Biden energizes Democrats with lively performance.
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Malarkey aside, who was the winner of Thursday night’s vice presidential debate? CNN’s early poll results had respondents split down the middle, with 48 percent saying Paul Ryan won the debate and 44 percent backing Vice President Biden—but the debate audience was more Republican than the country as a whole. According to Reuters, the two men fought to a draw and a tie always goes to the incumbent. According to a CBS News poll of uncommitted voters, 50 percent thought Biden won, 31 percent thought Ryan was the victor, while 19 percent thought it was a tie. Pundits agreed that Biden managed to put an end to the Obama campaign’s terrible week while also energizing Democrats.