VP Debate: Live Mikes, Facial Contortions, and Exceeding Expectations
Nathan Greene
4 Comments
By Emily Geiger
I’m sure that you can find analysis of the last night’s vice presidential debate all over the place on the web this morning, and you can find any variety to suit your own political preferences. So, I’ll keep my analysis short and sweet, and then mention a few things that perhaps not everyone noticed.
Sarah Palin did well. Joe Biden did not say anything totally stupid, well, except maybe when he tried to lecture Palin as a scolding school teacher would, saying that “Article I of the Constitution defines the role of the vice president of the United States, that's the Executive Branch.”
Actually, Joe, Article I of the Constitution deals with the legislative branch. It’s Article II that deals with the executive branch, but I digress. But don’t kid yourself… if Palin had made that remark, the media would be salivating over it and playing it on a continuous loop on Dish Network… oh wait, that’s something else…
In any other situation, I would probably have to call this debate a draw. Both VP nominees defended their running mates well, and got in some good licks against the opposition ticket. I thought it was particularly effective when Palin pointed out Biden’s own criticisms of Obama made during the primaries.
However, I also thought that Palin just came off as far more likable than Biden, and, therefore, probably more able to actually come through on the promise of being bipartisan that both tickets seem to be making.
And then there’s the expectations game. All of the liberals who attacked Sarah Palin with such vitriol have to be kicking themselves this morning. If they hadn’t painted Palin as a complete imbecile, maybe she wouldn’t be getting the impressive reaction she is getting from her debate performance.
Given these last two factors, I have to give the edge to Palin as the debate winner coming out of last night. She not only held her own on the issues, she far exceeded expectations and related directly to the American people.
And now for the other tidbits that I found to be interesting.
What was up with Biden’s weird facial expressions during the last half hour or so of the debate? It was downright strange. I found it interesting that when they were showing both candidates in split screen and Biden would begin making those faces, they would cut away to an individual shot of Palin.
But more importantly, why was it that Palin’s microphone was live from the second she walked on the stage (so that we could hear her ask Biden, “Can I call you Joe?”), and also at the end of the debate when she was inviting her family on stage, when Biden’s microphone was not live during those same times? While she didn’t say anything that could hurt her or be used against her, I’m wondering if there were a few production crew members who were hoping for something damning to be captured by the live mike and broadcast to millions live.
Sorry to disappoint.
Reader Comments (4)
You right wing exteremists always have some kind of conspiracy theory.
"The edge goes to Palin"? Really? Their are NO bi-partisan sources that say so.
She came off dry, and like she was reading from her notes the whole time. Not to mention the lame attempts at Regan-isk jokes.
Also the lies, oh so many lies, Say it isnt so Sarah!
Palin repeated a false claim that Obama once voted in favor of higher taxes on “families” making as little as $42,000 a year. He did not. The budget bill in question called for an increase only on singles making that amount, but a family of four would not have been affected unless they made at least $90,000 a year.
Palin claimed McCain’s health care plan would be “budget neutral,” costing the government nothing. Independent budget experts estimate McCain's plan would cost tens of billions each year, though details are too fuzzy to allow for exact estimates.
Palin wrongly claimed that “millions of small businesses” would see tax increases under Obama’s tax proposals. At most, several hundred thousand business owners would see increases.
Point Biden. To start, Palin got newly appointed Gen. David D. McKiernan's name wrong when she called him McClellan. And, more important, Gen. McKiernan clearly did say that surge principles would not work in Afghanistan. As the Washington Post reported:
Washington Post: "The word I don't use for Afghanistan is 'surge,' " McKiernan stressed, saying that what is required is a "sustained commitment" to a counterinsurgency effort that could last many years and would ultimately require a political, not military, solution.
Any more lies Emily? Any more conspiracies?
Obama is leading in FL, MI,NH, NV, IA, NM, CO, PA, VA, and NC.
The time of Republican Fascism is over, soon America will once again be free
Since McCain has failed to gain ground on Obama in any of the five or so national tracking polls since last Thursday, and ratings for the VP debate were through the roof (about 70 million viewers), it seems clear that "exceeding expectations" didn't cut it for most people who were watching at home.
Nice try, though!
It was classy for Sarah Palin to ask if she could call Biden "Joe" and then turn around and deliver scripted zingers calling him Joe.
I saw that!
It sounded absolutely horrible!
Looks like McCain has gone negative...So much for the straight talk express
I can't believe Obama has so many paid staffers with nothing better to do than comment on blogs.