What Did you think of the vice presidential debates? Who do you think Won and Why?

Question

Personally I think there was a pretty clear winner. The things I didnt like about Biden was that he didn't really explain about the gas vote for $4 billion. Didn't he say that Obama's vote included rules that said it excluded them (I believe this was the energy bill) and if it did include gasoline companies then why did palin lie outright (I'm guessing she didn't) Very confused!
Also Does anybody know about the funding about the Iraq war I think she made Obama look bad about funding by changing his mind and claiming it was political.
Now palin, completely dodged a question stating she wouldn't just follow Joe or the moderator (hahaha that's just comedy). She also said a few lines that didn't form sentences and I was thinking what is she saying. So as a very detailed observer I think I have a clear winner. I am trying to keep this question bipartisan but I am wondering you opinions on the above info and this last question
Do you think that the VP debates should make the VP candidates mimic the presidential candidate or should they debate there view, because after all aren't they still running for a political position and therefore vowing themselves as a candidate and not just a mimicry of the president? So shouldn't they never mention Obama or McCain because its about them. I just really don't like the presidential references because again WHO said that VP's have to agree with the president. In fact Obama doesn't want someone like that. He wants someone who challenges him, so I think that's a HUGE mistake of the VP debate (whats your thoughts)
and One more thing. Am I the only one angry at the fact that they had so many issues to debate that they made each issue so short. They probably had double the issues of the presidential debate, and half the time.

Answer 1

Palin in my opinion did not respond to the majority of the questions that were asked by the moderator but managed to repeat herself over and over again, specifically about energy, she even spoke about energy when an energy question wasn't being asked....Biden on the other hand answered the questions that were being asked by the moderator, he defended his cause and spoke in an intelligent manner on the issues being asked and presented...the highlight of the debate for me was when Biden called out the McCain campaign on the Maverick label they have managed to give themselves (I am tired of the Maverick dynamic duo)....Straight talking to the American people is not exactly what she did, frankly it makes me angry when politicians think that just because they look straight into the cameras and feed us a bunch of gibberish that we are going to just sit there and be enamored and enthralled by the senseless words that are coming out of their mouths (some of us actually listen to the words)....I for one am not impressed by her and continue to uphold my opinion as to whom should be in the white house next January....

Answer 2

Biden was the clear winner. He actually answered the questions, was clear and concise, and did not resort to mere attacks. He defended himself well and explained a number of issues. He remained calm and collected and was very polite.



Palin did way better than she has done on her interviews, I will give her that. But she seemed to not pay much attention to the actual questions but rather used her time to blurt out little prepared speeches. She tried to keep attacking biden and obama but never actually got around to letting us know where she and mccain stood on certain issues.



I was very happy when Biden pointed out that Palin put a windfall tax on the oil companies in alaska to get money for her constituents because that is something the republicans, including McCain always rant against doing. (It is probably the only thing I really can agree with Palin on, though). She really wasn't able to respond to that very coherently.



Although she talked about 'energy independence' on several occasions it seemed all she really wanted was to drill drill drill, even when that is NOT at all a solution. She did not talk about any other possibilities.



Overall, Palin gave pre-prepared 'answers' with little regard to the questions. She was vague but appeared confident despite not being able to actually come to the point. I thought she also looked rather manic and hopped up. Her response to Biden's emotional moment when talking about the loss of his wife and daughter how difficult it was not knowing if his son would live was totally inappropriate. She kept that big smile on her face, said something like "her reward is in heaven" and then proceeded to babble on.



I can see where her supporters would be very happy and relieved with this debate. But really, if the bar were not pitifully low she wouldn't have made it over.

Answer 3

Biden won. Palin was relying on her "folks from main street" image but Biden wasn't portrayed as an elitist, the way her handlers had hoped. She drifted off point and often answered a different question than the one that was put to her. Biden stayed on point and spent less time doing commercials for "Obama" since Biden has his own record and reputation to stand upon. Palin does not have much of an established record, and the one she does have, seemed not to come up much.



Eventually Biden did deliberately echo some Obama rhetoric, just to drill home that he was effectively stumping for the leader on the ticket.



