President Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney face off in Denver tonight for the first debate of the presidential campaign. On Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden drew ridicule from Republicans after saying the middle class has been “buried” the last four years. Although Biden was referring to the effects of the financial crisis that began under the Bush administration, Republican rival Paul Ryan seized on the remarks as an admission of failure.

Vice President Joe Biden: “This is deadly earnest, man. This is deadly earnest. How they can justify — how they can justify raising taxes on the middle class that’s been buried for the last four years? How in Lord’s name can they justify raising their taxes with these tax cuts?”

Rep. Paul Ryan: “Vice President Biden just today said that the middle class over the last four years has been, quote, 'buried.' We agree. That means we need to stop digging by electing Mitt Romney the next president of the United States.”