Biden-Palin Debate

I listened to it on the radio (I was driving to LA) and most of the responses I’ve read is about what I feel: Biden displayed more knowledge, Palin managed to be folksy without making any major gaffes.

So specific observations:

She keeps getting a pass on gay marriage / civil unions – as does McCain. She managed to suggest she and Joe Biden have the same position – when they don’t (Joe tried to use a ‘if she’s saying THIS, then we agree’, but it didn’t work).

McCain and Plain both keep saying they don’t oppose hospital visits or allowing people to enter into contract s- these are NOT civil unions. I would like someone to ask them directly “we know you don’t support gay marriage, but do you support civil unions with the same rights and responsibilities?”. The answer will be no.

Palin often answered questions she wasn’t asked. Some of this may have been crafty political answering, but more than once I think she didn’t understand the answer. Specifically, when she was asked about Nuclear (which she mispronounces) weapons, and when we would use them, she went back to her prior answer, about how Iran can’t be allowed to have them – she didn’t seem to grasp that she was being asked under what conditions would the US use them.

Same then when asked about her ‘real’ Achilles heel - Biden took his perceived negatives and twisted them into positives. Palin didn’t even bother, and just talked about her strengths, sort of a preview of her closing statement.

The ‘Role of the VP’ question was a good hit by Biden (“It is clearly defined”) as opposed to Palin “The constitution gives the VP flexibility” line. He also got to call Cheney the most dangerous VP ever – nice.

Biden was smart to jump on the ‘John McCain as a Maverick’ answers. Plain fell to that line too easily.

Finally, I thought the question about their roles as VP was illustrative of the difference between the two.