Biden Wins Vice Presidential Debate

VP Debate Pictures

Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin went head to head in their first and only vice presidential debate in St. Louis on Thursday, clashing on the economy, energy issues and foreign policy. Here, the candidates greet each other at the start of the highly anticipated showdown.

Scott Olson, Getty Images

The debate at Washington University in St. Louis marked the first meeting of the vice presidential candidates. "Can I call you Joe?" Palin asked Biden, who approved.

Don Emmert, AP

The stakes were particularly high for Palin, who has served as governor of Alaska for less than two years. Polls show the public has become more skeptical of her ability to handle the vice presidency. Palin made only one obvious stumble, when she twice referred to Gen. David McKiernan, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan, as "Gen. McClellan."

Rick Wilking, Pool / Getty Images

The pressure was less intense for Biden, a veteran of more than 35 years in the Senate.

Ron Edmonds, AP

The economy quickly took center stage, with both candidates weighing in on the financial crisis and the bailout bill awaiting congressional approval. "The economic policies of the last eight years have been the worst economic policies we've ever had," Biden said.

Rick Wilking, Reuters

Palin said one way to gauge the economic times would be to attend a child's soccer game and listen to parents. "I betcha you're going to hear some fear," she said.

Ron Edmonds, AP

Later, the tone became more heated when the topic turned to the Iraq war. Biden said that he and Barack Obama will be the administration to end the war and said John McCain had been "dead wrong" about the conflict. "For John McCain there is no end in sight to end this war -- fundamental difference," he said.

David McNew, Getty Images

Palin countered that Obama's exit plan was essentially "a white flag of surrender in Iraq" at a moment when victory was "within sight." She also said Biden had once supported McCain's view of the war.

J. Scott Applewhite, AP

Palin got some bad news just before the debate, when an Alaska judge threw out a lawsuit filed by Republicans seeking to stop an abuse-of-power investigation aimed at her. Here, Palin looks on from the side prior to taking the stage.

Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

Palin and Biden smile after the conclusion of the debate.

Ron Edmonds, AP

This one was not close. Yes Palin is attractive, spunky, an energetic communicator and extraordinarily confident. Personally, I find "confident dodging" an unusual strategy when trying to convince the majority of Americans that you are the best person to serve a heartbeat away from the presidency. What was that soccer game comment regarding the bailout?

Senator Joseph Biden stuck to the facts and kept bringing in Senator Barack Obama's policies while Governor Sarah Palin seemed to talk mainly about energy and her record. She defended the top of her ticket as a maverick, but only when she was pressed to do so.

There were a few moments that jumped out to me. The first was when Governor Palin told moderator Gwen Ifill and her competitor Senator Biden that she would answer questions the way she wanted to or not at all. Huh? ...

And I want to let you know what I did as a mayor and as a governor. And I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people and let them know my track record also.

Then there was the l-o-n-g overdue moment when Sen. Biden finally pushed back on this mythical observation that John McCain is still a "maverick," if you believe, as I do, that he once was one.

Look, the maverick -- let's talk about the maverick John McCain is.

And, again, I love him. He's been a maverick on some issues, but he has been no maverick on the things that matter to people's lives. He voted four out of five times for George Bush's budget, which put us a half a trillion dollars in debt this year and over $3 trillion in debt since he's got there.

He has not been a maverick in providing health care for people. He has voted against -- he voted including another 3.6 million children in coverage of the existing health care plan, when he voted in the United States Senate.
He's not been a maverick when it comes to education. He has not supported tax cuts and significant changes for people being able to send their kids to college.

He's not been a maverick on the war. He's not been a maverick on virtually anything that genuinely affects the things that people really talk about around their kitchen table.
(edit)
So maverick he is not on the important, critical issues that affect people at that kitchen table.

But when Senator Joe Biden choked up while talking about his late wife and child and being a single father, my heart was on my sleeve. And from where I sat, that moment of humanity sealed Biden's win.

"The notion somehow that because I'm a man I don't know what it's like to raise two kids alone, I don't know what it's like to have a child you're not sure is going to make it..." he said, pausing briefly to compose himself.

"I understand. I understand."

Here's the point: You don't have to flaunt a lack of knowledge to be a "real person." Since when in American culture did being well-informed equal being disconnected or callous?

More Debate and Election Coverage
+ Palin, Biden Throw Down On Economy, Iraq
+ Palin Avoids Blunders, Biden Gives Solid Answers
+ Watch Full Debate

Community Discussion
+ Sarah Palin Won The Debate
+ It's On .... Biden vs Palin
+ Who's Better Sarah Palin or Hilliary Clinton?