So many people are saying the Paul Ryan is going to stomp a mudhole in Joe Biden at the vice presidential debate that I’m starting to get worried. Worried in a vague, suspicious-of-conventional-wisdom kind of way.
Creative Minority Report reinforces my worry with an excellent point:
This week’s conventional wisdom is that Rep. Paul Ryan, a very smart, wonky, and articulate speaker will wipe the floor with human gaffe machine Vice President Joe Biden.
This is, of course, completely wrong. Why? Because it is almost impossible to beat someone who believes his own lies, I mean really believes them.
…
How can you defeat someone upon whom logic and morality have no impact? How do you defeat someone who thinks he is the smartest guy in the room while simultaneously promoting two contradictory ideas and when you call him on it says “Damn right I do!” All the while grinning in triumph.
He’s right. In a way, Joe Biden is unbeatable in a debate. Because as we say around these parts, you can’t out-talk a fool, and Joe Biden is certainly that–an unassailable fortress of ignorance.
But, Romney’s debate prep obviously took Obama’s personality quirks and weaknesses into account and used them against him. Let’s hope that Ryan’s prep does the same for him. Maybe the best strategy is to let Joe start talking and get out of the way. “While the Vice President tells us all the details of the administration’s economic plan, I’m going to go make a sandwich.”