It probably would be good for the debate time-slot to be longer, but the media assumes (mostly correctly) that American Span of Attention is no more than about 45 minutes at a run. So we pay for our collective reputation for inattention by "sparse facts" being the style of the day.



Oh, and about the Fox-Rove comment: notice that neither was invited to the debate, and they won't be. The Democrats would never accept Fox as a moderator, since their reputation is that they are unfamiliar with the meaning of the word. And even the McCain Campaign is smart enough not to invite Karl Rove. He should not be making commentary, he should be in prison.

Answer 4

Most of you were watching a different debate, if you think that Palin did anything that bolstered or supported the McCain/Palin Ticket. She was pathetic, and said nothing. She was out her league and it showed with every non-answer that she threw out there. I have no confidence that she could lead our country during an economic upswing let alone the economic/foreign policy crisis that we're in.



I'm just sad that American politics are such a joke and that a small town "hockey mom" with a BA degree in journalism from the U of Idaho is considered "qualified" to be in command of the greatest military and second largest nuclear arsenal in the world.



Where's Dr. Nader when you need him?

Answer 5

From what I saw of the debate, both candidates did alright. I think Sarah Palin's presence was warmer than Biden's. He as staunch, only looked at the moderator, and was long winded. Palin looked at the camera, out to the public. As far as answering questions, I was surprised at how well Palin did considering her inexperience in the process.



It would be interesting to see another Saddleback Forum with Pastor Rick Warren interviewing Biden and Palin individually.

Answer 6

Palin. She gave the ultimate solutions and related with the individuals. She is "in this" for 5 weeks. She knows the individuals and he or she learns rapid and nicely. she would be unbelievably great vice chairman in few months, plenty extra advantageous than maximum VPs in the past her, waiting to be the destiny president, enjoyed by skill of the country and the international.

Answer 7

I thought Palin did well. I was a little worried going into it, especially considering the fact that the moderator was a biased, kool aid drinking, Obamabot. But, she handled Biden, she appealed to middle class and blue collar Americans better than McCain, Biden, or Obama could ever do. She answered her questions intelligently, no more of that Katie Couric-type fumbling. Biden had really nothing but falsifying facts that can be easily looked up and replaying the same, tired George Bush lines over and over and over again.

It's really sad that Obama and Biden have nothing to say except "George Bush"

Answer 8

Briefly, VEEP debates are not about the VEEP candidates they're about "the top" of each ticket. Let's see how that spins out.



Biden certainly appeared to understand debating; Palin was at a complete loss - her meandering manner, and off-hand comments, winks, colloquial slang sayings, did little to build confidence in her abilities at national leadership on any level, and are usually not permitted in any debate discipline. For some reason, the last two debates let one of the team 'off the hook.'



If the Presidential Debate Commission is going to change the decades-old debate tradition, and regulations, they need to tell the public well in advance; it's not fair to the voters, otherwise. They're doing a great disservice to us.



What on earth was McCain thinking when he found Palin? It's not like him which is scary, at best. We need a new Constitutional amandment - no nominations to higher office originating from U-Tube or Facebook.

Answer 9

Well Biden seemed like he was drunk, but then again I would get drunk to if I knew I was going up against Palin in a debate and knew I was going to look like a @$$hole either way. I have said this soooo many times. McCain Palin 2008!

Answer 10

Sarah Palin answered every question perfectly. She knocked Obama's block off and Biden did not even defend him. She pointed out things that Biden has said against Obama. She pointed out what Obama said about our troops in Afghanistan.



PALIN: Now, Barack Obama had said that all we're doing in Afghanistan is air-raiding villages and killing civilians. And such a reckless, reckless comment and untrue comment, again, hurts our cause.





Sarah Palin won this battle and damn I'm glad that liberals don't decide the Super Bowl.

Answer 11

I thought Palin did great, with something to really say. Biden just repeated the Obama mantras "Change...it's all W's fault...change..."

He made my eyes glaze over. She made me sit up and take notice.

Answer 12

Sarah Palin is an idiot and she appeals to unintelligent people... She so obviously did not know what the hell she was talking about..

Answer 13

Sarah kicked butt.



On Fox Karl Rove documented 10 things Biden said that were out right lies and 6 things he said that you could argue.



I can't wait to read it when in go to print.



Mike

Answer 14

Well most polls show Biden winning big