It is now almost 24 hours out from the much hyped and anticipated Vice Presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. My first instinct was to write my thoughts immediately following the debate. Then, I decided to wait it out and think carefully about what I wanted to say, instead of just giving you some verbal diarrhea about how Sarah Palin sucked and how Joe Biden was amazing. But, I wanted to get all of my thoughts together and sound reasonably intelligent (unlike Ms. Palin).
Last nights one and only debate, feature Delaware Senator Joe Biden and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was by far, the most anticipated debate in my lifetime. To be honest, I was a little disappointed. Deep down inside I want Governor Palin to fall flat on her face and I wanted Senator Biden to wipe the stage with her smirk. But that didn't happen. What did happen was a 90 minute question and answer session, not unlike one of those pesky interviews Palin despises so much. There was almost no direct contact between the two candidates and because of that, I do not believe the audience became as engaged as they were with the first Presidential debate.
It is worth noting that this format did lend itself to Governor Palin. She wasn't challenged on any of her statements and therefore was able to pull off the impossible; looking intelligent. Senator Biden, whom many believed would put his foot in his mouth, did a wonderful job. He obviously knows what he is talking about. He command of the facts is very important and it is worth noting that experience and command of the facts makes him ready, on day one, to step into the Office of the Presidency should something happen to Barack Obama. For me, the most important part of the debate the most riveting moment was when Senator Biden was speaking about his first wife and the tragic car accident that took her life and the life of his infant daughter.
The reason this worked so well is that Governor Palin was trying to paint Biden as someone who is out of touch with "typical" America. Apparently, Palin did not do her homework, as she clearly did not know anything about this tragedy and how Senator Biden would commute back and forth everyday from his Delaware home. Her response to this was to state that she and John McCain were mavericks. It was one of the most disturbing moments of the debate. Obviously, she is not campaigning as a "compassionate conservative."
As I said earlier, Palin did not crash and burn. However, she showed no mastery over the issues. She showed that she could regergitate facts and figures like a robot and that she could down home and folksy. Well folks, I don't know about you, but I don't want folksy. I don't want down home talking. I want a President and Vice President who have a handle on the issues. I want the best of the best and Governor Palin is not the best of the best. She is of mediocre (at best) intellect. We have had eight years of mediocre intelect and look where it has gotten us.
Joe Biden and Barack Obama have the best educations in this country. John McCain graduated at the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy and Sarah Palin went to six colleges in five years. We need the best. If the American people can get past Palin's folksy double-talk, then on Nov. 4th we will be electing Barack Obama as President of the United States.
No comments:
Post a Comment