Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, order food at a Wendy's restuarant in Richmond Heights, Ohio, on Tuesday.
(CNN) -- Vice President Joe Biden met his challenger, Rep. Paul Ryan, Thursday night in Danville, Kentucky, for the vice presidential debate. CNN contributors and analysts offered these assessments of the evening:
Timothy Stanley: Debate was sports bar vs. seminar
This was a strange debate, even an ugly one. The two men looked like they were taking part in separate discussions. Ryan was speaking in the economics seminar at some obscure think tank. Biden was shouting answers in the middle of a loud sports bar.
The tone was so uneven that the candidates seemed to find each other's presence a nuisance -- Biden laughed his way through Ryan's answers and Ryan was often visibly irritated. The most surreal moment was when Biden picked a fight with the moderator, Martha Raddatz, about the Afghanistan War. We've never seen him this pugnacious.
Who won the vice presidential debate?
'Malarkey,' 'shirtless' trend in debate
Amusing moments during VP debate
Biden, Ryan hold lively VP debate
Overall, it was a draw. Liberals will probably appreciate that Biden did what Obama failed to do last week: He took the debate to the Republicans and called out their "malarkey." But moderate voters might take offense at his combative tone, which often bordered on rude. By contrast, Ryan's softer, more wonkish style might strike floating voters as weak. But he could also score among those looking for calm and reason rather than heated rhetoric.
Biden excelled when attacking Ryan on Romney's flip-flops and failure to commit to specific spending cuts. Ryan excelled when talking about his beloved Medicare and tax plans. Both men displayed thoughtfulness and humanity in the question of abortion, which pitted different traditions of Catholicism against one another.
Ryan said his faith and his public policy were inseparable; Biden refused to compel others to adhere to Catholic doctrine. Again, how the voter reacts to those answers will depend on their prejudices. This debate wasn't about persuasion. It was about drawing contrasts and playing to the cameras. As a result, it probably wasn't the game changer that either side was looking for.
Timothy Stanley is a historian at Oxford University and blogs for Britain's The Daily Telegraph. He is the author of "The Crusader: The Life and Times of Pat Buchanan."
Politics: Five things we learned from the VP debate
Paul Begala: Biden's "malarkey" line sums it up
I sometimes think the definition of a Democrat is someone who is afraid to take his own side in a fight.
Malarkey.
With that one word, spoken in the opening minutes of the vice presidential debate, Joe Biden signaled he was fighting back. Biden gave the Democrats the debate they needed. He grabbed Paul Ryan by the scruff of his neck and gave him a thorough thrashing.
Biden pounced on Ryan for seeking to cut funding for embassy security, even as he played politics with the terror attack on our consulate in Benghazi. The Malarkey Moment surprised Ryan and energized Biden. Perhaps smelling blood in the water, Biden kept Ryan on his heels for the rest of the evening.
Ryan gulped water as Biden spoke, and Biden smiled (sometimes you could tell it was forced) as Ryan talked. And for all the times they called each other "my friend" and said, "with all due respect," both candidates had a tone of exasperation at times.
Biden hammered Ryan and Romney for sneering at a giant percentage of Americans. Ryan has called as many as 40% of our fellow citizens "takers." Yet he more than once spoke of his family's dependence on Social Security and Medicare. Biden wouldn't let him get away with it. Finally, it got to Ryan, who snarled, "I know you're under a lot of duress." Whoa, sonny-boy, watch the snark. You're getting your butt kicked, and it shows.
The Obama campaign released a photo of President Obama watching the debate. Good. The president was criticized for being too passive in the first debate. Some may criticize Biden for being too aggressive in this one. So be it. But I loved his performance, and I bet the president did as well.
Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist and CNN political contributor, is senior adviser to Priorities USA Action, the biggest super PAC favoring President Barack Obama's re-election. Begala was a political consultant for Bill Clinton's presidential campaign in 1992 and was counselor to Clinton in the White House.
Ana Navarro: What Obama could learn from Biden
I'm a Republican pundit. I'm supposed to write that Paul Ryan crushed Joe Biden and turned him into dust in tonight's debate. But I've accidentally consumed some truth serum. I saw this as draw. Both Biden and Ryan were prepared, well practiced and brought their A game to the table. The campaign spinners are going to make the case their respective candidates won. In my book, they both scored victories.
Biden won because unlike President Obama in the first debate, Biden did not clearly, unequivocally lose. He stopped the bleeding for his camp. Had Biden followed in Obama's example and given a lackluster performance, it would have been the fatal blow. Instead, Obama lives to fight another day.
Ryan also came out victorious. He shared the stage with a sitting vice president and one of he most veteran politicians in America and held his own. Ryan went toe to toe with the vice president, even when discussing foreign policy, Biden's strength. Despite his youth, Ryan looked vice presidential. He debated a man who could easily be his father, but they sat there as equals and on even footing.
