Althouse: Paul Ryan's sparring partner, playing Joe Biden at the debate practice sessions, revealed.

October 8, 2012

Paul Ryan's sparring partner, playing Joe Biden at the debate practice sessions, revealed.

Ted Olson!

Perfect. Ryan should be honed to a sharp edge.

Now, who's playing Ryan for Biden? Chris Van Hollen. Here's Van Hollen's DNC speech in case you have trouble picturing that.

44 comments:

pm317 said...: Van Hollen is from my district. No way am I voting for him. And I don't think he is as good a choice as Ted Olson is for Ryan.; 10/8/12, 7:56 PM
mesquito said...: Let's say their choice of sparring partners betrays a certain smug confidence.

Think John Kerry still has that gig?; 10/8/12, 7:57 PM
edutcher said...: Van Hollen is one of the weasels you always see arguing the Demo talking points.

I don't doubt he'd be a good foil (probably knows Ryan well), but Joe has really been on a roll recently and that's something they can't coach.; 10/8/12, 7:57 PM
pm317 said...: They have locked up Biden until Thu for debate prep. LOL..; 10/8/12, 8:03 PM
Michael K said...: I doubt Ryan expects to see anything but DNC talking points.; 10/8/12, 8:11 PM
m stone said...: Is Slappy White still available?; 10/8/12, 8:12 PM
Irene said...: It's good that they picked a litigator. Litigators aren't deferential to their sparring partners.

It's also good that they picked someone older. Ryan will have gotten over being deferential to an elder.; 10/8/12, 8:13 PM
gk1 said...: Its interesting while the Roman's and Spartan's trained with heavier swords and shields to prepare them for battle the democrats have opted to train with nerf bats and balsa wood shields. This should end well.; 10/8/12, 8:15 PM
Anonymous said...: Two things: first, although Biden is a wily old coot and it would be unwise for Ryan to think he's going to take it in a cakewalk, something's happened to Biden during the past 4 years. He's always made gaffes, but he's making them on practically a daily basis now. And he doesn't seem to comprehend that they're gaffes.

Secondly, Ryan is already very accustomed to going on talk shows and defending his POV in the face of hostile reporters and Dems like Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. He's had a lot more practice at that during the past 4 years than Biden has had.

Some conservatives are fretting that Ryan is going to offend the touchy-feelies in the audience by going after a nice old man with a straight-edge razor. Nonsense. He'll be affable (everyone talks about how "likable" Slow Joe can be, but Ryan can turn on the charm too), polite, respectful, and armed to the eyeteeth with facts and figures.; 10/8/12, 8:20 PM
pm317 said...: OMG, Jim Lehrer is on Hannity!!; 10/8/12, 8:24 PM
Wally Kalbacken said...: Joe Isuzu unavailable,...; 10/8/12, 8:25 PM
mesquito said...: Meanwhile, Jim Lehrer says he has "no apologies" for his performance as debate moderator, adding that it was not his responsibilty "to put the lipstick on the pig."; 10/8/12, 8:25 PM
Hagar said...: I would think that if they are using Ted Olson, they are planning for Ryan to speak past Biden.
If they were intending to debate, that is actually answer Biden, they would have gotten Rodney Dangerfield.; 10/8/12, 8:27 PM
pm317 said...: I also heard Ted Olson with his new wife has a conversion of heart sort of -- she is a big Democrat. So can he be trusted?; 10/8/12, 8:31 PM
gk1 said...: I think Ryan should play the nice, doctor, talking to the family about their placement options while "Uncle Joe" talks about the aliens beaming secret messages past his tin foil hat. No need to get nasty, just roll your eyes and try to get Joe the help he so desperately needs.; 10/8/12, 8:32 PM
ddh said...: Chris Van Hollen can talk fast, but he's no Paul Ryan.; 10/8/12, 8:37 PM
Hagar said...: and he is not a good liar. At least to me, he always looks like he knows he is lying when making with the talking points.; 10/8/12, 8:47 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Cliff Claven would be the perfect Joe Biden.; 10/8/12, 8:50 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Van Hollen is a far left tax and spend lib so why do they think he can do a good Paul Ryan?; 10/8/12, 8:52 PM
gk1 said...: I wonder what the viewing audience number will be for the vp debate? It's just the political nerds tuning into these type of debates. 2008 might have been different because of the buzz over Palin. But usually its a fraction of what the presidential debates are. If Joe Biden falls on his face in a forest and there is no one to hear it, will it register in the polls?; 10/8/12, 8:57 PM
ddh said...: At least Joe Biden can learn a script because he's the first Biden in a thousand generations to get a college and a graduate degree.; 10/8/12, 9:00 PM
Paul said...: So Slow Joe is in training... but after outing where his bunker was located where will he train?

