Thoughts on last night's debate...

Let's begin by saying this...I was disappointed there was no new episode of The Office last night. By Thursday, I need my weekly dose of Michael Scott, and no issue of national significance should stand in the way of my fix. Nevertheless, Bev and I had also been looking forward to the vice presidential debate for some time, and last night's event definitely lived up to the phrase "Must See TV."

We really enjoyed this debate. There was a warmth from both candidates that was mysteriously lacking from the first presidential debate. It's safe to say, too, that both candidates surpassed expectations. The bar was obviously set very low for Sarah Palin following her disastrous interviews with Katie Couric, and you have to say she succeeded by failing to have any moose-in-headlights moments. Likewise, Joe Biden kept his verbosity focused and avoided any foot-in-the-mouth gaffes. That being said, there was one clear winner: Joe Biden. If you look at this debate from an unbiased standpoint (which I'm trying to do), and if you judge each candidate on what they said and how they said it (without considering any pre-conceived expectations on how they would perform), Joe Biden won the debate and is clearly more qualified for the office of vice president. His arguments were clear, direct, and displayed a nuanced understanding of the issues that can only come with experience. Joe Biden's indictments of John McCain's proposed policies, along with their obvious ties to the failed policies of the Bush administration, were also very effective (My personal favorite: "John McCain has been no maverick on the things that matter to people's lives"). Sarah Palin, on the other hand, while well-coached and well-rehearsed, was only comfortable talking about specific issues, as evidenced by her explicit refusal to answer some questions. The answers she did give often meandered and lost their focus. Another thing that disturbed me was Sarah Palin's folksy tone ("Darn right," "You betcha", etc). There is a time and place for this sort of comportment, but on the national stage-- in these dire times -- a folksy tone comes across as a lackof seriousness, an ill understanding, a lame joke. Have we learned nothing from George W. Bush? He has brazenly flaunted his folksy, anti-intellectual attitude, and time and time again he has proven that the executive office requires curiosity and a nuanced understandings of issues. As Sarah Palin herself said last night, "Diplomacy is hard work by serious people." You may want "Joe Sixpack" as your friend, but do you necessarily want that person making decisions that affect the entire world?

On a different note, the most poignant -- and likely most memorable -- moment of last night's debate: Joe Biden emotionally recounting his personal tragedy and relating how he understands what it's like to be a single parent, wondering if everything's going to turn out okay. I'd say a lot of people's opinion of Joe Biden changed with that intimate and telling moment.

One final thought. There's been a lot of attention paid to how Sarah Palin revitalized the McCain campaign. Well, after last night's debate, Bev and I come away with re-energized support and enthusiasm for the Obama-Biden ticket. I would venture to say we're not the only ones feeling this away. For all we can see, Joe Biden is a great man, a great American, and highly-qualified for the office of vice-president. What are your opinions? We'd love to hear!