Neither of them blinked or ceded an inch. Both of them came armed with facts and figures but also gave us a view into their personal side. This was a good debate for Joe Biden and Paul Ryan, and also for the American people. We got to see the two sides passionately advocate distinct positions. There is no muddled gray area here.
Folks, buckle up! We have a tight race in our hands. The vice presidential debate has made the next presidential debate that much more crucial. If President Obama hopes to reverse the tide, he could stand to learn a few lessons from his vice president. For starters, show up not only in body, but also in soul. Engage your opponent, better yet, look at him. Challenge the statements you think are inaccurate. Don't leave opportunities on the table. Don't just stand at the plate; swing at the balls pitched at you.
Joe Biden was being compared to President Obama in the first debate. He vastly outperformed him. Paul Ryan was being compared to Joe Biden, and he stood his ground. The ball now goes back to Romney and Obama's court. A few months ago, some Democrats were fretting about whether it would be better to replace Biden on the ticket. If President Obama doesn't come out swinging and deliver an energetic performance in the next debate, Democrats might find themselves wondering if the wrong guy isn't on the top of the ticket.
Ana Navarro, a Republican strategist and commentator, served as national Hispanic campaign chairwoman for John McCain in 2008 and national Hispanic co-chair for Jon Huntsman's 2012 campaign. Follow her on Twitter @ananavarro.
Feisty VP debate sets up Obama-Romney rematch
Bob Greene: The words that echoed loudest
It wasn't a moment that will make the headlines.
But of all the words spoken Thursday evening, they were the ones that may have had people of every political persuasion, all across the country, nodding their heads in quiet agreement.
The words came about eight minutes before the conclusion of the vice-presidential debate. They were spoken not by either of the candidates, but by the moderator, Martha Raddatz.
She prefaced her thoughts by saying she knew that both men had great respect for the people who serve in the military. And then she said:
"I recently spoke to a highly decorated soldier who said that this presidential campaign has left him dismayed. He told me, quote, 'The ads are so negative, and they are all tearing down each other rather than building up the country.' What would you say to that American hero about this campaign, and at the end of the day, are you ever embarrassed by the tone?"
The answers given by Joe Biden and Paul Ryan -- serious in tenor -- were not as stirring as the question itself, because unless you are a professional political operative whose job it is to attack the other side, you recognize the wisdom in that soldier's words. Raddatz did not mention what the soldier's political allegiance was, and it would have been beside the point. What mattered is that he is an American, and he believes that much of the tone of the campaign has been beneath the dignity of what Americans should expect.
Biden repeatedly referred to Ryan as "my friend"; Ryan, at the end of the proceedings, thanked Biden -- he referred to him as "Joe" -- and said it had been an honor to debate him.
People tend to accord each other that kind of courtesy when they have to look each other in the eye. Friday morning, though, the ad wars will resume, like bombing raids conducted from two miles in the air. The truth of that is undebatable.
Bob Greene is a best-selling author whose 25 books include "Late Edition: A Love Story," "Duty: A Father, His Son, and the Man Who Won the War," and "Once Upon a Town: The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen."
Donna Brazile: Who says VP debates don't matter?
Joe Biden proved tonight that vice presidential debates can -- and should - matter. And Martha Raddatz proved that moderators can -- and should -- moderate. Paul Ryan showed that talking points, an engaging personality and a few personal anecdotes can't mask bad policy, misinformation and ignorance.
Paul Ryan attempted to dominate the conversation -- a bullying tactic he took from Romney's playbook and that clearly irritated Biden. He rattled off misleading information, half-truths and cooked-up numbers. He made unsubstantiated claims about President Obama, the effects of his policies, both here and abroad, and ignored the context of the last four years: the "Great Recession" and Republican congressional obstructionism. Biden successfully challenged them all.
Raddatz pressed both candidates for specifics and would not be bulldozed. She kept the debate moving, didn't let it deteriorate (too much), and asked hard questions. At various points, both candidates were uncomfortable; both Biden and Ryan had "I don't want to answer that" moments. That's a sign the moderator was doing her job. For the most part, she let them debate, but acted as guide and, well, moderator. It's a tough line moderators have to walk, but Martha Raddatz did it as well as anybody.
Joe Biden came prepared to argue, to debate and to be Joe. He didn't allow the "less than candid" Republican claims to go unchallenged. When Ryan brought up "values," Biden brought up "responsibility," and the disdain Romney and Ryan have for 47% (or 30%) of the American people. He even countered Ryan's reference to his "gaffes," replying, "I always say what I mean."
Ryan was salesman smooth and knew his talking points. Biden was passionate and "fired up." Ryan talked; Biden shared experience. Both men could argue, but only Biden was intense -- because he spoke -- and frowned and gestured and smiled - from his heart as well as his mind.
A young woman, in her early twenties, wrote me after the debate that Joe Biden inspired her with his fervor and honesty to register and to vote.
Yes, this debate mattered. A lot.
