The debate is over. To her credit, Palin made no gaffes and gained confidence as the debate went on. Her refusal to answer questions and numerous attempts to manipulate the conversation by changing the question was troubling, but likely worked in her favor. Palin also resisted Biden’s efforts to link the McCain campaign to the Bush administration, but Biden was persistent and subtle. For his part, Biden kept his exuberance in check and didn’t say anything that could have been misconstrued.
An image that will likely be splashed across Websites tomorrow will be of Palin after the debate chatting with Biden and his family and holding her baby.
Ifill could have been more forceful with both candidates, requiring them to answer the questions put before them. Perhaps because of the questions about her impartiality she opted to let too many things go.
Who won? The pundits and the polls will let us know in the coming days.
Wrapping Up — 10:29 — Palin says it was great to meet Biden finally and that she would like to do more of the debates and talk to Americans without the filter of the Main Stream Media. She says that she is proud to be an American. She quotes Ronald Reagan, and says that she and McCain will fight for Americans.
Biden’s turn: This is the most important election that you’ll ever vote in. Says there’s a need in a fundamental change in the course of the country. He closes with a hope for safety for the troops abroad.
Changing the tone — 10:35: As No. 2, Biden says that he’ll work across the aisle to get work for America done. Ditto for Palin. Proof is in the pudding.
Maverick — 10:24: Finally, Biden has had it up to hear about McCain’s maverick status. McCain ain’t no James Garner.
Flaws — 10:18: In response to a question that what she thinks of the conventional wisdom that she lacks experience, Palin lists her experience as a hockey mom and how she connects to middle America. She doesn’t quite answer the question, but says she and McCain combined have the experience needed to move the country forward. Biden’s issue: his ability to open mouth and insert foot. He prefers to call it his passion for an issue. Biden just choked up when talking about being a single father and his wife and daughter who died in a car crash years ago.
Aw Shucks Moment — 10:12: Palin just said “dog gone it” and told Biden that his wife’s reward will be in heaven because she is a teacher. Bringing a folksy tone to the campaign, Palin gave a shout out to schools and teachers in Alaska. Interesting ploy as she attempts to appeal to Joe Six-Pack and hockey moms across America.
Heartbeat Away From the Presidency — 10:07: How would a Biden administration be different than an Obama administration? Biden would carry out Obama’s education and energy policies. A foreign policy that would end the war in Iraq. A policy that would kill or capture Osama bin Laden. “I would follow through with Barack Obama’s policies because I agree with all his policies.”
Palin again refers to her team as a bunch of mavericks to show why she and McCain don’t agree on ANWR. Please stop with the mavericks. It is fine if someone wants to call you a maverick, but don’t call yourself a maverick. That’s not a maverick.
Darfur — 10:03: Biden talks about his long-term position about wanting to take action in Darfur and help the victims of the genocide. Though the question is about Darfur, Palin talks about how she is a Washington outsider. But that wasn’t the question. Did she hear Ifill’s question?
War on Terror — 9:58: Palin has been trained really well. But it doesn’t seem natural. She is taking lots of notes and wrtes down a lot of talking points. When the camera swings to her, she isn’t looking up and doesn’t apear to be listening to Biden.
Palin actually asked to “go back to Afghanistan” to reiterate more of McCain’s position on the war on terror. The candidates are taking different positions on what would be the best strategy for winning the war on terror in Afghanistan and whether the same plan that’s being used in Iraq will work in Afghanistan.
Israel — 9:52: Palin says that Israel is the U.S.’s strongest ally and won’t let anything happen to it. She and McCain plan to protect Israel. Biden retorts that he has been the biggest champion and friend of Israel in the Senate. Biden says that the Bush administration’s position on the Middle East has been a failed effort.
Diplomacy — 9:50: Ifill mentions that many former secretaries of state advocate engagement, and not isolation. Palin says that sitting down with leaders like Iran’s leader won’t ever be done without preconditions. Biden brings up McCain’s refusal to sit down with the prime minister of Spain, a NATO ally.
