Editorial: Palin’s performance exceeds low expectations, Biden clear winner

Gov. Sarah Palin spent three days preparing for last night’s vice presidential debate with Sen…. Gov. Sarah Palin spent three days preparing for last night’s vice presidential debate with Sen. Joe Biden and it showed. For the first time in the past month since she was chosen as Sen. John McCain’s running mate, Palin seemed confident, her arguments were developed and her attacks clear. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ It was a vastly different performance from her one-on-one interviews with journalists this past month. Take last week’s interview with CBS’s Katie Couric, for example. After airing clips of the interview on his show, Jack Cafferty of CNN said, ‘If John McCain wins, this woman will be one 72-year-old’s heartbeat away from being president of the United States. And if that doesn’t scare the hell out of you, it should.’ So while Palin exceeded the media’s expectations in her performance last night, it was only because expectations were very low. And the real fact of the matter is that, as vice president of the United States, she would not have the luxury of being able to spend days preparing. While Biden offered specific, detailed responses, Palin’s answers were broad and vague. She often seemed to be regurgitating campaign rhetoric as opposed to offering honest answers. Palin also failed to acknowledge several of Biden’s attacks, including McCain’s policy on government deregulation that, many Democrats are saying, might have led to the current economic crisis. Last night’s debate showcased fundamental differences between the two parties that will be crucial for voters on Election Day. The candidates sparred on the issue of health care. Palin criticized Sen. Barack Obama’s health plan for being government-run in a time of economic hardship. Biden fought back by attacking McCain’s plan, a $5,000 tax credit enabling Americans to purchase their own health care. The plan would be funded by taxing people who receive health care from their employers and giving the money to insurance companies, which Biden called ‘the ultimate Bridge to Nowhere.’ Both candidates stated their support of benefits for same-sex couples, although Palin did so on the condition that it would not hurt the traditional definition of marriage. She also made the embarrassing mistake of implying that homosexuality was a choice. Palin exhibited blind optimism with regard to Afghanistan saying that, ‘We’re getting closer and closer to victory.’ Biden was more realistic in saying, ‘Our commanding general in Afghanistan said … we need more troops. He said we need government-building. We need to spend more money on the infrastructure in Afghanistan.’ On the issue of Darfur, Biden emphasized the need for U.S. troops to help lead NATO in ending genocide and providing helicopters to get African Union forces into the area. Palin stated the importance of divestment, bringing up her experience with the Alaska Permanent Fund to support her argument. The candidates also differed in their mannerisms. Palin used folksy, down-to-earth language, undoubtedly attempting to make a populist appeal to the people. Both Biden and Palin presented themselves as friendly and respectful, and both smiled and laughed frequently. But in the end, Biden was the clear winner. The senator was obviously the better-informed candidate, providing convincing responses and strong points. While Palin did much better than expected, that’s certainly not saying much. But, hey, at least her highlights looked good.