Donna Brazile, a CNN contributor and a Democratic strategist, is vice chairwoman for voter registration and participation at the Democratic National Committee. She is a nationally syndicated columnist, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and author of "Cooking With Grease." She was manager for the Gore-Lieberman presidential campaign in 2000.
First two debates couldn't be more different
Margaret Hoover: Ryan ahead on style and substance
Bottom line -- this debate will amount to a draw.
Biden, who needed to stop the hemorrhaging of momentum from the Obama-Biden campaign, performed strongly, but was overly aggressive. If he was downright rude, according to many in the Twitterverse, he got a pass from the president's supporters, who can only hope they see this offense from the commander-in-chief next week. Biden tried to dominate the debate, lost on style and stumbled on substance.
Ryan seemed less confident on foreign policy at the beginning, but recovered on Afghanistan, where he's visited twice and had a personal anecdote to illustrate his time in Helmand Province. I wish he'd called Biden out when he accused Ryan of voting to "to put two wars on a credit card." Biden, too, voted for both wars. The high water mark of the performance was Ryan's fancy footwork early that took 47%-gate off the table in quipping, "I think the vice president very well knows that sometimes the words don't come out of your mouth the right way." Even Biden had to chuckle.
This split screen captured the contrast in visions of the two vice presidential candidates on fiscal policy. Appropriately on the left, older Joe Biden, defending big government and modern liberalism's spending and fiscal denial with a grinning fresh face offering new ideas for fiscal reform and longevity from the right.
Ryan was classy to thank the vice president for the debate, even after having been smirked at for the previous 90 minutes. But Biden's graciousness to Ryan's mother once the microphones were cut portrayed his interpersonal warmth that plays so well on the campaign trail.
I think Ryan had the advantage on substance and style. In a national race where both guys are second runner-up, this is effectively a draw for how it plays into the larger campaign narratives.
Margaret Hoover is the author of "American Individualism: How a New Generation of Conservatives Can Save the Republican Party."
William Howell: Ryan's challenge was bigger, and he met it
No great surprise, Joe Biden delivered tonight. On the heels of his boss' withering performance last week, the vice president demonstrated his deep knowledge of domestic and foreign policy issues, fluidly maneuvering between minutiae about tax policy and the draw-down in Afghanistan on the one hand and meta-arguments about the stakes involved in this election on the other. He also scored his share of style points.
Though all that laughing through those big pearly whites proved a bit unnerving at times, Biden exhibited his relish for a good debate and his conviction in essential liberal principles. The Democratic base is surely pleased.
It was Paul Ryan, though, who faced the bigger challenge. Ryan had to prove his commitment to ideas and principles that are not entirely of his choosing. During the primaries, when Romney was brandishing his conservative credentials, this task would have been easily met. But going into this debate, it was not clear that the darling among the conservative right would be able to square his views with those of the more moderate incarnation of the former governor of deep-blue Massachusetts. But well he did.
Disciplined, substantive and on point, Ryan effectively thwarted efforts by Biden to drive a wedge between the congressman's former voting record and the policy positions of the Romney-Ryan ticket. He performed as well as his party could possibly have hoped.
This debate is not likely to move the polls much at all. But that is not to say that it is entirely inconsequential. For at least the coming week, Democrats can now talk about something other than their president's detachment. And Republicans generally, but Romney in particular, can rest assured that the GOP presidential ticket is in order as they settle on a consistent message to push through Election Day.
William Howell is the Sydney Stein professor in American politics at the University of Chicago.
Who won the VP debate? Martha Raddatz
Maria Cardona: Pressure is on the next two debates
This was one of the best vice presidential debates I've seen. The pressure was on Vice President Joe Biden to deliver a great performance -- and deliver he did.
Biden was assertive and aggressive, and he didn't let any untruth or distortion coming out of Paul Ryan's mouth slide.
From Medicare to taxes to Iran to Afghanistan to the 47% to abortion, Biden did not miss an opportunity and was as clear as he could have been on how President Obama would be on the side of middle-class families, seniors, women and those most vulnerable in our society. He was factual and specific. His years of experience in the Senate showed as he commanded the stage with his expertise.
Rep. Paul Ryan held his own, didn't make any mistakes and was prepared. But he was outwitted by Biden and challenged by the moderator Martha Raddatz when he was being vague.
Ryan's weakest moments came when he was pressed for specifics. He seemed demure on the issue of what loopholes he would close or how he and Mitt Romney would pay for the tax cuts and defense spending increases they are proposing. Raddatz pushed him on these points, and he did not have a satisfactory answer. In some instances, whether it was on economic issues or Iran, Ryan was not able to say what he and Romney would do differently.
Biden came across as more authentic, much more passionate and as a guy who is a real champion of the middle class. Moreover, Biden was able to stop the bleeding, get Democrats excited about the next two debates and inject some much needed energy and optimism coming out of the doldrums from last week's presidential debate.
Did the debate change any minds? Probably not. It seems Republicans are happy with Ryan's performance just as Democrats are happy with Biden's.
