Biden was factual and professional. Palin was, once again, focusing on her personal life trying to tie in into the election. Circuses and cotton candy do not win Presidential Elections.

This is the one aspect of the debate Palin won hands-down. Many people just comment that she just repeated slogans; actually, she implemented an effective debate strategy - repetition of key campaign points. Palin made it much easier for a viewer to come away with a clear focus of the main ideas of the McCain/Palin ticket.

On the opposite side, however, Biden’s performance leaves a viewer coming away with his criticism of McCain’s plans - with very little idea of what Obama’s key campaign points are. Biden attempted to answer all of the questions first by indicating what is wrong with McCain’s plans, and then presumably intended to address his ticket’s key points. While this may be a good debate strategy for some other politicians, the Obama/Biden camp should have realized that Biden’s track record of “long-windedness” and getting tied up in his responses would not provide him enough time to implement this tactic. He should have stuck to talking up his ticket rather than just arguing about how bad the opposite one is.

— Scott_Simon
“And Watcher, while you are criticizing Palin for her answers, how about Biden’s answer to “how would your Presidency be different?” He said it would be the same as Obama’s.”

I do not understand the logic of your criticism
o My memory is that the question involved how their presidency would be different if they had to take over for their #1
o Each gave a perfectly understandable, logical and defendable answer - they would continue with their #1’s plan
o Continuing the plan of their #1 is really just executing the desire of the American voters who voted for their plan by electing them.

Biden did well. Palin avoided answering questions she didn’t want to answer. I wish the moderator had included more questions on the environment such as about animal welfare and human population growth. Of course, Palin would have addressed something different anyway

@jen
You have to remember that the primary purpose of the VP debate is to create a forum for the VP candidate to attack the positions of the other Presidential candidate. They are not supposed to be there to promote their own platform. Palin obviously feels that ignoring political traditions is her best way to position herself as a maverick and outsider, but basically you had Biden following tradition and agreed upon rules; hence why he focused on McCain’s platform and not Obama’s. Meanwhile, Palin launched off in a strongly rule-breaking debate strategy. It hit well with her base, but seems to have really bombed with undecideds who probably anticipated the traditional form.

Biden has been in Congress for 30 years so I expected him to be very adroit in his debate, which he was. He was excellent in his facts, although I understand he was misleading, if not false, in his facts a number of times (McCain’s voting record for instance). He did not talk down to Palin and I thought he was professional.

Palin has been at this for 5-6 weeks now. Prior to that she was a governor and mayor. I didn’t expect her to be as knowledgeable as Biden and certainly didn’t think that she could hold her own in a debate with this senior member of Congress, yet I think she did an admirable job. Sure there were talking points and that she was “coached”..but if you really think that Biden wasn’t coached nor used democratic talking points, then you haven’t followed debates and are uneducated in the typical debate process.

Palin came across as folksy and down-to-earth. If you want a Washington insider who will continue to do the same things over and over again, voting along party lines and getting us no where, then Biden is your man. If you want someone who is more in touch with your own life and hasn’t been jaded by Washington politics, then Palin is your woman.

Well, as a registered democratic voter. I STILL have not made up my mind on this election. I am waiting to hear a realist plan, or goal that is going to get our country rolling again. There is very little substance with these parties. I am very disappointed with this election, and the fiascle it has turned into. Waiting on the presidential debates. Not much time left to make a decision on this one. “STILL fencing” I am concerned about our country, and it’s national security, and financial economic future not a show that I can catch on SNL, or Comedy Central.

I watched the VP debate last night. If our country is stupid enough to elect a man who has chosen Sarah Palin as his VP, then God help us all. She may be the most under-qualified vice presidential choice in our nation’s history. She did not provide a straight answer to questions, because she did not have the answers. She tried to be cutesy and folksy to make up for her lack of knowledge and substance. Impressionable people will fall for her act and vote for McCain, despite his obvious lack of judgement in choosing her for a running mate, and his questionable policy plans such as the “privatization of health care”. Intelligent people will vote for Obama because they understand that McCain’s/Bush policy’s are more of the same, and we cannot continue on the same economic disaster ride that we have been on the last eight years. Intelligent people see through Palin and are smart enough to realize that she does not have the experience or knowledge to lead our country if called upon. Joe Biden, does and that was obvious last night.

I was disappointed that this was such a scripted debate. Both candidates knew the questions in advance and their responses were curtailed by the time limits.

That said, I am worried that Gov. Palin would seek to expand the powers of the Vice President. Her support for Dick Cheney horrified me. I did not find her style and constant winking cute, either. Too reminiscent of Bush’s folksy ways. I want change and reform, but I want competence too.

Biden seemed poised, calm and knowledgeable across a range of issues. I’m more comfortable with the Obama ticket now than I was before this debate.

I was disappointed that Gov. Palin was able to exit the stage under her own power. I was also dismayed by the lack of follow-up questions by the moderator, when the Governor ignored the question, changed the subject, and returned to her indoctrinated talking points. This clearly shows bias on the part of the moderator. Just another case of the gals sticking together! (Umm… I’m joking.)

Did anyone else regard with alarm the Governor’s proposal to increase the powers of the Vice President, enabling her to encroach upon the legislative branch, becoming a de facto 101st senator? Constitution? We don’t need no steenking Constitution!