Well, the vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan started off with a bit of a bang. In her opening question, moderator Martha Raddatz asked Mr. Biden whether President Barack Obama’s administration responded properly in its controversial reaction to the attacks on the U.S. embassy in Libya. After calling it a “tragedy” and vowing to hunt down those responsible, Mr. Biden directly went after Mitt Romney.

“When you’re looking at a president, Martha, it seems to me that you should look at his most important responsibility, that’s caring for the national security of the country, and the best way to do that is to take a look at how he’s handled the issues of the day.”

Mr. Biden went on to praise the president for the military operation that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden and suggested Mitt Romney would not have killed the Al Qaeda leader.

“On Iraq, [Mr. Obama] said he would end the war, he ended it; Governor Romney said it was a ‘tragic mistake, we should have left 30,000 troops there,” he argued. “With regard to Afghanistan, he said we will end the war in 2014; Governor Romney said we should not set a date, number one and, number two, with regard to 2014, ‘It depends.’ When it came to Osama bin Laden, the President, the first day in office, I was sitting with him in the Oval Office, he called in the C.I.A. and signed an order saying, ‘My highest priority is to get bin Laden.’ Prior to the election, prior to being sworn in, Governor Romney was asked a question as to how he would proceed. He said, ‘I wouldn’t move heaven and earth to get bin Laden.'”

Mr. Biden continued by saying killing Osama bin Laden “was about restoring America’s heart and letting terrorists around the world know, if you do harm to America, we will track you to the gates of hell if need be.” Mr. Romney, the vice president said, just doesn’t grasp that.

He concluded by suggesting Mr. Romney would lead the United States to another war, saying, “And lastly, the President of the United States has lead with a steady hand and a clear vision. Governor Romney, the opposite. The last thing we need now is another war.”