What this means is that the remaining two presidential debates take on even more importance for how this race will continue to play out. Stay tuned.
Maria Cardona is a Democratic strategist, a principal at the Dewey Square Group, a former senior adviser to Hillary Clinton and former communications director for the Democratic National Committee.
Read a transcript of the debate
John Avlon: Biden overwhelms Ryan
I underestimated Joe Biden.
Before the vice presidential debate, I'd thought that Paul Ryan would have the upper hand -- a young, smart policy wonk and great communicator paired off against an out-of-practice, aging politico with a recurring case of foot-in-mouth disease.
I was wrong.
Joe Biden had clearly studied Barack Obama's failures in the first presidential debate and decided to do the exact opposite -- intensely engaged, smiling and pushing back aggressively at the slightest hint of misstatement or exaggeration.
Paul Ryan was bobbing on the sea of Biden, keeping his head above water much of the time but occasionally overwhelmed by the combined force of personality and facts. He looked like what he was -- an earnest, intelligent, over-coached, comparatively inexperienced chairman of the Budget Committee.
Moderator Martha Raddatz had perhaps the best debate, especially compared to the unfocused Jim Lehrer; she actually asked pointed questions and follow-ups.
And it was there that the campaign spin had to surrender to stats and facts. Ryan is a budget expert, but he either didn't want to acknowledge or didn't know his own campaign's proposal to increase military spending to 4% of GDP, adding $2 trillion in federal spending over 10 years and blowing a hole in their deficit reduction rhetoric. Likewise, questions about what specifically a Romney-Ryan administration would do differently about Syria, Iran or Afghanistan went essentially unanswered despite the flurry of words.
Joe Biden made his share of unforced errors -- interrupting Ryan far too much and getting so overheated at one point that he turned his frustration against the moderator in an awkward spate of finger-pointing.
Ryan also shined in his discussion of deficits and debts, contrasting the president's speeches with score-able policy. His closing statement was disarming and compelling.
The best moment in terms of style and substance was Raddatz's question about abortion and the candidates' shared Catholic faith. Both men gave serious, thoughtful answers on this most difficult of subjects -- but Ryan's anti-abortion agenda contrasted to Biden's belief that he could not impose his personal religious views on an individual woman's decision. It was an eloquent defense of the separation of church and state -- a core concept we have heard too little about in recent years.
This debate might not get as many viewers as the 70 million Americans who tuned in to the Biden-Palin debate in 2008 -- but it was far more substantive, energetic and serious. It was a great debate -- simultaneously civil and contentious -- the kind we need more of in the United States.
Biden's strong performance gave the Democrats a much needed shot in the arm, a compelling defense of their values and beliefs that will buoy their sagging morale and change the narrative going into the second presidential debate on Tuesday.
It might not have changed many undecided minds, but it changed the momentum -- and that's a win in our democracy circa 2012.
John Avlon is a senior political columnist for Newsweek and The Daily Beast. He is co-editor of the book "Deadline Artists: America's Greatest Newspaper Columns." He is a regular contributor to CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront."
Julian Zelizer: Something for both sides
Vice President Joe Biden and Rep. Paul Ryan engaged in a vigorous debate, with a moderator who kept pushing the discussion along.
Both sides will find something in the debate that they can boast about. Ryan demonstrated he could debate policy areas where he is not as experienced, particularly foreign policy, and he handled himself well before the television cameras. He remained calm under fire. Ryan was also able to tell a few personal stories that he used to try to humanize the image of his running mate.
For Democrats, who needed a much bigger boost, Biden came through in that he was much more aggressive than Obama was in last week's debate, hammering away at Republican economic policies, warning voters about his opponent's Medicare plan and defending the administration's actions overseas. Biden consistently raised questions about whether Ryan and the Republicans are even telling the truth when they speak. During the last segment of the debate, Biden seemed to be at his strongest, a Democrat who was tough on national security and someone who was on firmer ground than his opponent with regard to understanding these challenges. Biden said what many Democrats wanted President Obama to say against Romney, showing the enthusiasm and the fire that was absent last week.
There are some viewers who might have been turned off by Biden's tendency to laugh and shake his head in dismissive fashion as Ryan was speaking. The danger for Democrats is that some swing voters read this as arrogance and partisanship rather than a sign of Biden's comfort before the cameras.
Like other vice presidential debates, this one probably won't have much of an impact on the electorate, though it will help curb some of the media discussion about Obama's poor first performance and generate some excitement among Democrats who were left deflated after Denver. Finally, both candidates handled themselves well enough that it probably won't have any major effect on their fortunes if they choose to run for the presidency in 2016.
Julian Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. He is the author of "Jimmy Carter" and of the new book "Governing America."
Aaron Carroll: Debate shed little light on Medicare, Medicaid
No one will confuse this debate and the last one. Both participants came prepared to fight. There are many who will say that Vice President Biden was too forceful, or was disrespectful, but for supporters of the president who wanted to see a more energetic response to the Republican campaign, Biden's performance was likely a balm.
