Debate Watch: Biden and Palin Square Off in VP Debate

Anyone who has tried to watch a political debate in a dorm, with roommates or with a group of friends knows how difficult it can be. Jokes and sarcastic comments usually abound, along with requests for chips and, potentially, a mid-debate run to Lance’s.

Entertaining, perhaps, but hardly the best way to get the most benefit from your debate-watching experience.

Enter MC’s Debate Watch. On October 2nd, the vice presidential debates were shown live in Flory Auditorium. Despite the prevalence of televisions in dorm rooms and student-rented apartments, 94 members of the Manchester College community showed up to watch the only debate between Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin of the 2008 election in a relatively distraction-free environment.

Following the debate itself, a non-partisan discussion was lead by Dr. Mary Lahman, associate professor of communications, and Dr. Leonard Williams, professor of political science.

One of the discussion topics was the ways in which the vice presidential debates differed from the first presidential debate. “In many ways, it seemed like the candidates used the vice presidential debate as PR for their respective presidential candidate,” said senior Jason Adams.

It was also noted that issues such as foreign policy, civil rights and liberties and education were not as much of a focus in the vice presidential debates as they were in the previously occurring presidential debate. However, the vice presidential candidates did touch upon the subject of gay marriage, something that was not addressed by the presidential candidates in their first debate.

Another issue that was up for discussion was the relative degree of freedom that vice presidential candidates have relative to presidential candidates to voice firm opinions. This was particularly noticed in the candidates’ answers to questions regarding interventionism.

“I was surprised that Biden seemed to imply that a government that commits genocide against its own people [re: Sudan and the War in Darfur] forfeits its sovereignty,” said senior Laura Dell. “Do vice presidential candidates have more room to take strong stances than presidential candidates?” Not all students agreed that they do.

Those who challenged this assumption included junior Jon Largent, who noted the precedent of individuals changing their voting decision based upon vice presidential nominations, and Jared Baker, who hypothesized that Biden’s assertive image and stances during the debate were intended to help balance Obama’s softer public image.

Senior Milagros Ridoutt commented on the non-verbal communication of the two candidates. “Biden’s non-verbal communication seemed to be focused on creating a very strong image, the image of a ruler,” she said. “But what was up with Palin’s winking? What was she saying with that?”

Professor Williams, at this point, encouraged the attending students to examine whether it seemed as though the candidates were trying to appeal more to voters’ intellects or emotions.

Although no student unequivocally stated that one candidate seemed inherently more logical or qualified than the other, it did seem as though the audience’s sympathies were with Biden. For instance, in response to Palin’s consistent appeal to her middle-class roots, a “fact-checking squad,” armed with their laptops and wireless connections, found details regarding her less-than-humble financial assets, implying that (at least in this regard) her appeals were more emotional than factual.

Several students, when considering this point of fact-driven versus emotion-driven arguments, noted how Biden consistently repeated facts that he considered of great logical importance, while Palin seemed more rushed.

Whether this was good or bad was up for debate; some students appreciated the passion that they saw in Palin’s determination to share as much information and as many perspectives as she was able to in the allotted time, while others expressed that she seemed to come across as less focused.

The main consensus that was reached by the attending students was that both of the vice presidential candidates did well, and that it therefore seemed unlikely that many people would change their votes for the presidency based upon the vice presidential debates. “I appreciated the chance to see Palin speak up for herself and improve her image; I think that she was successful,” said senior Mary Cox. “However, I was also greatly impressed by Biden: I hadn’t had much exposure to him before, and he really reached me.”

The Oct. 15 presidential debate will be aired in the Lahman Room of the upper Union.

(this article originally appeared in the October 10, 2008 edition of The Oak Leaves.)