the contrast of Biden’s very white hair to Ryan’s very dark hair? Very stark appearances. Thought Martha did a good job.
Things must not be going well. They asked for $5 instead of $3.
Parlous times, Mudge. Parlous times.
What’s this about the unemployment rate in Scranton when President Obama took office? Nine per cent then? If that was the January, 2009 BLS top line number, it was no doubt very misleading because people were losing jobs in ever-growing number post-Financial Collapse. One didn’t need Jack Welch to point out that there were elements of the jobs report that were left out at that particular point in time that would lead to a spike in the BLS jobs reports for the first months of the Obama Administration.