The polls will tell us in the next few days, but if Biden's actions tonight inspire the base as I think they likely will, then the president will see some benefit.
Of course, my main interest is health policy, and in that respect, tonight was a bit disappointing. The entire discussion centered on Medicare. For all the bluster between the two campaigns, the differences between them on that program for the next decade are small.
For all the talk about the financial risk Medicare holds, neither wants to cut it severely soon. On Medicaid, however, the differences are stark; that program didn't come up at all.
I also was appalled that raising the Medicare age of eligibility was tossed off as an obvious thing to do. That's a terrible idea.
Dr. Aaron E. Carroll is an associate professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine and the director of the university's Center for Health Policy and Professionalism Research. He blogs about health policy at The Incidental Economist and tweets at @aaronecarroll.
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Romney boards his campaign plane in Bedford, Massachusetts. The Romney camp has decided to continue campaigning on Election Day.
President Barack Obama gets emotional at his final campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday, November 5, on the eve of the U.S. presidential election. Obama's speech included references to his 2008 campaign and his victory in the Iowa caucuses, which helped catapult his political career.
The president and first lady Michelle Obama embrace Monday in Des Moines at his last campaign rally before the election.
A young supporter listens to Obama at Monday's rally in Des Moines.
Romney and his wife, Ann, greet supporters at a rally late Monday in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Ann Romney wipes away tears during her husband's campaign rally Monday in Manchester.
Romney reaches out to supporters Monday in Columbus, Ohio.
A Romney fan shows her support at Monday's rally in Columbus.
Obama, lower left, speaks during a campaign rally Monday in Madison, Wisconsin.
Workers put up signs Monday for Romney's election night event in Boston.
Obama is greeted by former President Bill Clinton during a campaign rally in Concord, New Hampshire, on Sunday, November 4. Obama and Romney darted from swing state to swing state, trying to fire up enthusiasm among supporters and win over any last wavering voters before Election Day.
Romney meets some young supporters during a campaign rally at the Hy-Vee Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sunday.
Romney arrives at Sunday's rally in Des Moines.
Obama arrives at a campaign rally in Dubuque, Iowa, on Saturday, November 3.
Romney supporters attend a rally in Englewood, Colorado, on Saturday.
Obama arrives at Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport before an event in Mentor, Ohio, on Saturday.
President Barack Obama departs aboard Marine One for travel to campaign events in Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa and Virginia from the south lawn of the White House on Saturday.
Ann Romney offers pastries to journalists aboard GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's campaign plane at Portsmouth International Airport in Newington, New Hampshire, on Saturday.
Supporters look on as Romney speaks during a campaign rally in Newington, New Hampshire, on Saturday.
President Barack Obama embraces Judith Kamalay after she introduced him during a campaign rally Friday, November 2, in Hilliard, Ohio.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney works aboard his campaign plane before takeoff Friday in Norfolk, Virginia.
Romney gets ready to step off his campaign bus during an event Thursday, November 1, in Doswell, Virginia.
Obama addresses a campaign rally Thursday at Austin Straubel International Airport in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
U.S. Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney greets policemen who were part of his motorcade as he prepares to board his campaign plane in Roanoke, Virginia on Thursday.
Supporters wait to hear President Obama during a campaign rally at Austin Straubel International Airport on Thursday.
Mitt Romney holds a baby during a campaign event at Meadow Event Park on Thursday.
President Obama speaks during a campaign rally at Austin Straubel International Airport.
A Mitt Romney supporter holds an American flag during a campaign event at Meadow Event Park.
President Barack Obama greets and comforts victims of Hurricane Sandy at a shelter in Brigantine, New Jersey, on Wednesday, October 31.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney holds a campaign rally on Halloween at Metropolitan Park in Jacksonville, Florida, on Wednesday, October 31.
President Barack Obama speaks about the federal government's response to Superstorm Sandy at the headquarters of the Red Cross in Washington on Tuesday, October 30.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney accepts a food donation for storm victims at an event in Kettering, Ohio, on Tuesday.
Supporters listen as Romney speaks at an event to collect food and supply donations for storm victims in Kettering, Ohio, Tuesday.
Romney talks with advisers on his campaign bus while en route to a rally at Avon Lake High School on Monday, October 29, in Avon Lake, Ohio.
Obama makes a statement in the White House briefing room following a briefing on Hurricane Sandy on Monday in Washington. Obama returned early from a campaign trip to Florida and has canceled several other campaign events to monitor the storm.
Former President Bill Clinton speaks during a campaign rally with Vice President Joe Biden on Monday in Youngstown, Ohio. Obama had planned to attend the event but canceled to monitor Hurricane Sandy.
Obama steps off Air Force One on Monday upon arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.
People line up in the rain for a campaign rally with Clinton and Biden on Monday in Youngstown, Ohio.
Democratic supporters listen during a campaign rally Monday with Clinton and Biden.
