Do you think that this debate have the potential to shift support toward another?

Who did the best job during the debate?

Who improved the most with this debate?

.....

I am curious if anyone is able to get info on what was said after the debate when people came on stage and shaking hands. Palin and Biden did speak to each other for a while and I am curious on what was said between them. After the 2nd moment they spoke to each other, Palin whispered to Todd. What's up with that? Anyone notice Biden rubbing on Palin's right arm?

I'm still undecided,I wished it was Hillary, then Biden, but oh well.
I think she did well as it went on.

I'm thinking like most politicals, the only differnece they have is policy not personal issues with each other.
Maybe went out for ice cream afterwards lol

It was Biden all the way.

Palin was reading from note cards, often pulling up cards that had nothing to do with the question at hand and reading from them, anyway.

And she talked in that excruciating fake-folksy chit-chat style that I assume she picked up from her TV sportscaster days. That's why I said in another topic it was like watching Robin Marsh debate Joe Biden. I kept waiting for Palin to say, "We're gonna check the weather, next!"

You betcha'!

Those folksy moments made me want to cringe. I don't want a folksy politico. I want someone who can stand before foreign leaders and other members of congress, etc. and enter the room with a sense of gravitas and a deep understanding of the issues. Talking points won't fly well.

That being said, she did the job she was expected to do - churning up the base and the religious right-wing, and winking to joe six-pack.

Biden was Biden and he certainly held his own without being condescending. Frankly, I wished he had thrown out a few more barbs.

She had the advantage of throwing out her barbs under sweet talk and with a smile on her face.

They both did what they had to do. Not sure if it really bolstered either party.

You are so spot on FritterGirl...

I appreciate what she's trying to do... get the votes of the 'middle class' but she talks like she's speaking to a barefoot hillbilly who can't read or write!

Gosh darn it! And the 'shout out to the third graders' oh God.

She just is so condescending..... we're not all that stupid Palin. You don't have to talk down to America, we can understand big words.

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" You've Been Thunder Struck ! "

After watching the debate and pausing to think on the question, "Palin as Commander-In-Chief?" I've made up my mind whom I MUST vote for.

I thought it was really touching when Biden nearly got choked up talking about knowing what it was like thinking his child might not survive ( after the accident that killed his wife and daughter and severely injured his two sons) ... that really humanized him and I thought that was from heart......

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" You've Been Thunder Struck ! "

Where's the option to vote for neither?

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ProjectOKC.com

PT Barnum call your office.

I didn't even look at it this way, but you're right. She's trying so hard to "connect" with a specific segment of voters, that she ends up talking down to us all. Blech.

Yes, but can she? Afterall, she reads "everything."

I thought they both did well. Both had some good points and made them without being disrespectful of each other. Biden showed that he has more experience being a politician. However, I think Palin held her own and I don't think she was being condescending, but rather down-to-earth and approachable. I like that.

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My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind
Albert Einstein

Biden obviously held back during the discussion on Afghanistan.
He could've nailed her when she got the name of the Commanding General in Afghanistan wrong.
Frankly, I think he should have.

He also could have nailed her when she said the US is leading the charge (or something to that effect), on environmental responsibility. Kyoto Treaty, anyone?

My sense (for what it's worth to anyone but myself) is that Biden's objectives were ...

1. Focus on McCain, not Palin ... bottom line is who is at the top of the ticket and not the VP candidates
   
   
2. Be respectful to Palin and avoid responses which would focus on her instead of McCain, because by doing so the prime objective (1) would be detracted from and lose its focus
   
   
3. Present himself in a way that voters would approve of as "presidential" ... an approach that would give viewers sufficient information so that they could evaluate HIM as a possible president without being self-serving

If I've got the list right, I think that he succeeded very well.

Palin's objective, I think, was largely to rehabilitate herself ... we didn't hear any remarks from her about her expertise with Russia because based on Alaska's proximity or the "executive skills" she has collected in her personal governmental experience ... and, generally, she seemed to succeed in that ... although the winks and folksy and smiley approach (sometimes bordering on a lack of seriousness), as well as virtually refusing to answer some questions which were directly put to her, wouldn't endear her to those who were/are trying to make up their minds how they will vote ... at least, that wouldn't work for me were I in the undecided group.

