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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2008 > October > 02 > Entry
Debate enters the stretch run
9:57 About half an hour left and so far no big moments to speak of. I think Paliin has performed better vs. Biden than McCain did with Obama, at least in terms of body language and expressions. She comes across warm and likeable and hasn’t made a big mistake yet.
9:59 Is Palin reading off note cards? I just noticed she is looking down at the podium a lot. She just asked Ifill if she could talk about Afganistan and then appeared to shuffle with her hands. While Biden speaks she is looking down and moving her hands but we can’t see what she is doing. She also might be taking notes.
10:01 I think I’ve picked up a couple audible sighs from Biden during Palin’s foreign policy answers. Sort of reminded me of Al Gore’s sighs. But again this happened off camera. It might not have been a mocking sigh. It might have been a genuine deep breath. I couldn’t tell.
10:03 Are people from Bosnia really “Bosniacs?” That’s what Biden just called them. Aren’t they Bosnians?
10:05 Palin busts senators like Biden and Obama for “voting for it before you were against it” on war issues and says she doesn’t get that since she’s “an outsider.” That gets a big smile from Biden. Seems like he might have a comeback ready for that. We’ll see.
10:07 No big comeback from Biden. He launches into a discussion of Darfur.
10:08 Palin stumbles a little bit but gets rolling with “John McCain knows how to win a war.”
10:09 Palin wants to bring reality from “Wasilla Main Street” to Washington. Get government out of the way so it doesn’t put mandates on us and take our money, she says. And she says Obama will increase taxes.
10:10 Now Biden says walk the streets of Delaware and Scranton with me and see if they think the Bush economic plan is working for them.
10:11 Folksy Palin comes out. “There you go again looking backwards” at the Bush administration, she tells Biden. Winks at dad in the audience. Gives a “shout out” to an elementary school, giving extra credit to the kids who are watching.
10:15 With 15 minutes left, my wife says “this has been boring.” Good sign for Palin.
10:17 Palin bumbled a bit talking about the powers of the vice president’s office. Stumbled over her words, mostly. Not a gaffe. Biden calls Dick Cheney “the most dangerous vice president we’ve every had.” Says everyone should understand that the VP is in the executive branch. Palin said the constitution gives flexibility. Biden is killing Cheney, calling his executive branch argument for the VP “bizarre” and saying it has been bad for the country.
10:20 Biden brings up his wife’s death in a car accident to say he knows what life is like when things get rough. He also chokes up a bit talking about not knowing if his son would make it after the wreck. Interesting to see how this will play. Palin acted as if nothing happened and just went on with a prepared answer. I think she missed an opportunity to look compassionate and human by acknowledging Biden’s personal struggle in some way.
10:24 Biden is finishing very strong. He is beating McCain up for not being a maverick on “the things that matter” and throwing out a bunch of real life examples on things McCain voted against.
10:26 Biden also gives a good answer about changing his view on a tough issue by bringing up the supreme court and the importance of ideology of judicial nominees. It’s a subtle signal to supporters of liberal court issues like abortion.
10:28 Palin says she has never really had to change her view of any major issue because she finds a way to compromise. Weird answer.
10:30 No big winner tonight, which means Palin supporters have to be thrilled. Most people probably tuned in tonight to see if she would implode. She did not. Biden finished strong and overall did fine. But he was expected to win. He may have scored more points, but this was not a knockout.
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Comments
By mwm
October 2, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this
Palin is wrong.. McCain does not know how to win a war. We lost VietNam.By Davidss2
October 3, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this
I didn’t know John McCain was President during the Viet Nam war. I thought that was Kennedy and LBJ and Nixon who were presidents. I learn something every day.By null
October 4, 2008 10:35 AM | Link to this
Doesn’t Palin realize that the way she talks makes her sound uneducated? She says “ya” instead of you, “ta” instead of to and drops the “g” from all words ending in ing. And the winking has got to go.