The Vice-Presidential Debate: Both Exceeded Expectations
The big Vice-Presidential debate is history. I thought it was a more interesting, although surely less important, debate than the last Presidential wrangle. How did the candidates do? In my view, both exceeded what was expected of them.
Sarah Palin aim was to appear competent and shake the impression that emerged from her recent CBS evening news interviews. In other words, Palin wanted simply to stop being an embarrassment to the McCain campaign. She accomplished that goal. For the past few days, at least, Palin was the campaign story not McCain. The debate last evening should allow the McCain campaign to get back on message.
Palin’s responses to questions were mostly superficial and in some cases simply off the subject. She offered almost no response to the questions on the economy. Instead, she turned over and over to the McCain talking points on energy. Nevertheless, Palin’s responses were personable, folksy, and reasonably articulate, a thousand times more effective than were her responses to Katie Couric’s questions. Palin even managed to get in a few zingers toward Obama and Biden. My guess is that the McCain campaign breathed a collective sigh of relief as the debate ended.
When the questioning turned from the economy to foreign policy Palin surely held her own, laying out the McCain campaign’s view on Iraq and Afghanistan. Even though she did not know the name of the U.S. military commander in Afghanistan (referring to General David McKiernan as General McClellan) her responses to questions were, otherwise, articulate and a great deal more clear than were her statements on the economy.
As for Biden, his performance was absolutely outstanding. He had a greater command of facts and information than Palin. Biden was polite, non-combative, and focused his attacks on John McCain. He even refrained from correcting Palin when she misspoke on the Afghanistan-commander’s name (a name he surely knows, as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee). I have not seen all of Biden’s debates (he has participated in many), but this was clearly the best performance of all that I have seen.
Biden’s goal was to support the top is his ticket and try to tie McCain to the policies of George W. Bush. He did this in an extremely concise and direct manner. Perhaps, his best moment was when he clearly and specifically argued that McCain is not the Senate maverick he keeps telling us that he is. He also laid out very clearly Obama’s plan for getting out of Iraq.
In my view, both candidates accomplished the goals the wished to achieve. There were no gaffes, no U-Tube moments, and no fodder for a Saturday Night Live skit. Will this debate do anything to influence the election? Probably not! But, surely neither candidate did anything to hurt their respective campaign. People vote for the top of the ticket not for the second spot. We can look forward to the second Presidential debate next week.- Bob Hertzog's blog
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I agree it was a good debate...but Biden did keep forgetting who he was debating for....He kept calling McCain Obama....Several times. LOL
And as for calling the general the wrong name..My daughter is in the Military and she is always called Capt....can't go wrong. ;-) I think she was pretty close she had the Mc part right.
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Hello Krolchiha. thanks for the comment.
I guess I did not notice Biden calling Obama McCain. That would be quite a gaffe.
I thought neither candidate seemed impressive. They both proved they could "play the game," that's about it. The entire debate was like a series of 90 sec spot ads for their own presidential candidate. What a complete bore and an utter waste of time. Sorry to sound so cynical but I was disappointed. My fervent desire before the debate was that Palin would not make a fool of herself or come off as a bitch and that Biden would not act condescending or try to play the highbrow. But I didn't hope for it to completely devoid of conviction or compassion or any other compelling emotion. What in the hell do these people stand for??? Because I have to think that if you really stand for something, and you're on national television, you're gonna give it a shout-out. Lackluster performances from two of our country's finest. Lookin' good America!!
What say you Bob?
I agree with MAK, somewhat. Biden seemed to speak more fluidly and know his information, while Palin spent most of the debate regurgitating all the lines she's been using on the campaign trail. I've heard a lot of it before. It was obvious she'd been cramming for the past few days and kept referring to notes. I was disappointed that she swayed off course so often and didn't answer the questions Gwen asked. Some of those lines she delivered, with that smirky smile, seemed less than genuine to me. Some people find folksy cute. Personally, I find it less than professional when seeking a job as important as the Presidency or Vice-Presidency. Could you imagine talking like that in a job interview? That's how I critique the candidates when I hear them speak. As if I were interviewing them for a job.
I must say that given Palin's limited past performances, I was surprised that she did as well as she did. I guess it's a good thing for everyone's expectations of you to be so low. That way it's tough to disappoint.
Biden didn't impress me as doing a great job. I'd say he was adequate. He should have mopped the floor with her, so I thought he could have done better.
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Hello Mak , Sippy, and Salmon Fan. Thanks for the comments.
Actually, I thought there was a little passion in the v.p. debate. Palin showed some feeling when she declared Obama's plan for ending the war in Iraq a "...white flag of surrender." [I wanted Biden to take her on for that, but he remained cool.] And Biden showed some fire when he listed the times when McCain's behavior did not support his self-proclaimed role as the senate maverick.
Nevertheless, the observation that both candidates stuck close to their campign talking points and slogans was accurate. Palin did it because she was instructed (in my opinion) not to stray far from the script she had memorized. And Biden did it because he did not want to come off as too aggressive with Palin. That was a strategy I personally would not have thought the best, but he was following instructions.
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Palin did it because she was instructed (in my opinion) not to stray far from the script she had memorized. And Biden did it because he did not want to come off as too aggressive with Palin. That was a strategy I personally would not have thought the best, but he was following instructions.
I totally agree with that! Well put. And if you saw a little passion in the debate, good. I can live with that. And why in the WORLD was Palin winking at the audience? She is embarassing me as a woman when she does that.
Palin did it because she was instructed (in my opinion) not to stray far from the script she had memorized. And Biden did it because he did not want to come off as too aggressive with Palin. That was a strategy I personally would not have thought the best, but he was following instructions.
I totally agree with that! Well put. And if you saw a little passion in the debate, good. I can live with that. And why in the WORLD was Palin winking at the audience? She is embarassing me as a woman when she does that.
Her family was sitting in the audience maybe she was winking at them, to relieve her nerves. Biden was belly laughing when she was answering questions, it offended me when he did and the camera caught him doing it several times. Does he do that when he is in a conference and doesn't agree with what a dignitary is saying? I think the word nit picking comes to mind. IMO.
Like stars across the sky … . E per avvincere ….. Tu dovrai vincere ...
We were born to shine …All of us here because we believe......
It's possible Krol, but still inappropriate. And yes, Biden acted the ass in doing that as well. We are so lucky to have them.