Will Palin exceed the low expectations? Will Biden say something wild?

Whatever happens, with the economy looming so large and with the next presidential debate happening in just five days, the news from this debate will be quickly superseded by other coverage.

6:03 PM With a “can I call you Joe?” from Sarah Palin, Palin and Biden walk out onto the stage.

The first question about Washington and the economic situation shows that both candidates are feeling comfortable in the format. Both of them emphasize how the person at the top of their tickets has strong ideas about solving the crisis. Palin is looking into the camera, i.e. with the voters watching at home. Biden is talking to Gwen Ifill, the moderator, but Biden is watching Palin in her answers. Much more engaging stagecraft than McCain and Obama last Friday.

6:13 PM The format is inviting some quite circular answers. Both Biden and Palin want to get in their points on Obama and McCain. Biden: Obama has answers for the middle class, and he will rein in the corporations. Palin: McCain will not raise your taxes like Obama has voted to do, and reform in Washington will solve many of these problems.

6:14 PM Palin wants to talk right to the American people, regardless of the rules of the debate. This was a strong strategy at the Republican convention when Palin took on the liberal media, will it work here for undecided voters? She then repeats her assertions about Obama and raising taxes. She runs out of time and Ifill moves on to the next question.

6:21 PM Both of them really know the details of health plans, tax plans, and which Americans will benefit. Palin is doing well, showing she is just as good at these details as Biden. But Biden gets in the first nice line, about the McCain health care plan—“now that’s the ultimate bridge to nowhere.”

6:31 PM About a third of the way through the debate. I don’t think any of Ifill’s questions have been answered. But she does not really hold the candidates to the original questions. When asked what each ticket will sacrifice because of the $700 billion bailout, neither answers.

Then, immediately, an energy and global warming question to Palin results in an actual answer about energy and global warming. Palin nicely sidesteps the “what is true or what is false about the causes of global warming” question by noting that the cause is irrelevant, but the effects are real.

Biden goes after McCain, and implicitly Palin, by starting his answer (yes, he’s actually answering Ifill’s question as well) with the assertion that knowing the reasons for global warming—human caused—are important to coming up with solutions.

6:39 PM Gay rights and gay marriage results in a nice conversation that shows that there is a lot of agreement about tolerance and non-marriage rights for gay couples. And no support for gay marriage from either ticket.

6:42 PM The debate over Iraq gets bogged down in details about McCain’s and Obama’s votes for and against the troops. But then it gets clear. Biden talks of the fundamental differences—he and Obama will end the war. Palin comes back with “your plan is the white flag of surrender.” While Palin says she respects Biden because his son serves in the military, she says she cannot respect Obama because he voted to cut off funding for the troops.

6:56 PM Debate over foreign policy—Iran, Pakistan, Israel—shows that both candidates are very well briefed. They sound exactly like McCain and Obama last week, sometimes word for word. Palin and Biden show they are conversant with names and situations in crisis areas. Both are being good vice presidential nominees—they don’t go beyond the potential commander in chief, but they both look like they could step into the commander in chief role and not miss a beat in continuing policy.

After about an hour, this is a debate between equals. Palin is doing very well. She has exceeded the low expectation. Biden has not gone off the rails. I’m not sure who will win, or if this debate will move undecided voters, but supporters of McCain and Palin can be comfortable with their respective vice presidential choices.

That being said, the Sarah Palin who electrified the Republican convention is not here. She probablyy will not move that many voters from undecided to the Republican column.

7:07 PM Oooh, nice question. How would a Biden administration be different from an Obama administration given the differences Biden and Obama have on some policies?

Biden, good veep nominee, will carry on with the Obama plans across the board. No mention of those small policy distinctions.

And for Palin? Of course she and McCain disagree on some things, she says, “we’re a team of mavericks.” But she, also a good veep nominee, will carry on with the ideas of reform, taking reform to Washington, D.C.,  and to Wall Street. She will continue the McCain messages of change and hope to the middle class—cut those taxes!

Palin has a folksy, “say it ain’t so, Joe,” after Biden links McCain to the Bush administration yet again. Then she goes off on a tangent listing everybody she knows who is a teacher to show her expertise on education.

7:14 PM A question about what the vice president actually does.

Palin’s answer is very interesting. She knows all the constitutional stuff about leading the Senate, and she knows about favorite policies she’d like to push. But she had a little phrase about the extra powers the vice president might have as president of the Senate. This is *** Cheney’s interpretation of the vice presidency. This is how Cheney has resisted Congressional oversight. Is this what Palin means? A continuation of the most powerful vice presidency our country has ever seen?

Biden spends more time on policies and being the lieutenant of President Obama in carrying out Obama’s policies. In a subsequent exchange, Biden excoriates Cheney’s vice presidency. He asserts that Cheney wants to step over the line when Cheney claims that he is part of the legislative branch.

7:24 PM A nice tactic by Biden. After a spirited defense of McCain’s maverick (boy did that word get a lot of use tonight) stances by Palin, Biden then counters her on issue after issue. Why is this a good tactic? McCain has been tarred with being the standard bearer of Bush’s party; the Republicans are getting the blame for the economic meltdown. McCain’s best chance to change this perception is to focus on his disagreements with Republicans and Pres. Bush. Biden goes through a long list of McCain “is no maverick.” No mention of Obama. All the pressure is on McCain. Since Obama is ahead in the polls, he comes out ahead with the sharp focus on McCain’s assets and liabilities.

7:30 PM Closing statements.

Palin reasserts her common concerns with Americans, and that she relishes this kind of debate without the filter of the mainstream media. The rest sounds very much like her convention speech. Reform, change, and a stronger America.

Biden reasserts that “this is the most important election of your adult life.” He too goes back to the convention mantra. The middle class values are the values of our country and the values of Obama.

7:32 PM The end. A strong showing by both. They showed they are worthy candidates for the office. Will the equality between the two of them be declared a victory for Palin? Will Biden’s focus be considered a victory? I think we end up with a debate that will hearten supporters for both tickets, but still leave undecided voters up in the air.

Undecided voters may have start prioritizing which policies are most important to them, then see how those lists match up with McCain and Obama’s campaign themes. The personalites we have seen in the debates look evenly matched in terms of character and the ability to govern.