Week 8

2012 vice presidential debate could be key in campaign momentum

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20121010/NEWS01/310100143/2012-vice-presidential-debate-could-key-campaign-momentum
Article from courier-journal

Summary:

Vice presidential debate at Centre College between Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan could be crucial in determining momentum in the last weeks before the election. Republicans seized momentum in last week’s presidential debate when Mitt Romney prevailed against a flat President Barack Obama.

In the days since the Obama-Romney debate, the Republican challenger has gained ground in national polls and all-important swing-state polls, where the Nov. 6 election will be won or lost. Democrats believe Biden, 69, will go on the offensive more than Obama did last week and more than the vice president did in 2008. Democrats and Republicans both say Biden, a skilled debater, has no reason not to go after the 42-year-old Ryan, who hasn’t had a campaign debate in 14 years. Ryan’s challenge is to prove that he can debate, especially on foreign affairs issues that he had to familiarize himself with after being chosen as Romney’s running mate this summer.

Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, is most comfortable dealing with federal budget issues and has studied two large binders full of facts while on the campaign trail in an effort to broaden his knowledge.