But the news of the big debate night, and perhaps the news of the entire 2008 presidential election, is that if you were even slightly leaning towards the GOP ticket, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin did nothing to make you jump ship. That's BIG news because the truth is the Republican vice presidential nominee was the story going into the night, not her adversary Sen. Joseph Biden.
Yes, she felt rehearsed. And yes, viewers could practically hear the gears turning in her head as she repeatedly veered from answering the questions posed by moderator Gwen Ifill and returned to the safe harbor of her notes.
When asked for meaty thoughts, Palin usually offered up cotton candy comments like when addressing the Middle East situation.
Biden called the Bush policy an abject failure. Palin conceded there have been failures by her GOP predecessors but scolded Biden for "too much finger-pointing backwards." Sounds good but can't we talk about earlier failures – especially since you have offered few specifics on what you would do better? ...
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
At another point, Palin expressed pride in teaming with the Arizona senator and hailed him as a man "who knows how to win a war."
Yes McCain served with honor while being taken as a prisoner in the Vietnam conflict. But can you tell me exactly which war he has won?
The comment, however, and several others Palin offered at Washington University in St. Louis, achieved their desired effect in a sound-bite craving world – they sounded somewhat convincing and seemed heartfelt.That might not seem like a lot to have accomplished, but Palin wasn't exactly enjoying a banner week going into the contest.
For weeks, word coming out of the Republican camp was that she was failing miserably during debate preparations.
Then excerpts from her televised interview with Katie Couric shined a bright light on her dim understanding of how to impress as a vice presidential candidate.
Asked by Couric which publications inform her thinking, the former journalism student stammered, then babbled for a bit, but ultimately failed to name a single newspaper, magazine or news website she reads.
The bar was set low Thursday. And she managed to crawl over it.
For his part, Biden provided solid answers and generally avoided talking too much. He did from time to time get caught up in numbers or complex retorts that were far more accurate but far less pithy than Palin's. The only true passion of the night came toward the end of the debate when Biden choked up when talking about the auto accident that claimed his wife and seriously injured two of his sons.
Biden then launched into what should be a centerpiece of the Democratic message: while proudly claiming the tag of a "maverick" through the campaign, John McCain has consistently voted with Bush and against policies for everyday Americans even to expand children's health care coverage.
But by then Democrats who had been waiting for the big Palin blunder, the silly sound bite that would doom her candidacy, were feeling disappointed. She proved for her supporters that cotton candy is better than nothing at all.
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Paul Shepard blogs the Democrat side of the election for BlackVoices. He has been a journalist for 16 years; on the national urban/minority affairs beat for The Cleveland Plain Dealer and for The AP in Washington, D.C.More Debate and Election Coverage
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Comments: (51)
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By: martin on 10/03/2008 12:51AM
somebody already said that Palin is a quick study and that is all i saw. Says what is rehearsed to keep her out of trouble and at the same time not bring total disgrace to her running mate. Is this what the usa needs for president? Someone that avoid bad public images and runs scared. Sounds like one step up from Bush to me and that the best that I can say about her. I myself am non-partisan so far but hmm...
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By: Lranee on 10/03/2008 2:44AM
the bar was set really low for her and she is being praised by neo-cons (smh) this woman is not a reformer or maverick, she had the audacity to tell Ifill and the debate audience that she was not going to answer questions in the beginning of the debate, and she didn't, and ended basically saying she would not talk to media, wtf?! She doesn't deserve to be VP if she won't answers questions. I was really heated when she announced that she wants more power over congress as VP...PLEASE HEFA! she makes me so sick
...anyway Biden was great and his "choke up" moment was so heart felt
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By: kgirl1028 on 10/03/2008 3:58AM
I would like to send a shout out to my girl Gwen Ifill. While i was skeptical of you at first I must applaud the excellent black professional that you were to night. Unlike most black journalists, heck most liberal journalist period who are so obama biased, they are crude and shameless to the point they have me covering my face in shame, tonight Ms. Ifill you made me so proud. You were poised, articulate, and fair. Fairness is something hard to find in this world and so is professionalism, you are a rare gem. And i would like to thank you for your representation of black women tonight. Sarah Palin rocked, but so did you. Yes you may have a book out that will sell well if obama becomes president, but unlike so many other shameless black journalist you could have proceeded into trying to gleefully destroy Sarah Palin as many others have before despite of how it made them look. What you did tonight, defied all my expectations and for that I am exceedingly grateful. You give me faith and hope to the values that my grandmother taught me. Thank you Gwen for showing that a rare species of unbiased black professional journalist has not gone extinct. Maybe one day we can see you up on that stage as the first black female VP nominee, or the first black anchor woman for a major network. You are everything a journalist should be and more. Thank you so much for restoring my faith.
