US elections: running mates debate

(Vatican Radio) Vice President Joe Biden has squared off in a vigorous television debate against Mitt Romney's running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan. The debate covered a variety of domestic and foreign policy issues, and saw Vice President Biden accuse Congressman Ryan of threatening to hold America's middle class “hostage” while giving tax cuts to the wealthy. He decried the Republican ticket for being “down on America”. Congressman Ryan defended the Republicans’ plan to cut taxes without growing America's budget defecit. The debate opened with a discussion about the Al Qaeda attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi in which the US Ambassador to Libya was killed, with Congressman Ryan claiming it proved the Obama administration's foreign policy is “unravelling” – and VP Biden the Republicans of “bluster.” Listen to our report: