I expected “table-pounding atmospherics” from Biden but I didn’t expect him to act like a total jackhole for fully 90 minutes. Give him credit for knowing his target audience, though: His task tonight was to get the left excited again after Obama fell into a semi-coma in Denver, and evincing utter disdain for Ryan — grimacing, shouting, laughing inappropriately, constantly interrupting, the total jackhole experience — is just what the doctor ordered. He might have irritated independents and undecideds, but probably not so much that it’ll change people’s votes. The Democrats needed someone to go out there and clown for liberals, and if there’s one thing this guy knows, it’s clowning.

Here’s a taste of what I mean via Mediaite, centered around one of Ryan’s more cutting lines of the evening. For what it’s worth, the media lost patience with Biden’s shtick too, but I doubt that’ll cost him anything tomorrow. And yes, needless to say, Raddatz was also terrible. Exit quotation from Greg Gutfeld: “Biden is the drunk at the bar; Martha is the unhappy bartender, and Ryan is the unfortunate salesman caught in the middle.”

Update: I’m waiting on the insta-polls, but in the meantime here’s an early candidate for the media’s consensus post-debate buzzword for Biden’s boorish performance: “Passion.”

Update: According to CNN, among the voters who really matter, it was a push:

#CNNUndecideds vote that the #VPdebate was a tie. One-third say Joe Biden won. One-third say Paul Ryan won. One-third are undecided. — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 12, 2012

CBS’s insta-poll had it 50/31 for Biden, although both candidates gained ground among undecideds. A CNBC website poll, meanwhile, had Ryan winning 56/36.

Update: Like I said, the jackhole approach works like a charm with its target audience. For others, eh, not so much:

Update: Some good news after an irritating night. Within the margin of error, but we’ll take it:

BREAKING: CNN-ORC post-debate poll of Registered Voters: 48% said Ryan won. 44% said Biden won. Sampling error: +-5%. #CNNDebate — Sam Feist (@SamFeistCNN) October 12, 2012

CNN/ORC POLL October 3 DEBATE WATCHERS Who Was More Likeable? Ryan 53% Biden 43% — Peter Hamby (@PeterHambyCNN) October 12, 2012

CNN/ORC POLL October 3 DEBATE WATCHERS Who Was More In Touch With Problems of People Like You? Ryan 51%, Biden 44% — Peter Hamby (@PeterHambyCNN) October 12, 2012

Update: That about sums it up:

Update: Via the Examiner, the setting and music reveal Joe Biden’s true calling: He would have been amazing as a regular on “Match Game.”

Update: Brand new from the RNC: