Vice Presidential Debates

Last night was the presidential debate between Alaskan governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joe Biden. I went to watch the debate with no expectations since I have never seen any political debates lately. I was pleasantly surprised with how entertaining the debate was, as well as how interesting and in depth the important issues addressed were. I also had never seen Palin or Biden speak publicly before, although I had read much about them in the media and newspaper.  

Right off the bat, I could tell that Senator Biden had an edge over Palin. He spoke with more confidence and experience on the issues at hand, particularly foreign policy. When Palin started speaking, she had a deer-in-the-headlights expression. However, I found myself impressed by her composure and rhetoric in a moment of extreme pressure and exposure to the public (particularly since she has been shed in a very negative light for the past few weeks in the press). Also, Palin has a very likable personality. She speaks in a conversational tone that can relate to the average American, and uses cute phrases such as "gosh darnit" that may appeal to certain people.

In the long run, however, Palin often didn't answer questions Biden posed at her, nor did she counter-argued very effectively. Instead, what she did was avoid the questions and talk about her "plan" with John McCain, and kept referring to her experience as a governor and legislator (which often times was redundant or irrelevant to the question asked). Basically, Palin eloquently spoke about her position and experiences, but in doing so, didn't really answer the questions or arguments thrown at her.

In contrast, Biden used facts, percentages, insight, and persuasive language to back up his points and also refute the jabs that Palin threw at him. There was also a moment of tenderness where he referred to his dead wife and child, but he didn't throw the sympathy card too hard. I was surprised that Biden didn't attack Palin harder on foreign policy and federal issues, particularly since it would uncover Palin's total lack of experience in that area. However, I think he was mainly trying to come across as considerate of her, which he did, and was a small price he had to pay.

In the end, both Palin and Biden spoke very well and higher than what I expected of them. The big picture, however, is scary: the fact that someone as inexperienced as Palin is only a heartbeat away from the White House is frightening. Yes, Palin was an effective governor in her state of Alaska. Yes, she is a likable and very nice person that connects with the middle class. However, there is no way that she is ready to lead our nation, especially one as complex and sophisticated as the United States of America. I would be much more comfortable having Biden as Vice President. The irony, however, is that the likelihood of Palin attaining the presidency isn't that small - John McCain is already in his 70s, while Barack Obama is over 20 years his junior.

I really don't know why McCain picked Palin- she's a good politician but simply doesn't measure up to the responsibilities and knowledge required of a potential commander-in-chief. The vice presidential debate only seemed to solidify this statement and what we already know.

I know who I'm voting for in November.