VP Debate, viewer responses

Thursday night’s vice-presidential debate certainly deviated from the traditional attack dog format the voting public is used to witnessing. Some of this role reversal can be attributed to the self-proclaimed bulldog with lipstick, Republican VP candidate, Governor Sarah Palin.

Palin played up her strengths by using her training as a broadcast journalist to look into the camera and therefore beyond the moderator and Washington University audience into the living rooms of the American people. It balanced her weakness of not being able to elaborate on foreign policy or answer a question directly or spout out voting records like Senator Joe Biden and like most running mates do in VP debates.

The Overby Center hosted the viewing and a panel discussion to follow, moderated by political science chairman, Richard Forgette.

Student reactions included those who thought Palin lived up to the SNL parodied image not answering any questions, but making the opportunity to turn it around to the only thing she was prepped on, energy policy. It was either that or the same old rhetoric: “I’m the Governor of Alaska”, “Raegan was the Messiah” (wink, wink), “I’m a hockey mom”, “I can kill large animals with my bare hands reminiscent of Greek dramatist, Euripides', "The Bacchae.”

Dr. Samir Husni, chair of the journalism department, asked whether or not we thought Biden’s tearing up will work against him, making him seem weak or too emotional to be a good leader. Husni brought to the student’s attention that 1968 vice-presidential candidate Edward S. Muskie and his drop in approval ratings after tearing up. To me, that was an interesting turn on the gender stereotypes. Palin is more aggressive, Biden is more emotional and that’s far more acceptable to the public than in years past. The fact that a man can be passionate as Biden now and not be thought of as an ineffective leader is encouraging in a presidential race that has been characterized by racsist, sexist and elitist claims.

Forgette made the point that anyone who says they are undecided at this point is either lying or uninformed of the candidates’ policy proposals. No disrespect, but I have read both candidates posted policies on their websites. I have read their policy books, personal memoirs, and have tried my best to sort through the media’s spin.

To me, my views in this election can best be summed up this way. As I said in last week’s editorial, I like Obama for many reasons. I even like some of his policy ideas, but I’m not sure how I feel about his economic proposals, growing the economy from the ground up. For me, as for many voters, that’s the issue that takes precedence this year.