The vice presidential debates are now over and I have to say, both the Republicans and Democrats seemed to get what they wanted out of it. Joe Biden was in a tough situation, but he exceeded expectations and was congenial, articulate, on point, knowledgeable, and didn't pursue tangents as he's known to do. All in all, I think the Democrats can be proud to know that Biden is very intelligent and can keep his cool. Palin too exceeded expectations, albeit an easy task after her embarrassing stumblings with Katie Couric. The Republicans achieved what they were hoping for, to salvage some dignity for their candidates. However, I couldn't help but feel discomfort with Palin's folksy approach that parallels the speeches of the last eight years.
David Folkenflik described it best in his article Palin, Pundits and Partisans: A Made-for-TV Drama; "Palin looked right into the camera, winked, smiled, joked and conveyed just by how she carried herself that, doggone it, this normal non-beltway professional would be perfectly comfortable being the understudy for the most powerful person on Earth. . . . That's not to say Palin actually answered the questions posed by moderator Gwen Ifill of PBS. She didn't always bother. And why should she have? The abbreviated periods mandated by the event's format hardly required it."
I have a real problem with our president not being taken seriously internationally and an even bigger problem with our president not taking their position seriously. The American president should stand as the consummate professional, an intellectual, and a leader. When our leaders think that 'playing dumb', or just being dumb, makes them popular, we embarrass ourselves. This 'Joe six pack', 'I'm just a hockey mom, I don't know what you Washington bigwigs mean?' flaky folksy approach shames our entire country. I want to see someone standing up in a debate, on national television, and at conferences with international leaders who impresses the world with their compassion, grace, intelligence, and honor. I don't want to think, "I could have a beer with them!"
As always, it's helpful to check the facts after a debate. I found this breakdown particularly helpful. Click the link above to check it out for yourself.
Here's my favorite moment from the debate. Thanks Biden, for being an honest, open, strong, and sensitive man. You're devotion to your family makes you a role model for people across our country.
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