The Biden Versus Palin Vice-Presidential Debate: Who Won and Why?

[korbel]

Hello all,

PLEASE DO NOT VOTE BEFORE THE DEBATE. Let’s give each candidate a chance to be heard, or if you don’t watch the debate, wait until there are some facts about it to base your decision on.

The overall question is, based on this debate who is more fit to be Vice President and therefore President?

This is a multiple choice poll. You can pick a choice in each area for your candidate, or you can mix your choices between different candidates depending on who you thought was better in each area. Just pick one candidate in each area as you wish. Of course you can just pick the main reason you thought a candidate was the better choice.

Thanks,

Korbel

PS

Central question amended.

 

[bond_james_bond]

9 p.m. EST

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Your poll asks who is more qualified to be Vice President. We already know the answer and it's certainly nothing that will be answered by a 90 minute debate.

Someone who doesn't read newspapers and can't name any Supreme Court decision other than Roe v. Wade, is not only unqualified to be VP, but is an embarrassment as a citizen.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Never mind decisions, if, out of the blue, we simply asked the 4 Canadian Party chiefs for half of the names of the Canadian Supreme Court judges, I wonder what the answers would be.

So you're of the opinion that knowledge is not a prerequisite in a national leader?

 

[bond_james_bond]

So you're of the opinion that knowledge is not a prerequisite in a national leader?

Technically, no.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States#Qualification.2C_disqualification_and_common_practice

Qualifications for President:

* natural-born US citizen
* >= 35 yrs
* US resident for >= 14 yrs
* never been impeached
* not been Prez more than 2x
* can't be Prez, can't be VP either
* elected by majority of electoral college

It would be nice to have a President who is knowledgeable, worldly, and intellectual.

But those aren't the current requirements.

 

[korbel]

Your poll asks who is more qualified to be Vice President. We already know the answer and it's certainly nothing that will be answered by a 90 minute debate.

Someone who doesn't read newspapers and can't name any Supreme Court decision other than Roe v. Wade, is not only unqualified to be VP, but is an embarrassment as a citizen.

Look Rumples,

Everyone knows your bias just as everyone knows mine. But this poll concerns this debate, not anybody's predisposition. So, maybe I should have said, "based on this debate". Fine! That can be fixed instantly. But repeating your feelings only shows you have predetermined the issue without a hearing. I might not be much better, but at least I put in some effort by listening to some suggestions to make this poll as unbiased as possible. You can post as you want, but it would be nice if you did all of us a huge favor and try not to nullify the debate before it happens.

Maxima, please don't let the biased predispositions of anyone taint how you view the debate or the election. That isn't fair either. I did appreciate your suggestions.

Besides guys and gals, this is just meant to spark some interest and conversation...not change the world...lol.

Cheers,

Korbel

 

[Ben Dover]

Technically, no.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States#Qualification.2C_disqualification_and_common_practice

Qualifications for President:

* natural-born US citizen
* >= 35 yrs
* US resident for >= 14 yrs
* never been impeached
* not been Prez more than 2x
* can't be Prez, can't be VP either
* elected by majority of electoral college

It would be nice to have a President who is knowledgeable, worldly, and intellectual.

But those aren't the current requirements.

So dead people and inmates are ok then?

I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth, but my interpretation of Rumples use of the term "prerequisite in a national leader" was that this would be a "prerequisite qualification to get your vote" not a technical requirement to legally qualify as eligible for the job.

I also agree that this poll is flawed (ah Korbel! and you were doing so well for a while!)

Unless one of the candidates has a meltdown or does something terrible (or amazing), all of which is highly unlikely, the debate will probably have very little effect on the outcome of this election. IMHO Biden wins my vote on all the questions in the poll hands down, whether or not he creams Palin in the debate.

BD

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Actually, the format of this debate plays very well to Palin's "capabilities." Brief answers with no follow up. 90 seconds to reply. For a candidate with no in-depth knowledge and an ability to recite memorized soundbites, this debate should be little challenge.

 

[korbel]

Debates

Hello all,

I think the most important outcome of the 1st Presidential debate was Barack Obama's ability to make voters feel comfortable about voting for him through his speaking skills, command of the issues, and ability to stand up to McCain. Voters could then feel Obama was up to being President. This is where Palin has been failing. More and more people have become less comfortable about voting for her because of sinking confidence in her abilities and qualifications. And that was when she had not yet faced any opponent.

Cheers,

Korbel

PS

I'll be watching the chart at the bottom of the screen to see what the Independents are thinking.

 

[EagerBeaver]

The debate hasn't even started and 4 votes have been cast in this poll!

 

[korbel]

The debate hasn't even started and 4 votes have been cast in this poll!

Well,

That's one voter, Amazona, who did the same thing the last time. Just discount it.

Cheers,

Korbel

 

[EagerBeaver]

Biden

Surprisingly dignified and polite debate. Biden was slightly more polished than Palin in answering questions. Palin had some good answers, but also a lot of canned soundbites and got McKiernen's name wrong. Her highlights were scoring with two great Reagan quotes. I give Biden a slight edge.

