Well, the polls are in and (at least) according to MSNBC, Biden won 51% to Sarah Palin's 38%. Unfortunately, I did not get to watch the debate live, so I had to read the transcript and catch some clips. But, I definitely agree with MSNBC's analysis that Palin was a bit shaky on questions she had not been prepped for ... or couldn't find in her notes.
Palin was shaky at times on less familiar issues. Not even halfway through the debate, Palin was asked a question about sub-prime mortgages but maneuvered back to the issue of energy where she was clearly more comfortable -- and where she had her lines down. It appeared to be a non-sequitur.
Also, I can't help but feel there is another reason that McCain picked her. She is kind of a female President Bush. She called the commanding U.S. general in Afghanistan "General McClellan." a couple of times and she has her cute, country "I am just like you" terminology down pat. She sprinkles her sentences with "bless their hearts" and she likes referring to those "hockey moms." But, I truely wonder if that cutsy stuff isn't going to hurt her. All that winking at the camera. It makes her come off condescending to the opposing side and more than a little arrogant.
She is quick to attack and she did more than a few times during the debate, setting Biden up ... especially in opposition to Obama. She tried to make him look like his stand on the issues are based on his current position as VP nominee.
Unfortunately, she comes off a bit dumb sometimes and it is hard to look past that. If she didn't have the answer in her notes, she was changing the subject to an issue she could talk about. But, I truly feel she did way better than that Katie Couric interview that left everyone wondering what in the world she was talking about. Way better.
At this point, I don't know if she is helping McCain as much as some think or if she isn't actually hurting him. Time will tell. But, in my opinion, I would be more likely to vote for her running the local PTA.
Now ... for Biden. I think he did a fairly good job. He has to work harder than Palin. I really liked his answer regarding gay marriage. Obama does not support gay marriage. He does support civil unions and rights for gays and their partners.
He was right to attack McCain's stand on the issues. McCain is the one running for the top office, not Palin. I think he did a fair job on that, but he could have done better. McCain has done some serious flip-flopping on some issues. Abortion being one. He has said that if Roe vs. Wade were overturned that it would lead to women performing dangerous procedures illegally, but on his website he says ...
John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench.
Which makes you wonder considering Palin's assertion that John McCain does not tell one thing to one group and another to another group. And, if Biden would have been on his toes, he would have caught that. He did catch a few of them though.
Overall, he did good. He could have done better. But, at least he did come off personable and human ... especially when talking about the death of his wife and child. I like what he said about climate change and the environment and that he was ready to tackle the topic, unlike Palin. I wish he would have noted the Biblical mandate that we have to care for our environment. That would have been a good move on his part, in my opinion.
