As their first debate nears, the presidential candidates are letting their running mates do the talking today.

Vice President Joseph Biden
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Campaigning in Florida, Vice President Joe Biden says he and President Barack Obama were presented with the prospect of a trillion-dollar budget deficit during their first week in office. Biden blames the deficit on the previous Bush administration, adding that it "put two wars on a credit card" and gave tax cuts to the wealthy after inheriting a balanced budget and revenue surplus from the Clinton administration.

In New Hampshire, Republican Paul Ryan is promising voters they will "live free and prosper" if they elect Mitt Romney. Speaking in Derry this morning, Ryan contrasted the economic stagnation he says will continue if President Barack Obama is re-elected with the prosperity he and Mitt Romney will create.

It was Ryan's second trip in as many weeks to New Hampshire, which backed Obama in 2008 but is considered a swing state this time. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll released this week showing Obama ahead in New Hampshire.


(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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