Folksy Palin Saves Herself in VP Debate

By Anastacia Mott Austin

People hoping for a huge misstep from either vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden or Sarah Palin must have been disappointed after the televised debate Thursday.

Both candidates appeared friendly, charming, and answered the questions with more panache than was expected of either of them.

And while Biden succeeded in displaying his extensive experience and knowledge of the issues, Palin may have gotten the edge on charm alone.

Her "Gee whiz, gosh-darn regular folks" tone (beginning with her opening greeting to Biden, "Nice to meet you Joe – hey, can I call you Joe?") had to have succeeded well with her supporters, despite the fact that she avoided answering the questions on several occasions.

She also managed to come across as much more polished and less defensive than in any of her one-on-one interviews of late. She was quick on her feet and didn’t seem thrown off by either the questions or her opponent.

This was a huge relief for the McCain campaign, which has cringed at the recent interviews and had to have some anxiety about his running mate before the debate. If this was a test, she passed.

While not quite reaching the dynamic gusto she achieved during the Republican national convention, she reached out directly to "Joe six-pack and hockey moms everywhere," even winking into the camera at several points.

Biden, for his part, didn’t issue any of the unscripted gaffes he is known for, and even compared to the radiant charm of his opponent, didn’t come off as too stiff or boring. Both of them smiled frequently and there seemed to be an easy back-and-forth between the two, despite the occasional zingers they each had for the other.

As for who did a better job, reaction is of course divided among party lines. However, on several points most pundits seemed in agreement: Biden did a better job of actually answering the questions, giving thought-out and detailed explanations of his positions, while Palin flat-out ignored at least a few of the questions and focused instead on her favorite talking points. But as far as appeal to the middle-class voters each was clearly courting, Palin came out ahead. Her folksy style and down-to-earth comments (such as "Well, I don’t know how you folks do it in Washington, but for hard-working, everyday, middle class families like mine…") will appeal to those voters who don’t want a Washington insider taking over.

There were minor missteps on both sides, such as Palin pronouncing the word nuclear as "nuke-you-lar," and Biden’s calling Bosnians "Bosniaks."

There were some standout moments. Biden countered Palin’s claims to knowing what it’s like to raise a family by sharing the story of his first wife and daughter’s deaths in a car accident, weeks after he’d been elected to the Senate for the first time, and he was left to raise two sons alone. The Senator teared up for a moment before saying, "Look, I understand what it’s like to be a single parent." And his referring to McCain’s proposed health plan as "the ultimate bridge to nowhere" garnered a few chuckles.

As for Palin, her comment that "The Joe Six Pack, hockey moms across the nation, we need to band together and say never again. Never again will we be exploited," referring to the economic crisis, scored some points, as well as her "Say it ain’t so, Joe, there you go again," saying that Biden had initially voted for the Iraq war and then said he was against it.

Both sides of the aisle have reacted positively to their candidates’ performances at the debate.

History shows us that American voters will likely choose a candidate they find likable over one who is more knowledgeable on the issues but who seems dry or unpersonable.

While Biden supporters will say that he came across as plenty likable, it was really no contest – Sarah Palin took the trophy on charm and personality.

Political experts say that while people watched the debate closely, it’s unlikely to significantly sway anyone from the candidate they supported before the debate.

Now the focus turns again to the primary candidates, who will face off in two more upcoming debates, on October 7th and October 15th.