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By: Woody on 10/03/2008 7:00AM
McCain's only point of perceived success is the surge in Iraq. The overall situation in Iraq is still bleak and unstable, the surge is the equivalent putting one gallon in a hummers gas tank. You can run out of gas at any moment. Let's not mention the thousand of lives being lost and what this has done to our economy. We have worsen the lives of Iraqis and Americans.
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By: Lore on 10/03/2008 7:32AM
You cant win a debate if you dont answer the questions. No way in hell did she win because she bullied the debate the way she wanted it to go because she will NEVER be ready for this position. When the people on stage are facing accusations of racial bias and sexism, they tend to hold back in fear of being accused of attacking Palin unfairly and thats what you saw on stage and therefore she runs away thinking she won fair and square when it was stong arm tactics from whining republicans.They know she cant hold her own unless she gets special treatment and lowered bars. This never would have happened if she was a man. Obama was "RAPED" over the coals by "FAUX" news media and some other super conservative reporters. Obama appeared on Oreilly factor knowing he was going to be on unfriendly ground before he sat down but he faced the challenge because when you are truly ready for the highest office thats what you do. You dont accept the easy interviews and avoid those who dont agree with you.She constantly compares herself to Obama and she is way out of his league,beneath him professionally and politically. If the only thing you have going for you is your likability and feminine wiles then you are running for the wrong position,cute but too old for pageants.No Palin,No McCain,NO WAY IN 08...
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By: goldwing4730 on 10/03/2008 8:32AM
First and foremost...isn't Palin so sarcastic...I find that many people with limited intelligence tend to be either rude, loud or very patronizing...I also thought she was rather disrespectful towards Gwen Ifill...had the moderator been Tom Brokaw, I doubt very seriously if she would have made the "I will answer the questions the way I want to..." statement...then she failed to answer one direct question...very rehearsed...very fake...a very immature person (those winks were killing me)...a very direspectful, condesending woman.
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By: Charles on 10/03/2008 8:35AM
I'm flabbergasted by many in the media's response to the debate. She (Palin) is clearly, clearly unprepared to be VP, President, or in my book the Governor of Alaska. I hate it when the Media says things like America likes her as if all Americans are WHITE. I'm not as taken with her as people like John Roberts of CNN. Her folksy language is just inane to me. Bush and his gang are directly responsible for the destruction of our economy, our standing in the world, and the live of thousands of people. McCain is more of the same. Ms. Palin needs to go back to Alaska and stay out of national politics.
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By: ikeblack on 10/03/2008 8:42AM
these debates are like job interview, the interviewer ask the questions and the american people decide if you get hired or not. gov palin refuse to answer the questions for why should we hire her for the job. what whould happen if one of us the public where to go for a job and refuse to answer the questions, that the future employer asked. It would be dont call us and we sure wont call you.
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By: KidAlchemy on 10/03/2008 9:10AM
Is this what American politics have come too? Really? This would be a travesty and sham if they were to vote for Palin and McSame. How can you not answer the question and rant about the same thing over and over again and think that is debating? She was winking and even gave a shout-out? Stop this foolishness, please.
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By: WENDY on 10/03/2008 8:56AM
Unfortunately, The Pitfalls of Palin Saga continues on. Palin was too "coached" and rehearsed--kept rambling on without reason for a while. And Palin kept rushing her words as though she'd forget what she needed to say if she didn't speak right away. For an odd moment she went into a trance--like a dear caught in the headlights--when only her mouth was moving (I thought I was watching an episode of the cartoon, Clutch Cargo). Then she went on-and-on with redundancy about clean energy, even when the question wasn’t about energy (awful!) Palin got stuck on stupid. The “Drill baby drill” flat-lined. And I can't get over the "Gosh," "Darn," "Betcha," "Joe Six-pack" remarks. That turned me completely off! And just to show how “rehearsed” she’d been by the so-called Republican conservative “intellectuals,” Palin had asked if she could call Joe Biden by his first name right before the debate, just for she can use that silly, wooden line: “Say it ain’t so, Joe.” (Sigh!) Too obvious and too cutesy!
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