The American Spectator

Joe Biden missed a crucial opportunity in the Vice Presidential debate. He may have bested his opponent. Perhaps — if you rate Biden’s performance on sheer will and tenacity. He probably landed more punches — but that’s only because so many of his swings came in after the bell. So, that’s the good news for Biden.

The bad news is, unfortunately, the good news doesn’t really matter because Biden failed in his most important task. He failed to link his varied triumphs to his boss. Unlike Ryan, who made a point of specifically converting the essence of his rounds into points for Romney, Biden can’t and couldn’t help himself from being incredibly self-serving.

Certainly, viewers will come away assured that Joe Biden is a fighter and that he’s undaunted, even if a little undisciplined. But they won’t attach the points scored — admitting that there were a few — into reasons for reelecting Barack Obama. Biden failed to understand that he’s not there to sell himself, his knowledge, or his achievements, but to sell his President.

Certainly, given the state of the economy, the state of the Middle East, and the state of practically everything in between, that’s a hard sell.

But that Biden wasted (arguably) the only relevant 90 minutes of his vice presidency didn’t make it any easier.