Romney greets supporters during a campaign rally at Avon Lake High School on Monday in Avon Lake, Ohio. Romney canceled other campaign events planned for Monday and Tuesday due to Hurricane Sandy.
A young girl looks on during a campaign rally for Romney at Avon Lake High School on Monday.
Romney speaks during a campaign rally at Seven Cities Sod on Monday in Davenport, Iowa.
Romney gets into his SUV after landing Monday in Vandalia, Ohio.
Romney holds a giant cinnamon roll on Monday en route to Dayton, Ohio.
A supporter of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan wears a campaign sticker on his shoe during a campaign rally at the Celina Fieldhouse in Celina, Ohio, on Sunday, October 28.
Obama delivers remarks during a campaign rally at Elm Street Middle School in Nashua, New Hampshire on Saturday, October 27. With 10 days to go before the presidential election, Obama and his opponent, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, are criss-crossing the country from one swing state to the next in an attempt to sway voters.
A young Romney supporter holds a homemade sign during a campaign rally at Ranger Jet Center on Saturday in Kissimmee, Florida.
Obama speaks at a campaign rally in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Saturday.
Romney emerges from his SUV at Akron-Canton Regional Airport on Saturday in Canton, Ohio.
Romney and his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, hold a campaign rally at Canton Hoover High School in North Canton, Ohio, on Friday, October 26.
Obama chats with firefighters after dropping off doughnuts for them at a fire station in Tampa, Florida, on Thursday, October 25.
Romney, center, poses for a photo with workers at First Watch Cafe on Thursday.
Volunteers make phone calls seeking support for Romney at his Arlington Victory Center in Virginia.
Obama kisses a baby during a campaign rally at Byrd Park in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday.
Supporters take photos of Obama during a campaign rally at Ybor City Museum State Park in Tampa on Thursday.
Supporters look on as Romney speaks during a campaign rally at Jet Machine in Cincinnati.
Romney says goodbye to Ryan at Denver International airport on Wednesday, October 24.
Supporters cheer as Obama speaks during a campaign event at Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds in Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday.
The president speaks with residents during a lunch with a group of Obama for America volunteers at an unanounced stop at Antonella's Pizzeria in Davenport, Iowa, on Wednesday.
Romney holds a campaign rally at the Reno Event Center in Nevada on Wednesday.
Obama greets people at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, Wednesday.
Romney gestures to the crowd during a campaign event at the Reno Event Center in Reno, Nevada on Wednesday.
Romney talks with his running mate Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin aboard their campaign plane on Tuesday, October 23, en route to Denver. A day after the final presidential debate, Romney is campaigning in Nevada and Colorado.
Obama and Romney hug their wives on stage after finishing their third and final presidential debate at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, on Monday, October 22.
Romney and his wife, Ann, try to relax backstage with members of their family before the start of Monday's debate.
Obama reads briefing material while meeting with advisers inside his cabin on Sunday, October 21, at Camp David, Maryland.
Republican candidate Mitt Romney plays with his grandson while having dinner on Sunday in Delray Beach, Florida.
Bartek Wawruch stands between cardboard cutouts of Obama and Romney at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, on Saturday, October 20, as the campus prepares for Monday's presidential debate.
Romney boards his campaign plane at Newark Liberty International Airport on Friday, October 19.
Romney speaks with campaign staff on board his campaign plane at Washington Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia, on Thursday, October 18.
Obama speaks during a rally at Veterans Memorial Park in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Thursday.
Jack Bunn, 51, and Jane Cookson, 57, cast their votes at the Board of Elections early voting station in Wilson, North Carolina, on Thursday.
Barack Obama and Jon Stewart speak during a break in the live taping of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" on Thursday.
Supporters of Mitt Romney attend a campaign rally in Chesapeake, Virginia, on Wednesday, October 17.
Mitt Romney is seen backstage through a campaign flag as he waits to take the stage at a rally in Chesapeake, Virginia, on Wednesday.
Supporters of Obama listen to him speak during a rally at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, on Wednesday.
President Barack Obama arrives at Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, Ohio, for a campaign rally Wednesday.
A group of men watch the presidential debate on television screens at an electronics store in Miami on Tuesday, October 16.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney talks with aides aboard his campaign plane en route to Ronkonkoma, New York, on Tuesday.
A worker cleans a sign for the Commission on Presidential Debates before the second presidential debate in Hempstead, New York, on Tuesday.
Members of the production crew ready final preparations for the second presidential debate between President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney on Tuesday.
First lady Michelle Obama greets supporters during a campaign rally at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, on Monday, October 15.
Supporters of President Barack Obama cheer during the campaign rally at Ohio Wesleyan on Monday.
Obama jokes about a telephone with campaign volunteers Alexa Kissinger, left, and Suzanne Stern as he makes calls from a campaign office in Williamsburg, Virginia, on Sunday, October 14.
Dolls depicting Obama and Mitt Romney are on display at a gift shop at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Maryland on Sunday.
