Obama and Biden in Greensboro

 

Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden visited Greensboro last Saturday, though it was Obama who did the talking. For the most part, it was similar to Joe Biden’s speech in Charlotte several weeks ago, with a big emphasis on the economic crisis.

 

“They wanted the market to run free. Instead they let it run wild.” He said that McCain pushed for more of the same. Obama pointed out that McCain never mentioned the middle class once. McCain had more to say about Obama than anything else. Obama hammered home the accusation that McCain is out of touch. He emphasized the need to find a solution to the economic crisis, but said that Bush’s original proposal was not acceptable, calling it a “blank check.”

He called for several conditions in order to support the bailout plan:

1. A board with members from both parties be established to determine how the bailout money is to be spent.

2. All of the money is to be considered an investment, not a grant.

3. Help for homeowners.

4. Money should not be used to reward CEOs.

 

 

On the topic of energy, he promised to invest $15 billion in renewable energy, which will create good jobs that cannot be exported. He also discussed education, a topic rarely discussed in this campaign. He proposed reform similar to what New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg has implemented; more pay for teachers in exchange for higher standards. He said the teachers should not have to “teach to the tests,” a shot at Bush’s No Child Left Behind.

Obama will be in Asheville on Sunday and Monday.  On the other side, Palin will be in Greenville Tuesday night and will appear in Greensboro on October 16.

Jason C

Post Debate Coverage

Lapel Flag Pin: Point Palin

Off Topic, Incoherent Rambling: Point Palin

Grinning: Point Biden

Fargo: Point Palin

Smirking: Point Palin

In all seriousness, Palin was obviously more able to attack than Biden and she took advantage of this fact. However, I don’t think that that hurt Biden, instead it made him look much more personable than Palin.

-A.G.

Vp debate

Tonight’s debate was very interesting, much more entertaining than the Presidential debate, both hit on the kitten table topics that are affecting the middle and lower classes. Both were able to take there past life experience to relate to the American public. Sarah Palin did not waver from her stance; I felt she did a great job. She sad she wanted to address the American people, if you watched she did not take her eyes off of the camera as if she were looking str8 into the eyes of the American people, where as Biden was always looking at the moderator in stead of the looking at the camera. Both did a good job, some may say that Biden did the better job being able to better tie McCain to the Bush administration, even better that Obama did in last weeks debate. Both were able to address the economy, the war and many other topics that were not brought up during the first presidential debate.

FD

Palin vs. Biden – Fight

My quick thoughts about the debate:

1. Governor Palin did not fare badly against the more experienced Biden. She held her own and even went after Biden a few times. Obviously, she did not dominate the debate, but it was not a disastrous appearance for her like some interviews she has given recently.
2. Biden did not have any gaffes (that I noticed) or outbursts. Unfortunately, this made for a rather dull debate.
3. Both candidates had their share of fibs or truth-stretching. It would be nice, in my opinion, for the organization holding the debates, the Commission on Presidential Debates, to have a dedicated team of fact-checkers examining claims made during the debate. When an egregious lie is told, the fact-checkers could notify the moderator who could ask the candidate in question if they would like to revise or clarify their statement.
   I think this would be useful because as of now, candidates can pretty much claim whatever they wish during a debate and not get called on it immediately. This puts the burden of examining the factuality of claims on the shoulders of the public, the majority of whom don’t have the time or inclination to do so.
4. The debate should have had the same structure as the first presidential debate. Ninety seconds is only enough for a sound bite, not meaningful dialogue. Instead of the nine minute segments of the first debate, candidates had only a minute and a half to present their views or rebut their opponents.
5. It would be nice if the moderator was allowed to cut off a candidate if they veered away from the point of a question. Both were guilty of this tonight, but Palin particularly so. At one point, she was asked what she thought her weakness was and she responded by talking about how great John McCain’s energy policy is. Why can’t the moderator stop such shenanigans?

Of course, this was the only scheduled debate between the vice presidential candidates. The next presidential debate is scheduled for next Wednesday evening at 8:00pm and will focus on domestic and economic policy. It will be hosted by Bob Schieffer of CBS.

Post Debate Thoughts

I can sum up the debate very simply by saying that I stand corrected based on my previous post. I predicted Senator Biden would run all over Palin during the debate. Palin proved her capability to speak publicly from the get go by taking the questions by the reigns and answering questions how she wanted to. Palin also used terminology that I believed connects with much of middle class America, that has often been pushed out of national politics for decades. Both VP candidates made factual mistakes, but very few. Following the debate, one media figure stated that they believed that this was a much hyped debate that offered a lack luster presentation and would soon disappear from the memories of those who watched. I disagree with this statement and believe it reaffirmed Biden’s experience and was a precedent for Palin. Was there a clear winner of the debate? Yes, but I would argue it depends who you talk to. Democrats likely thing Biden won unquestionably, and Republicans would say their VP candidate took the debate. The sights will now move to the next Presidential debate Tuesday night and off tonight’s debate. With the latest Rasmussen Reports putting Obama slightly ahead but within the margin of error, so it will be interesting to see if this debate affects the polls any.

AT

VP Debate Predictions

Tonight Biden and Palin will go head to head in the Vice Presidential debate and I believe it will be much more entertaining than the first Presidential debate Friday of last week between Obama and McCain. While I personally favor the McCain/Palin team, I don’t think Palin will offer much to the creditability and appeal to the Republican ticket at the conclusion of the debate. I think Palin’s lack of big time politics will disadvantage her when trying to answer questions or debate with Biden. In fact, I would go so far as to predict Biden will back Palin into a corner of her own inexperience in front of the camera. This may go one of two ways; it may either make Palin look like a joke, or it may make Biden look like a heartless prosecutor. My reasoning for this is based on the several interviews she has been a part of as of recent and her inability to properly and sufficiently answer the questions being asked by the interviewer. This is not to say she doesn’t know her stuff in a sense, but I believe she simply is somewhat camera shy at this point in the game. For me personally this doesn’t necessarily matter because the big decisions (not that the VP really makes any) are decided upon off camera and behind closed doors. I could be totally wrong, but it will be very interesting to see how things play out both from an issues standpoint as well as how their personalities are perceived by the viewers. 

AT