Biden's approach gave her room to rehabilitate herself since HIS focus was either tying McCain to Bush or just McCain himself ... and it seems to me that he succeeded rather well in those respects, and without a meaningful challenge from Palin while he was going about doing so.

Of course, the polls which we'll be seeing shortly, probably today, will give a better picture of how the debate impacted the public at large, if at all. Those who have their minds already made up, like me, probably didn't change them.

The debate's main audience wasn't those who already had ... it was those who hadn't. How the "undecided" were influenced is really where it's at right now, I think. I'm very curious to see how today's polls analyze those who were undecided before the debate, and after.

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Doug
http://www.dougloudenback.com/downtownOKC.htm
http://www.dougloudenback.com/oklahomacity.htm
http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/

Palin was trying to charm America. And, really, that's her only option, IMO. I also think that's probably worked pretty darned well for her up until this point. Whenever she goes into this mode, I keep seeing that Wright Business School commercial, "But I have a BRILLIANT personality! (toothy grin)"

This is the kind of stuff that may be telling, how "independents" saw the debate. IF the data in this article is reasonably accurate ... Biden won independents in VP debate: The Swamp ... here are the graphics presented in that article:

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Doug
http://www.dougloudenback.com/downtownOKC.htm
http://www.dougloudenback.com/oklahomacity.htm
http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/

Liberal blogger Jane Hamsher has an interesting take on Palin's non sequitur response to the "Achilles' Heel" question:

More here.

I thought she just didn't have a Steve Schmidt-prepared note card for that question, so she was making do with what she had in front of her. But reading a transcript of the question and answer, I think Hamsher is right: Palin doesn't know what the expression means.

She should spend some time reading something besides the sports page and the John Birch newsletter.

And what was that little slip she made towards the end about,"when McCain leaves," then she quickly corrected herself and said "leads."

Shucks, I guess she is human too.

Additional poll information here: In the Cold Light of Morning: Veep Debate Not a Game Changer - PostPartisan - Quick takes from The Post's opinion writers

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Doug
http://www.dougloudenback.com/downtownOKC.htm
http://www.dougloudenback.com/oklahomacity.htm
http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/

Depends on your view of that treaty. I view it as leadership to stay out of that farce of a treaty, rather than obediently following the rest of the sheep.

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My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind
Albert Einstein

And yet, Pat Buchanan and Rudy Guiliani thought Palin was the clear winner of the debate. Is this an indication of exactly how far out of touch they are with the majority of America?

That's really reaching. I don't buy it.

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My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind
Albert Einstein

The Palin "Achille's Heel" answer brings to mind an old interview prep Q & A that I studied.

Q: "What is your biggest weakness?"
A: "I am a perfectionist. I insist upon doing outstanding work on every assignment so I guess that means I get a little less sleep than the next guy." [Pause for self-reflective laugh or broad, winky grin.] After that, you were just supposed to brag about your superlatives.

Of course, Palin did not even redirect the question to her answer, she just ignored it and went on to the bragging portion of that sage advice.

Overall, both candidates did better than expected. They reinforced the opposition views but as it has been stated here previously, only the view of the undecided voters is material at this point.

Is the Check and Balance ever important to anyone as well?

Congress or the House of Reps (whichever one it is) is majority controlled by Democrats. Is it really wise to have a Democrat President? What will that leave the Check and Balance? Think wisely.

Obama is big on fancy words and fancy stage, especially when he had a fancy white house stage with fireworks at a recent speech. That attracts voters.

Bottom line, Americans wanted change, and they got it with a shift of control to the Democrats. Since that point, everything went spiraling down. So, Americans need to think again as to the meaning of "change" Obama is promising.

Having a Republican seem the only logical choice for the Presidency.

If Obama wins, he will only last one term (4 years), because Americans will simply not be able to support businesses due to crazy tax hike everywhere. Then that will leave businesses to foreclose, bankrupt, layoff, and more. Economy will sink.