Vice President Biden took the first question from moderator Martha Raddatz, who said she was going to jump around between foreign policy and domestic policy. There were times during Congressman Paul Ryan’s first time speaking that Biden smiled and times when he had to stop himself from laughing.

Biden interrupted Ryan after he spoke for two minutes and 50 seconds. While Biden was talking about security in Libya, after he interrupted Ryan, Ryan laughed at one of Biden’s comments.

The debate started off with foreign policy and the last topic of the opening segment was Iran.

When talking about Iran, Biden said, “War should always be the absolute last resort.”

Biden reiterated that the current administration has imposed sanctions on Iran and that the U.S. allies along with China are sanctioning Iran.

The debate then shifted to the economy. Raddatz posed a question regarding how long it would take to get unemployment below 6 percent. Biden is not sure how long it will take for the unemployment below 6 percent.

Ryan said, “…we are going in the wrong direction,” and did not give a straight to the question.

Ryan also said, “23 million Americans are struggling for work today.”

Biden also brought up Romney’s 47 percent comment and expressed his anger with the comment. Biden showed his anger with Mitt Romney’s tax plan.

Ryan brought up the Romney-Ryan tax plan and discussed the same five-point plan Romney discussed in the first presidential debate. He also said, “Mitt Romney’s a good man.”

Ryan took a jab at Biden by alluding to Biden’s gaffes and by stating words do not come out the right way.

Biden countered with, “So does Romney.”

Biden said, “We saved a million jobs,” about the auto industry. The vice president also brought up how Romney said he would have let the auto industry go bankrupt. Biden mentioned that the current administration added 5.2 million private sector jobs.

Ryan brought up how Obama had a Democratically controlled Congress when he took office. He then questioned borrowing money, “Was it a good idea to borrow money from China?”

The debate then transitioned to Medicare and entitlements.

Ryan said, “Medicare and social security are going bankrupt...Obamacare takes [money] from Medicare to spend on Obamacare.”

When Biden was given the opportunity to speak, he said, “We saved $716 billion…we stopped overpaying insurance…extended the life of Medicare to 2024.”

He said, “Guaranteed benefit, it’s a voucher,” about the Romney Ryan plan for Medicare.

Biden said, “We will not…privatize [social security].” Ryan then countered this.

After speaking about domestic policy, Raddatz brought the debate back to foreign policy.

 

Read more of Neon Tommy's coverage on the 2012 election debates here.

Reach staff reporter Max Schwartz here; follow Max Schwartz on Twitter here.