Maybe I can help Joe here. He can memorize the things he has said before..

"Folks, I can tell you I've known eight presidents, three of them intimately." --Joe Biden, Aug. 22, 2012

“Look at what they [Republicans] value, and look at their budget. And look what they're proposing. [Romney] said in the first 100 days, he's going to let the big banks write their own rules -- unchain Wall Street. They're going to put y'all back in chains." --Joe Biden, speaking to a largely African-American audience in Danville, Va., Aug. 14, 2012

"My mother believed and my father believed that if I wanted to be president of the United States, I could be, I could be Vice President!" --Joe Biden, campaigning in Youngstown, Ohio, May 16, 2012

"I promise you, the president has a big stick. I promise you." --Joe Biden, citing Theodore Roosevelt's famous quote, "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." (April 26, 2012)

"This is a big fucking deal!" --Joe Biden, caught on an open mic congratulating President Barack Obama during the health care signing ceremony, Washington, D.C., March 23, 2010

"His mom lived in Long Island for ten years or so. God rest her soul. And- although, she's- wait- your mom's still- your mom's still alive. Your dad passed. God bless her soul." --Joe Biden, on the mother of Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen, who is very much alive, Washington, D.C., March 17, 2010

"Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. Quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me." --Joe Biden, speaking at a town hall meeting in Nashua, New Hampshire, Sept. 10, 2008 (Source)

"A man I'm proud to call my friend. A man who will be the next President of the United States — Barack America!" --Joe Biden, at his first campaign rally with Barack Obama after being announced as his running mate, Springfield, Ill., Aug. 23, 2008 (Watch video clip)

"A successful dump!" --Joe Biden, explaining his whereabouts (dropping deadwood at the dump) to the reporters outside his home, Wilmington, Del., Aug. 20, 2008

"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man." –Joe Biden, referring to Barack Obama at the beginning of the 2008 Democratic primary campaign, Jan. 31, 2007 (Source)

"You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent.... I'm not joking." --Joe Biden, in a private remark to an Indian-American man caught on C-SPAN, June, 2006 (Watch video clip)

Pleasant dreams Joe! Keep them gaffs coming!; 10/8/12, 9:06 PM
Methadras said...: Fuck, Biden might as well resurrect the 3 stooges to prep him.; 10/8/12, 9:16 PM
test said...: AJ Lynch said...
Van Hollen is a far left tax and spend lib so why do they think he can do a good Paul Ryan?

He's respected as someone who understands politics. He ran the Democratic Congressional Re-election campaign in 2008, the last time Dems out-performed circumstances. The Democratic problem is that they are not critical thinkers. Debate isn't the same as a media campaign. The directness precludes simply discussing only what you want or throwing out steaming piles of crap because you know your voters will believe anything you say, the core components of a media campaign and Van Hollen's specialty. But team Obama doesn't seem to get the difference.

I think Olsen's a good choice. Litigators are used to being directly confrontational, without alienating a judge or jury, and have to think on their feet.; 10/8/12, 9:23 PM
Ralph L said...: I think Olsen's a good choice
No, they're both too skinny and wear too much eye makeup.; 10/8/12, 9:54 PM
reformed trucker said...: "Joe Isuzu unavailable..."

Funny! It should be interesting... Unka Joe is a bullshit artist who can shoot from the hip (hitting the target is a different story). Facts? We don't need no stinkin' facts!

I'm looking forward to it; I'll have an IPA and some snacks at the ready.; 10/8/12, 9:58 PM
reformed trucker said...: "2008 might have been different because of the buzz over Palin."

Don't underestimate the draw of Sexy Math Geek with females.; 10/8/12, 10:04 PM
furious_a said...: Sorry, just not getting the Howdy Doody You-Betcha! vibe from van Hollen.

And I mean that in a nice way.; 10/8/12, 10:04 PM
David said...: Van Hollen's speech was pretty good, and it outlined the best attack Biden will have on Ryan. I'm sure Olsen will have watched the speech too and will have Ryan prepared.

Biden won't win on debating skill. He could beat Ryan on personality and like ability. Ryan is pretty tightly wound.; 10/8/12, 10:19 PM
Sammy said...: @ gk1

Because there are so many negative ads ( mostly Obama )
and the trust in the national media is so low, the public maybe decided it is better to form opinions from actually watching and hearing what the candates say in a format that is more conducive to getting answers instead of spin, that's why I think the last debate viewership was so high.

And even though the media pretends the times aren't grave , the public knows this election is pivotal to what direction America is to go :

Obama /decline Romney/ renewal; 10/8/12, 10:55 PM
Beldar said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/8/12, 11:31 PM
Beldar said...: What makes a great appellate advocate -- what distinguishes the great ones from the merely competent ones -- is the ability to make one's opponent's arguments as well as they can possibly be made.

