The numerous media outlets mentioned the relaxed atmosphere, the general politeness between the two candidates, ending with the cute gathering between Sen. Biden’s family and Gov. Palin’s family. Smiles abounded, hugs were given, all was good.
The most important question for this debate, however, is who won?
Fox News’ Chris Wallace thought Gov. Palin won, as did The Wall Street Journal. The NY Times picked Sen. Biden.
A couple of polls favored Sen. Biden, although Gov. Palin was given credit for not cowering from the presence of a much more experienced candidate. Of course, neither candidate spoke about his or her own positions very often, instead discussing their respective presidential candidates’ opinions, which was to be expected.
A Scary Moment
But one moment that, for whatever reason, escaped the ears of the many pundits of the evening, was Gov. Palin’s definition of the role of the Vice President. Gov. Palin favored Vice President Dick Cheney’s interpretation of the Vice President, an amorphous position with more connection to the legislative branch than the executive.
It was the only moment during the debate that Sen. Biden pounced on, lecturing Gov. Palin about how the Constitution spells out the role of what the Vice President, stating that the Vice President is a member of the executive branch.
As Sen. Biden said, “Vice President Cheney has been the most dangerous vice president we’ve had probably in American history.”
It also had Gwen Ifill pull a double take, the moderator’s eyes widening as Gov. Palin continued to answer, digging herself into a deeper and deeper Constitutional quagmire.
For all of Gov. Palin’s folksy charms and “aw shucks” mannerisms, a candidate who theoretically speaks to the average citizen, the “Joe Sixpack” (which is a little condescending), her response to the role of the Vice President was incredibly enlightening.
Is there more to Gov. Palin than she's revealed?
Are her folksy mannerisms just a façade? Is she perhaps a cold and calculating leader who hides behind a cute Alaskan accent and moose-related anecdotes?
Many pundits lauded Gov. Palin for her performance in the debate, and she didn’t freeze (although she was clearly nervous in the beginning) during the debate. But she offered few details in her answers, ones that Sen. Biden provided throughout the debate. She had plenty of rhetoric, lots of misinformation (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not the true leader of Iran), and a cute back story, but little valuable information to offer.
It’s important for candidates to have charisma, to be able to charm voters and leaders alike, but what’s the point of having a charismatic leader without substance? Just because a candidate calls him or herself a “maverick” or an “outsider,” doesn’t make it so, especially when said candidate offers little as to how he or she would change Washington or mentions any specific policies.
The Oct. 2 debate did little to change the minds of undetermined voters; people who love Gov. Palin’s mannerisms will still vote for her Sen. John McCain, while those who prefer Sen. Biden’s matter-of-fact approach will still vote for him and Sen. Barack Obama.
But the debate did offer a warning, a brief glimpse into life with Gov. Palin as Vice President, and it wasn’t very pretty.
