Veep hopefuls sound off after debate

As the reporter who's covering the presidential race for the Capital Press, I thought it would be useful (or at least interesting) to sign up for the memos and e-mails the two campaigns send out to their supporters. Occasionally I've had second thoughts, as my inbox is often inundated by both camps.

But here is what vice-presidential combatants Joe Biden and Paul Ryan had to say "to me" after last night's debate.

From Biden, in a message simply titled, "Hey":

Tim,

I did my best to make you proud tonight.

But I hope you remember one thing: This debate wasn't about me, or Congressman Ryan.

It was about you, and what we're fighting for together.

So if you're standing with Barack and me, like we're standing with you, please chip in $5 or more to show it [...]

From Ryan, in an e-mail titled "Our fight":

Tim,

America is at a crossroads. We have a choice -- four more years of the same hardship and decline, or a new path. That choice was abundantly clear at last night's debate.

The American people want jobs. They want leadership they can believe in. They want our great nation to prosper again.

And they want leaders who'll fight for them -- and alongside them.

Mitt Romney and I, along with Republicans across the country, are fighting for America's comeback. And we're willing to fight for it -- because we believe our nation is at its best when individuals are allowed to pursue their dreams.

Mitt Romney and I believe that on November 6th, Americans will rise to the occasion. America will fix what needs fixing.

Both candidates ended by asking for donations.

Much has already been said and written about Biden's behavior during the debate. My take is that it pretty much summed up this administration's whole approach to governing. The way Biden responded to Ryan is how the EPA responds to us when we ask questions. It's how Deputy Ag Secretary Kathleen Merrigan reacts to people who criticize the new school lunch menu. In a milder form, it's how Merrigan responded to me when I asked her if the business roundtable she attended in May was an effort to improve a lackluster poll standing for President Obama on the economy. One sometimes gets the impression that these people wish they could just declare themselves dictators so they could dispense with all this pesky facing-us-ordinary-citizens stuff.

Incredibly, though, Biden wasn't the most obnoxious Democrat to step onto a debate stage last night.