It's not often that an American vice presidential debate gets so much attention, but this one had the potential to be a game changer. The coverage wasn't limited to the U.S. alone, even the BBC World Service featured the debate in its top headlines throughout the evening.
If you recorded last night's debate in hopes of seeing some flaming wreckage, you can go ahead and delete the file. Biden didn't go off on any of his notorious improvisational meanderings and Palin didn't find herself entangled in any thickets of profound ignorance. Neither of them put their foot in it. In fact, both candidates seemed to do well for themselves and their causes. The moderator, Gwen Ifill, was fair-minded and professional. It was a sad night for the morbidly curious.
However, if you want to get a good look at both of the VP nominees, I suggest you watch anyway. It's doubtful the debate will change any partisan minds, but for the undecided voter, last night's exchange provides a good example of both candidates at the top of their game - something we don't get to see every day. That's not to say that either nominee got each and every fact straight, not according to this article by the Associated Press, but it wasn't any more outrageous than most national debates, perhaps less so.
The one thing debates rarely prove is a candidate's competence to hold office. At best they prove one's ability to debate, and with a little luck, also shed a little light on each candidate's positions on the issues. For the undecided voter, a debate shouldn't be the only tool for making a choice, but it's a good place to start. If you didn't record it, you can watch the debate at YouTube.