Romney holds up a baby as he works the rope line after delivering remarks at a rally in Lebanon, Ohio, on Saturday, October 13.
A supporter holds an American flag in front of the Ohio logo on his shirt as he stands with a crowd at Shawnee State University to hear Romney speak on Saturday.
Mario Orosa, left, and Ron Cathey, right, chat with Obama during dinner at Smith Commons restaurant in Washington on Friday, October 12. Obama had dinner with contest winners who contributed to his re-election campaign.
Romney, right, and GOP vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan greet supporters as they arrive at a rally in Lancaster, Ohio, on Friday.
Students walk past a political mural near Centre College in downtown Danville, Kentucky, where Vice President Joe Biden and Republican vice-presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan faced off Thursday, October 11.
Ryan greets his son Sam after the debate in Danville, Kentucky, on Thursday.
Romney, left, speaks with the Rev. Billy Graham during a visit to the Graham cabin in Montreat, North Carolina, on Thursday.
Obama greets supporters at a campaign rally at the University of Miami on Thursday.
Romney and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie talk with supporters at Buns Bakery and Restaurant in Delaware, Ohio, on Wednesday, October 10. Romney is campaigning in Ohio with less than a month to go before the general election.
Christie, left, and Romney walk up to the stage at Ariel Corporation in Mount Vernon, Ohio, on Wednesday.
Centre College students Ben Boone, left, a stand-in for U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, and Tommy Munoz, a stand-in for Republican Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan, wave during a rehearsal for the vice presidential debate in Danville, Kentucky, on Wednesday.
Members of the media watch as President Barack Obama arrives aboard Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday, October 9, in Washington. The president was returning from a two-day campaign trip to California and Ohio.
Obama addresses supporters during a campaign event at The Ohio State University on Tuesday.
Two Obama supporters, one holding a Big Bird book and the other clutching a picture of the president, listen while he speaks at a rally at Ohio State on Tuesday.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney departs a Wendy's restaurant with his dinner order in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, on Tuesday.
Supporters cheer as Romney delivers remarks on the James Koch Farm in Van Meter, Iowa, on Tuesday.
Allan Banojakedjian, left, and Jesus Romero fill out their voter registration forms at the Miami-Dade Elections Department on the final day of registration for the upcoming presidential election.
Rain doesn't keep Romney from campaigning in Newport News, Virginia, on Monday, October 8.
Obama holds a campaign event Monday at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.
Obama takes the stage at a campaign concert at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, October 7. The president has been on a three-day trip to California and Ohio.
Air Force One leaves a shadow as it passes over the Forum on approach to Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday.
Obama leaves the White House on Sunday to board Air Force One.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, greet workers at the Tin Fish restaurant following a rally Sunday in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Romney casts a shadow on a banner as he speaks during a campaign event in Apopka, Florida, on Saturday, October 6.
A supporter holds a photograph of Romney in Apopka on Saturday.
Jon Bon Jovi performs at an Obama for America event at the House of Blues in Las Vegas on Saturday. It was the last day people in Nevada could register to vote in the upcoming presidential election.
Romney speaks during a campaign event in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Friday, October 5.
Romney supporters listen during Friday's campaign event in St. Petersburg.
Obama smiles as he speaks during a campaign rally in Fairfax, Virginia on Friday.
Obama is assisted with putting on a raincoat onstage during a campaign rally at Cleveland State University on Friday.
Romney speaks in Fishersville, Virginia, as Secret Service members keep guard on Thursday, October 4. A day after the first presidential debate in Denver, Romney headed to Virginia to continue campaigning.
Romney supporters bow their heads in prayer during Thursday's event at the Augusta Expoland in Fishersville, Viriginia.
Obama addresses the crowd at the University of Wisconsin in Madison on Thursday.
Romney greets police officers before boarding his campaign plane in Denver on Thursday.
Obama speaks at a campaign rally in Denver on Thursday. He accused his Republican challenger of dishonesty over tax policy and other issues brought up in Wednesday night's presidential debate.
Audience members cheer as Obama makes his way onto the stage at Sloan's Lake Park in Denver on Thursday.
Reporters watch the final minutes of the debate between Romney and Obama in Denver on Wednesday, October 3. The first of four debates for the 2012 election -- three presidential and one vice-presidential -- was moderated by Jim Lehrer of PBS.
A member of the U.S. Secret Service keeps watch from the top of a building as Obama takes part in a debate walk-through at the University of Denver on Wednesday.
A seat is assigned to first lady Michelle Obama prior to Wednesday's debate.
Obama stands at the podium as he speaks during the debate on Wednesday.
Michelle and Barack Obama, left, join Mitt Romney and his family at the conclusion of the first presidential debate.
University of Denver student Sam Garry sits at the moderator's desk before a presidential debate dress rehearsal at the University of Denver on Tuesday, October 2.
Volunteers sit in for on-air television reporters on Tuesday in preparation for the first presidential debate in the Ritchie Center at the University of Denver.