 

[EagerBeaver]

http://www.bestgfe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26206&d=1223001632

Can someone help me blow up these pics?

http://www.bestgfe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26207&d=1223001681

 

[korbel]

Hello all,

Well.....................................................................what happened to Sarah Palin and who sent that coherent clone on stage. This certainly, wasn't the stumbling bumbling Sarah Palin 1 who couldn't put a coherent sensible sentence together, or communicate any kind of intelligent thought, and was even heard contradicting McCain on the need to attack terrorists directly in Pakistan. Given how badly she has come across over the last few weeks she was very good tonight. Yes, she was impressive considering the kind of expectations so many had of her. But, as I voted, Biden was just better on the facts and offering specific solutions. She wins on general affability, and that may play well with the public, but Biden wins on better substance and general knowledge. I thought they were close to each other for the first 20 minutes, then she started becoming more general and "folksy", and shifted between specifics and more vague patriotic generalities meant to appeal to the Republican base and stay with in her sphere of knowldge. But Biden was just absolutely on target all night being excellent on all subjects, and demonstrated excellent knowledge very consistently, and I think he made as many personal connections with the viewers as Palin ever did.

So despite a surprisingly competent and sometimes effective performance by Palin, as someone just said on CNN, "Biden gave the denate of his life tonight and was superb." Overall, I give a very firm moderate edge to Biden.

Cheers

 

[Techman]

I definitely gave it to Biden. I found that Palin looked like a deer in the headlights in the beginning and often avoided answering the questions asked. She might get my vote for VP of the local PTA but I wouldn't want her one step away from running the most powerful country in the world. And if I heard one more 'doggonit' come out of her...

One thing that I hated to hear her say was that McCain knew how to win a war, or something similar, but he fought in Vietnam and the US lost that one.

But I will say that she did much better than I expected.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Palin did okay, but she had little to lose considering how much of a disaster she's been over the past 3 weeks. It was Biden's debate to lose & it was a tremendous triumph by JOE.

It reminded of a classic boxing match where the heavily favored boxer plays with his challenger for most of the fight & has numerous opportunities to knock out his foe but choses to beat him up instead. Then, as the fight is into its final rounds, he then starts swinging wildly & not allowing the contender to retaliate. The final blow came when in the last moments of the debate....WHAT A SPEECH!!!!!!!!!!!

It was Biden's finest moment in a long political career. I was very touched & actually got choked up when he rebuted Palin's diatribe about motherhood. People forget that as a junior Senator, Biden lost his young wife & young daughter to a tragic car accident. His two young sons survived, barely....and in a moment, he was now a single parent of 2 very young children.

My personal opinion of tonight's fantastic debate was that it was an OVERWHELMING VICTORY BY JOE BIDEN. Sarah Palin did very well, but it seemed that most of the time she was speaking, either her lines were rehearsed/memorized or that she was reading from a teleprompter or both. Biden was more spontaneous & natural when he spoke. Palin also appeared off-topick several times in the first half of the debate & kept going to her comfort zone, which was taxes & energy....and talking about 'the faux-maverick', none other than Grandpa John McBush.

Should i dare say it?? JOE BIDEN LOOKED PRESIDENTIAL!!!!!!!!!!!

By the way, when the two were introduced prior to the beginning of the debate, i overheard Palin asking Biden if it was okay if she called him Joe. It sounded like an odd thing to ask. Well, in the 2nd half of the debate, i finally figured out why....and so did Biden from his reaction. She suddenly burst out & said something like "Say it ain't so, Joe!!" Right away, i said to myself "That's it!! That's why her handlers told her to ask him if she could call him Joe prior to the start of the debate!!" Biden caught on right away & cracked up!!

Of course, people who weren't aware of her initial request prior to the start of the debate probably felt she might have sounded rude towards him. But it wasn't the case & she was likely following orders from her handlers who had pre-planned this comment from her.

Wow!!! What a debate!!! Thank you Joe Biden!!!!

 

[pinkworm]

I agree. Palin did surprisingly better than I expected.

I agree, compared to the CBS interview. Several times she didn't answer the question and had a "canned" response.

 

[korbel]

Several times she didn't answer the question and had a "canned" response.

Hello Pink Worm,

Agreed. I thought Palin was doing very well for the first 20 minutes. Then she started to fall back on small town Patriotism and canned Republican themes that avoided some direct answers to some questions. I saw the graph top out once for her and three to four times for Biden.

Night,

Korbel

 

[General Gonad]

She is cute and I was checking out her ass in that suit , but VP of the United States of America, no way. She is simply not qualified.

GG

 

[zeero]

She didn't make an ass of herself.

This certainly, wasn't the stumbling bumbling Sarah Palin 1 who couldn't put a coherent sensible sentence together, or communicate any kind of intelligent thought, and was even heard contradicting McCain on the need to attack terrorists directly in Pakistan.

I was pleasantly surprised that she didn't make an ass of herself. McCain/Palin still isn't getting my vote, but at least she was somewhat dignified tonight.