I watched the Sarah Palin - Joe Biden vice presidential debate tonight. Sarah Palin did just fine. I was pleased by her performance.Sarah was informed and knowledgeable on the questions presented to her by Gwen Ifill, an Obama supporter and moderator of the debate. In spite of GOP concerns about Ifill skewing the questions in Biden's favor, she was professional and maintained an air of impartiality. I think she did much better than most moderators of prior debates, almost all of whom seemed pro-Democrat to me.
Who won the debate? Who cares? The fact is, Palin came across as warm, sincere and real. She certainly helped the McCain ticket tonight. Will this translate into a large pro-McCain bounce in the polls? I doubt it. Maybe 1 or 2 points if we're lucky.
I liked how she was cordial and respectful to Biden even while disagreeing with him and sometimes taking him to task, particularly over comments he made in support of McCain and against Obama before Obama selected him as his VP running mate.
Joe Biden also did a good job and raised himself in my esteem. He never got really mean. He launched no personal attacks. He was a good soldier for Obama, a good lieutenant to his commander, and argued well for Obama; however, he seemed a bit like the lawyer he is, a man trained to argue positions he may not actually support in his own mind.
The truth, I think, is that Palin won Biden over along with many other people. She paid him sincere compliments, about his son serving in Iraq, about his wife's 30 years as a teacher. At the end of the debate Palin and Biden stood smiling at one another, shaking hands and exchanging private conversation. Whatever Biden's beliefs about politics, he did not seem to dislike Sarah Palin; just the opposite.
Which just goes to prove how good she will be as the next Vice President of the United States.
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