Democrats are paying attention to Michigan, too, plus follow-up on the VP debate

In this morning's post, I documented how Willard the Rat's mate and running mate visited Oakland County this week. They weren't alone, as former President Bill Clinton was in town yesterday. The headline in the Detroit News read Bill Clinton a big hit at Royal Oak fundraiser.

An otherwise sleepy residential neighborhood became the stage for political heavyweights Friday, including former President Bill Clinton, during a fundraiser for Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

Clinton arrived at the swank, post-modern home of Stabenow supporter Michael Chetcuti in a black Chevrolet Suburban to the astonishment of neighbors. He was joined at the event by nearly 150 guests for an hour-long appearance.
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Among the guests, who paid at least $1,000 apiece, were U.S. Rep. John Dingell and his wife, Debbie, and Mark Bernstein of the Law Firm of Bernstein & Bernstein. He's running for University of Michigan regent.

The event, which the campaign said raised $350,000, was part of the senator's get-out-the vote efforts.
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Clinton shook hands, posed for photographs and talked to supporters briefly about the auto bailout.

Speaking of the auto bailout, it was the subject of President Obama's weekly address.

Weekly Address: One Million American Jobs Saved and a Stronger American Auto Industry

President Obama talks about his choice to rescue the American auto industry from collapse and save more than one million American jobs.

While he actually wasn't in Michigan, he was definitely making sure that the voters here knew he was paying attention to them.

Finally, here's a follow-up to Nate Silver and others on the VP debate, in which I mentioned in passing that "MSNBC also had a focus group. That one gave Biden a clear victory." Here's the video from MSNBC and Daily Kos post featuring it.

Undecided voters: Joe Biden won

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Biden took a 50-31 win in CBS's snap poll of uncommitted voters and a 5-1 win in this NBC focus group.
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Biden delivered the kind of performance that thrilled Democrats—and enraged Republicans, who were torn between blaming Martha Raddatz and the expressions on Joe Biden's face. But as amusing as the GOP's spin may be, it doesn't matter. Democrats needed a strong performance from Joe Biden, and they got it.

And among the voters who count—uncommitted and undecided voters—Biden won, both in a CBS snap poll of uncommitted voters who watched the debate and in an NBC focus group of undecided voters in Virginia. So last night was a good night. Democrats got what they wanted and Republicans didn't.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll also showed Biden winning the debate.

Vice President Joe Biden came out on top of Thursday night's vice presidential debate with Republican challenger Paul Ryan, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

The energetic Biden claimed a seven-point victory - 42 percent to 35 percent - among registered voters, with a similar margin among independents. Nearly a quarter of registered voters and about a third of independents were unsure who did a better job during the debate at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky...

Voters said Biden was more qualified to be president, as the vice president moved from 43 to 45 percent on that question over the course of the debate, and Ryan stayed at 35 percent. The Wisconsin congressman's presence on the Romney ticket may also cause trouble for the Republican Party: 27 percent of registered voters said Ryan made them less favorable toward Romney, up from 21 percent before the debate.

As I wrote before, it was a clear win for Biden.