Joe Bidens New 'Friend' Paul Ryan

David Goldman/AP Photo

Hours before the vice presidential debate was scheduled to begin in Danville, Ky., it emerged that Congressman and GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan was to be addressed as "Mr. Ryan" by moderator Martha Raddatz of ABC News. Each campaign had the opportunity to direct the moderator on how they would like to be addressed in a memorandum of understanding.

However Ryan expected to be addressed in those 90 minutes, there was one term of endearment he probably didn't expect to hear.

Get more pure politics at ABCNews.com/Politics and a lighter take on the news at OTUSNews.com

Vice President Joe Biden referred to Ryan as "my friend" a total of 14 times throughout the 90-minute debate.

When asked about the role that religion has played in the candidate's personal views on abortion, Biden says that he fundamentally disagrees with his "friend," Mr. Ryan.

"That is a fact," Biden said. "Now with regard to the way in which the - we differ, my friend says that he - well I guess he accepts Governor Romney's position now, because in the past he has argued that there was - there's rape and forcible rape. He's argued that in the case of rape or incest, it was still - it would be a crime to engage in having an abortion. I just fundamentally disagree with my friend."

Biden, who did not address his debate opponent as "Mr. Ryan" once throughout the night, also referred to Ryan as "congressman" at least four times.