Romney greets a father and his daughter after having lunch Tuesday at a restaurant in Denver.
Obama stares at the Hoover Dam in Nevada during a visit Tuesday.
Romney boards his campaign plane in Bedford, Massachusetts, on Monday, October 1. The Republican candidate was heading to Denver for the first presidential debate on Wednesday.
Obama hugs Chasstiry Vazquez after she indroduced him at a campaign event at Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas on Sunday, September 30.
Obama supporters cheer during Sunday's event in Las Vegas.
Romney leaves his campaign headquarters in Boston on Sunday.
A boy reaches out to shake hands with Obama on Sunday in Las Vegas. The president was in Nevada ahead of Wednesday's presidential debate in Denver.
Romney arrives at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Belmont to attend Sunday services.
Obama talks on the phone with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel in the Oval Office on Friday, September 28.
Romney speaks during a rally at Valley Forge Military Academy and College in Pennsylvania on Friday.
Romney talks to journalists aboard his campaign plane about his phone call with Netanyahu on Friday.
Cadets listen to Romney speak at a campaign rally Friday at the Valley Forge Military Academy and College in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
Romney addresses Friday's rally at the Valley Forge Military Academy and College.
Vice President Joe Biden hugs U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, as he arrives for a campaign event Friday in Boca Raton, Florida.
Romney speaks at a Veterans for Romney campaign event in Springfield, Virginia, on Thursday, September 27.
Obama supporters cheer at a campaign rally Thursday in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Veterans at the American Legion Post 176 pray before Romney speaks Thursday in Springfield.
People listen to Obama speak at the Farm Bureau Live arena in Virginia Beach on Thursday.
Obama delivers remarks Thursday in Virginia Beach.
Supporters cheer as Romney speaks at SeaGate Convention Centre in Toledo, Ohio, on Wednesday, September 26.
Romney speaks during a roundtable discussion on manufacturing at American Spring Wire in Bedford Heights, Ohio, on Wednesday.
Supporters wait to see Obama on Wednesday at Toledo Express Airport in Bowling Green, Ohio. Air For One aborted an initial landing attempt in Ohio due to weather conditions.
Obama addresses supporters at Bowling Green State University on Wednesday.
Romney delivers remarks during a campaign rally Wednesday at Westerville South High School in Westerville, Ohio.
Former President Bill Clinton introduces Obama during the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York on Tuesday, September 25.
Supporters cheer during a Republican campaign rally Tuesday with Romney and his running mate, Paul Ryan, at Dayton International Airport in Vandalia, Ohio.
Ryan speaks Tuesday in Vandalia as Sen. Rand Paul, from left, Sen. Rob Portman and Romney listen.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush hugs a waitress as they wait for Ryan's arrival during a campaign stop at a restaurant in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood on Saturday, September 22.
Supporters cheer as they listen to Romney speak during a Juntos Con Romney Rally at the Darwin Fuchs Pavilion on Wednesday, September 19, in Miami.
Romney shakes hands with supporters during the Juntos Con Romney Rally in Miami on Wednesday.
Obama and David Letterman speak during a break in the taping of the "Late Show with David Letterman" on Tuesday, September 18, at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York.
A crew member opens the door to Air Force One after the jet arrived at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on Tuesday.
From left to right: Romney, his wife Ann, and son Tagg watch one of Tagg's sons play soccer in Belmont, Massachusetts, on Saturday, September 15.
Ryan arrives onstage to address the Family Research Council Action Values Voter Summit on Friday, September 14.
Supporters wait for Romney to speak at a campaign rally at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio, on Friday, September 14.
Obama arrives at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Thursday, September 13. Obama returned to Washington after a two-day campaign trip with events in Nevada and Colorado.
Supporters cheer as Romney speaks at a campaign rally in Fairfax, Virginia, on Thursday.
An Obama supporter attends a rally in Las Vegas on Wednesday, September 12. Obama focused on economic policies during his two days of campaigning in Nevada and Colorado.
Former President Bill Clinton speaks in support of Obama during a campaign stop in Miami on Tuesday, September 11.
Obama is lifted up by Scott Van Duzer, owner of Big Apple Pizza and Pasta Italian Restaurant, during a visit to the restaurant in Fort Pierce, Florida, on Sunday, September 9. Obama was on a two-day bus tour across the state.
President Obama greets supporters during a campaign stop at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday.
Mitt Romney walks through the garage area during a rain delay before the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, September 8, in Richmond, Virginia.
Ann Romney, wife of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, waves to the crowd before speaking at a rally in Leesburg, Virginia, on Friday, September 7.
Supporters try to stay dry in between rain showers while waiting for President Obama to speak at the University of Iowa on Friday. It was Obama's first day of campaigning after accepting the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
A girl listens to President Obama speak at the University of Iowa on Friday.
Vice President Joe Biden, first lady Michelle Obama, President Obama and Biden's wife, Jill, wave after Friday's campaign event at the University of Iowa.
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