No Nukes — 9:47: Palin just called Iran’s leader insane and unstable. ZIng!
Iraq — 9:39: Onto the surge. Palin hails the surge and with a podium thump, says, “We’ve got to win in Iraq.” Says it would be a travesty to leave Iraq now. Biden says that Palin didn’t give a plan for Iraq. As a rebuttal about Obama not voting to fund the troops, well, it turns out that McCain also voted to not fund the troops. Fundamental difference, Biden says he and Obama will end the war and that for McCain there’s no end in sight for the war.
Similar to her running mate, Palin has a hard time looking at Biden.
Same-sex benefits — 9:37: Biden supports same-sex benefits. Ifill didn’t ask whether the candidates support smae-sex marriage. Palin won’t expand benefits to marriage because she doesn’t want to redefine the traditional definition of marriage of “one man and one woman.” She says she’s tolerant, but she says that she will tell America straight up that she doesn’t support gay marriage. Biden says that he and Obama don’t support gay marriage.
Energy — 9:30: Climate change: true? false? Palin: “I’m not one to attribute man’s activity” on the effects of the climate change. I don’t want to argue about the causes, I want to work on what we can do to reduce emissions. This is the same question that Katie Couric asked this week. Biden: “I think it is man-made. It is totally man-made.” If you don’t know the cause, how can you fix the problem, he asks in response to Palin’s plan to fix the climate change, but not questioning how it came about.
Broken Promises — 9:21: Ifill asked if there are any promises that will go unfulfilled because of the economic crisis. Biden said they’ll have to slow down on global investments. Palin says there’s nothing because she’s only been at this “for what? five weeks? I’ve made no promises except to the American people” to have their interests at heart.
Healthcare — 9:19: Palin presents the McCain-Palin “budget neutral” healthcare plan that will give Americans a $5,000 tax credit for healthcare. Biden says that to pay for that credit, McCain will tax Americans’ current health plan.
The T word — 9:15: Palin is going on the attack about taxes accusing Obama of raising taxes and being a big spender. Biden has shot back that Palin isn’t accurate in her assessment and also pointing out that McCain also voted yes on some of the same bills that Palin has said Obama voted for.
Foreclosures — 9:12: Palin is blaming the predatory lenders for the housing crisis, and their conniving ways for tricking people into buying homes they couldn’t afford. But there aren’t just lenders at fault. There are people out there who knew they couldn’t afford a $300,000 home when they weren’t even making $30,000.
Wink — 9:08: She winked! Palin mentioned Americans are craving something new and different and want a maverick in the White House. But neither candidate actually answered Ifill’s question about what they’d do as vice president.
Economy — 9:06: Palin brings out the betcha, and takes the economic issue to Main Street and the soccer field. So far, she’s mentioned John McCain twice. Three times. She brings up the campaign suspension. Good return.
Rules of the House — 9:02: Ifill lays down the ground rules. No hitting, spitting, smacking. Oops, no, that’s wrestling. Biden won the coin toss, so he got the first question about the economic bailout bill.
It is T minus 54 and counting.
The vice presidential debate between Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden will begin shortly. This is a moment that much of America has been waiting for since Palin was introduced as Sen. John McCain’s running mate.
There’s certainly been a flurry of conversation about tonight and whether Palin will be able to hold her own against Biden, a veteran lawmaker, or whether he’ll tickle his tonsils with his toes from too many gaffes.
Hopefully, the argument of whether moderator Gwen Ifill, a veteran and well-respected journalist, is impartial will be sushed, and people will focus on the real issues: Who is best to lead this nation.
Conservatives say that a book she’s writing, called “The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama,” makes her a bad choice. Ifill says: “I’ve got a pretty long track record covering politics and news, so I’m not particularly worried that one-day blog chatter is going to destroy my reputation.”
Deborah Creighton Skinner is the editorial director of BlackEnterprise.com.