Democrats believe debate is a win for Biden

As Sen. Joseph Biden prepared for the debate of his life, his fans prepared to hear him. In a small, cramped room with a creaky wood floor strewn with chairs, they gathered.

They met to see a debate.

What they got was a performance, as they said Biden sent Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin down a “bridge to nowhere” during Thursday night’s vice-presidential debate.

“I think Senator Biden is strong,” said senior Anna Strand, president of the IU College Democrats. “I think he makes great points. He’s had a few verbal stumbles, but those will happen in these kinds of situations. I think he was extremely strong.”

Each candidate had 90 seconds to respond to each question, and members of the IU College Democrats said they believed Biden did a solid job of covering the topics, while Palin struggled.

The debate began with coverage of the economic problem, a situation that is a big focus of this election. Some of the topics were tax reform, the source of the credit crunch, health care and deregulation of business.

“I think that Biden is doing a better job of defining what’s happened under Wall Street while Governor Palin has been trying to cover up the fact that the deregulation Senator McCain supports are part of what got us into this problem,” Strand said.

The two also discussed topics ranging from climate change to gay marriage.

“I think that Governor Palin keeps saying her area of expertise is energy policy,” said sophomore Laura Carlson. “I think that’s the only issue she has any idea about, whereas Senator Biden, just over his entire career, has a good idea on every issue. His strengths are his expertise. I think he understands each issue and the history of it. He’s worked really hard on legislation. He actually understands the issues, whereas Governor Palin is just reciting lines.”

As the debate went on, they moved to discussions on the war in Iraq. While Palin argued for no timeline for the war in Iraq on the basis of not losing the war, Biden suggested the troop numbers in Iraq need to be cut back.

They also discussed a nuclear Iran and war in Pakistan. Members of the IU College Democrats said they believed Palin showed her lack of expertise in the field through her responses.

“Governor Palin has zero international experience,” Carlson said. “She hasn’t focused on the Iraq war. She really has no idea about international policies.”

Strand said she thought Biden did a good job of keeping his image consistent with how he portrays himself in the media – as an experienced and well-spoken senator – while Palin looked, at times, foolish.

“I think she’s proved she doesn’t know what’s going on in America today,” Carlson said. “She’s been focused on her interstate issues. She doesn’t understand national or international issues. When asked a question she doesn’t know the answer to, she’s just going to her talking points.”