Credibility among appellate judges, who are superbly well-prepared and -informed audiences for such arguers, can be instantly forfeit when an advocate misstates or fails to confront his opponent's arguments (well made).

When Ted Olsen states his opponent's argument very concisely and precisely and -- most of all, fairly -- then it is vastly more impressive when Mr. Olsen then proceeds to dismantle it with his own arguments. When Mr. Olsen does that three or four times in a row, he's won the argument (even if he doesn't necessarily win the case; sometimes that happens too).

Joe Biden should surely wish he's capable of achieving in real life the level of polish in delivering Obama-Biden talking points that Olsen has used against Ryan in practice. Olsen has certainly presented a mock Biden who's as sharp and coherent as the ten best combined performances Slow Joe has delivered in his whole career, as measured after Biden's staffers have edited the transcript to clean up his gaffes and nonsense.

Chris Van Hollen is an aggressive and determined debater, in the mold of a Dick Durbin. He is not the sharpest tool in the shed, though; he needs writers to give him the talking points he's to deliver. And since he has not even a passing acquaintance with truth-telling, the chances that he will have been able to accurately portray Paul Ryan are statistically insignificant.

The Dems should have gotten David Boies to spoof Ryan! Now that would have been interesting!

I do not expect Biden to embarrass himself. And his base will declare themselves satisfied with his performance no matter what, because the alternative for them at this point would be ritual hari-kari.

But I am confident that Ryan will win on steak and at least hold his own on sizzle.; 10/8/12, 11:36 PM
Beldar said...: Actually, they ought to have gotten Evan Bayh to spoof Ryan.; 10/8/12, 11:37 PM
Beldar said...: Or maybe Prof. Althouse's favorite, Russ Feingold. He could certainly have done a good spoof. Any of those three -- Boies, Bayh, or Feingold -- could have reliably simulated Ryan's positions on substance, and credibly imitated Ryan's style. I can't imagine Van Hollen managing either, even with a teleprompter and an earpiece.; 10/8/12, 11:41 PM
Beldar said...: Apologies to Japanese speakers, I ought have written "Hara-Kiri."; 10/8/12, 11:42 PM
William said...: Can anyone conceive of a scenario where Joe Biden with his mastery of the facts and deft debating skills will change their opinion about Obama and the last four years? I suppose those that support Obama will continue to support Obama after the debate, but I just can't see Biden changing any minds. If Ryan, on the other hand, has a successful performance and radiates confidence and energy it will perhaps play into this new narrative that's developing and be of help to Romney....I don't see how a VP debate can be decisive in any way, but it will be part of the zeitgeist and more favorable to Romney than to Obama.; 10/9/12, 12:04 AM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Biden just needs to spit out the talking points with vigor. Then he'll be proclaimed the winner.

Really, he doesn't have to do much other than say a lot of things with confidence. He did that in the debate with Palin and it was all BS. Flat out, not true, BS. No fact checking back in 2008, I guess.

He'll do it again, and be hailed as a hero.; 10/9/12, 1:14 AM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Seriously, go watch the debate with Palin. That's all he needs to do.; 10/9/12, 1:15 AM
Roman said...: What the Dems really need is someone besides Slow Joe to debate Paul Ryan. In a battle of wits, Biteme is just without ammo.; 10/9/12, 5:44 AM
kentuckyliz said...: OK, who's tuning in for the car wreck factor?

Biden Gaffe-O-Matic could be a drinking game!; 10/9/12, 6:44 AM
Michael The Magnificent said...: Biden just needs to spit out the talking points with vigor. Then he'll be proclaimed the winner. Really, he doesn't have to do much other than say a lot of things with confidence.

I'm sorry to say this, but I have to agree. Biden is so convinced of his super-genius that being wrong is inconceivable to him. And so he spews bullshit with such complete confidence that it's convincing!

Convincing, unless you're skeptical enough to do a little googling, in which case it becomes obvious that Biden is clueless.; 10/9/12, 7:30 AM
David said...: I do not expect Biden to embarrass himself. And his base will declare themselves satisfied with his performance no matter what, because the alternative for them at this point would be ritual hari-kari.

Ha!; 10/9/12, 8:25 AM
SeanF said...: Ted Olson's perfect to play Biden!

"...it forms water droplets, what we call 'condensation.' Just like on your mother when she gets out of the shower, glistening with tiny little beads of...Oh, hi, Frank."; 10/9/12, 8:58 AM
SeanF said...: Ted Olson's perfect to play Biden!

"...it forms water droplets, what we call 'condensation.' Just like on your mother when she gets out of the shower, glistening with tiny little beads of...Oh, hi, Frank."; 10/9/12, 8:59 AM