#VPdebate: The online verdict

Oct 12

Web Only

#VPdebate: The online verdict

Netizens judge Biden and Ryan on social media.

Vice President Joe Biden and Republican vice presidential candidate U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan participate in the vice presidential debate at Centre College October 11, 2012 in Danville, Kentucky.

US Vice President Joe Biden and his Republican opponent Paul Ryan faced off in Danville, Kentucky for their first and only debate Thursday night. While the candidates talked foreign policy, economics and social issues, many online were quick to point out moments of humour both before and during the debate.

The Stream's Malika Bilal (@mmbilal) teamed up with Alex Howard (@digiphile), Washington correspondent for O’Reilly Media, to cover the online reactions to the debate.

View poll on GoPollGo

View the story "#VPdebate: the online verdict" on Storify#VPdebate: the online verdictNetizens judge Biden and Ryan on social media.Storified by The Stream · Thu, Oct 11 2012 21:26:22Here is our coverage from around the social web:The Stream: 11/10/2012 Vice Presidential Debate (1/2)ajstreamAhead of the debate, Google released a map of key election-related search terms by U.S. region.undefinedGoogleusercontentIn other corners of the web, netizens joked about a 2011 photo shoot of Paul Ryan for Time magazine.undefinedMshcdnSome even used the photos to poke fun at a recent interview in which Ryan declined to explain the specifics of his tax plan, saying it would take "too long to go through all the math".undefinedTumblrAfter the debate, Malika and Alex recapped the keywords and photos that began to trend online.The Stream: Vice Presidential Debate 11/10/2012 (2/2)ajstreamMany tweeted about Biden's use of the word "malarkey" in a response to Ryan.Get him Joe! #Malarkey http://pic.twitter.com/3BF10OhOTodd FarallyThe word even began to trend across the United States:8078603368_3ae6310cc8_bAJstream"Malarkey" is about to make a serious comeback.DessaMalarkey EXPLAINED: "A bunch of stuff." #vpdebateLiz HeronIn a Reddit discussion thread generated for Al Jazeera English, users commented on Biden's apparent amusement with Ryan's answers.KopOutAJstreamanonAJstreamSome, however, avoided online commentary altogether.My resolution: No reading Twitter during the debate. I want to know what I think before being influenced by what everyone else thinks.Ezra Klein