The Vice Presidential Showdwn

Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin met each other in an open forum for the first and only vice presidential debate on October 2, 2008. This encounter pitted a political veteran of 30 plus years against the first term governor of Alaska, who by her own admission is challenged in the area of experience. Tenure of service aside, the real question on the minds of the American people is how did each candidate do?

I have witnessed several debates in my lifetime, most of which tended to lean in one direction or another. The Palin/Biden debate was not what I would consider a typical debate as I know it. The Vice Presidential debate was a contrast of Sarah Palin's youthful energy and Joe Biden's experience, which actually made for a pretty interesting exchange.

Both candidates were asked questions ranging from the present state of the economy, to how each felt he or she would perform in the office of Vice President. Some topics, to the dismay of the moderator, received more attention than others. This was especially true with regards to the subject of taxes.

Each candidate systematically pointed the finger at the other candidate's principal insisting that they did not have a grasp on what is best for the middle class. Between you, me and the fence post, I can not think of a single president, Republican or Democrat, who actually put a tax plan in place that benefited the middle class. The candidates spent more than 30 minutes going back and forth over taxes, and finally surrendered the topic without any clearly defined answers that would actually be deemed beneficial to the middle class.

What debate would be a debate without a discussion of the War on Terror, and G. W. Bush's lie that led to more than 4500 US Service People giving their lives in Iraq? The candidates played tennis with this topic for a while as well. Again, the blame game, but this time for the sympathy of the families of military people, was played on both sides of the isle. Both McCain and Obama voted to withhold funding for the war in Iraq, but for different, yet eerily similar reasons. Obama voted against a funding bill because it did not contain a time line for the safe and effective withdrawal of our troops, and McCain voted against a funding bill because it contained a time line. Six of One, Half Dozen of another, Luke Warm, Half Cold, the same thing. The problem with politics is that the people running for office, on both sides, only feed the people information that paints the person delivering the message in a favorable light. Our forces were sent to Iraq based on a lie, and the person who told the lie can not figure out how to get us out, that is what the problem is.

Let us take a look at the poise of each candidate. Watching the VP Candidates debate, I kind of got the feeling of watching Obama and McCain debate with the roles being reversed. Senator Biden had the presence of a true lawyer, while Governor Palin, well let's face it, had the presence of a cheerleader. Not her fault at all, she has teen aged children, and thus has to be their biggest cheerleader. Senator Biden, like Senator McCain, played the game with a Senate style poker face, while Governor Palin showed America she was just like us, the Joe Six-Packs and the Soccer Moms. Funny, but I can see Sarah Palin in a Mini-Van with a soccer ball decal slapped on the back of it. Getting back to the debate. Each candidate showed emotion, and at a few points it appeared Governor Palin was near tears. Well, her head was sunken, her jaw quivered, and her eyes were red, kind of look like she was on the verge of crying to me; they again, what do I know, I was not the one debating against the battle hardened Senator from Delaware. Palin's responses to several questions were emotionally based, while Biden hit her upside the head with the facts. The Governor could do little to dispute much of what the Senator was saying because, and let's face this, Senator Biden has first hand knowledge of the voting records of both McCain and Obama. Afterall, Senator Biden preceded both men in the senate.

So what is the bottom line, America? The Bottom line is this, both candidates held their own extremely well. From a layman's perspective, Governor Palin looked a little better simply because she was a near 50% underdog coming into the debate. For her to finish evenly with Senator Biden was a major accomplishment, and one not to be taken lightly. Governor Palin is a fighter, and Senator Biden is a warrior. Either way, we are looking at people who would stand tall for the sake of the nation, regardless of whomever becomes the Vice President.