Biden vs. Palin – Vice Presidential Debate

So the debate is over. Let’s start taking it apart peice by piece.

I have fact checks, and highlights.

Did Joe Biden have a gaffe? Surprisingly, no!

It seems that Sarah Palin was the attack dog tonight. She came out swinging when she pointed out that Joe Biden said Barack Obama was not ready to be commander in chief. Again quoting him saying he’d be willing to run with John McCain.

She attacked him when she stated Barack Obama voted against funding for our troops (without a time table) to which Joe counter punched by saying that John McCain himself had voted against funding for our troops. (with a time table) He went on to say John McCain was “dead wrong on the fundamental issues relating to the conduct of the war.”

When asked herself about Iraq she said she was from a team of “mavericks.” She said she along with John McCain were mavericks a lot. Last time I checked, she’s wasn’t a Maverick.

As for gaffes, well Sarah Palin twice referred to the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan as General McClellan. His name is David McKiernan.
It seemed for every punch Sarah Palin threw at the more experienced Joe Biden there was a counter punch which was stronger. Palin said Obama voted to raise taxes 94 times Biden said by that ideology McCain voted “477 times to raise taxes.”

On energy Biden said that in the last 10 years McCain had voted “20 times against funding alternative energy sources and thinks, I guess, the only answer is drill, drill, drill.”

Sarah Palin countered by saying “The chant is, drill baby drill”

Time and time again Sarah Palin seemed visibly disheveled. When Joe Biden pointed out that Barack Obama, President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki all supported a withdrawl of troops and that John McCain was the “odd man out” Sarah stumbled to find an answer.

As she looked down, at what one can only imagine were notes, she paused with a “uhhhhh” before she replied by saying a timetable was “waving a white flag of surrender”.

It seemed Joe Biden knew his stuff especially when it came down to Iraq.

John McCain voted to cut off funding for the troops. Let me say that again. John McCain voted against an amendment containing 1 billion, 600 million dollars” for protective equipment that is “protecting the governor’s son and, pray God, my son and a lot of other sons and daughters. He voted against it.

This seemed only to play to the public’s idea that Sarah Palin was extremely unprepared to be a veep choice. Following interviews with Katie Couric which made her look just foolish she needed to come through tonight.

She threw out the idea that John McCain was strong on the economy and sounded the bell on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over two years ago. A quick check by our friends at factcheck.org says: Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska led an effort in 2005 to tighten regulation on the mortgage underwriters — McCain joined as a co-sponsor a year later. The legislation was never taken up by the full Senate, then under Republican control.

Governor Palin said that we had withdrawn our troops in Iraq to pre surge levels now that the violence has declined thanks to Senator McCain who “knows how to win a war.” FACTCHECK! The Pentagon says there are currently 152,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, about 17,000 more than there were before the 2007 military buildup began.

Governor Palin said Barack Obama wanted to raise taxes on people making as little as $42,000 a year. “Barack Obama even supported increasing taxes as late as last year for those families making only $42,000 a year.” FACTCHECK! The vote was on a nonbinding that assumed that President Bush’s tax cuts would expire, as scheduled, in 2011. If that actually happened, it could mean higher taxes for people making as little as about $42,000. But Obama is proposing tax increases only on the wealthy, and would cut taxes for most others. In the March 14 budget resolution supported by Obama and Biden, McCain actually did not vote.

The best however was saved for last. Senator Joe Biden became emotional. Here’s a transcript of what he said.

Look, I understand what it’s like to be a single parent. When my wife and daughter died and my two sons were gravely injured, I understand what it’s like as a parent to wonder what it’s like if your kid’s going to make it.

I understand what it’s like to sit around the kitchen table with a father who says, “I’ve got to leave, champ, because there’s no jobs here. I got to head down to Wilmington. And when we get enough money, honey, we’ll bring you down.”

I understand what it’s like. I’m much better off than almost all Americans now. I get a good salary with the United States Senate. I live in a beautiful house that’s my total investment that I have. So I — I am much better off now.

But the notion that somehow, because I’m a man, I don’t know what it’s like to raise two kids alone, I don’t know what it’s like to have a child you’re not sure is going to — is going to make it — I understand.

I understand, as well as, with all due respect, the governor or anybody else, what it’s like for those people sitting around that kitchen table. And guess what? They’re looking for help. They’re looking for help. They’re not looking for more of the same.

This was very touching and I will imagine touched many viewers. It seemed that Joe Biden didn’t make any mistakes, held his own, and made his case to the American people.

Sarah Palin seemed unprepared at times, and even seemed to be attack Senator Biden. She did play on her charm but now only the polls can tell us what people thought.

What did you think?