Vice Presidential Debate 2008

The seventh vice presidential debate, and the only one for this year, took place on October 2, 2008 at Washington University in St. Louis. Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joe Biden came to debate current issues.

Sarah Palin began by thanking everyone and telling Joe Biden that she is glad to meet him. The first question went to Joe Biden about the bailout bill. Biden's response expressed his feeling that the economic theories of the past eight years are the worst the country has had. He also explained some of Obama's ideas about the bailout bill and what should be included in the bailout bill. He wants to focus on working class Americans, not just the wealthy. Palin's response was that asking soccer moms their opinions on the economy is the best measure of how the economy is doing. She brought up McCain's involvement in Fannie May and Freddie Mac reforms.

The next question was about how each candidate would shrink the gap of polarization as Vice President. Biden's response began with some of his record of how he thinks he has done this. He then changed to responding to McCain's statements in one day of both the strong fundamentals of the economy and the economic crisis and stated that these statement show how McCain is out of touch. Palin responded saying that McCain's statements were about the work force and how McCain is a maverick and reaches across party lines to get done what he wants.

A question about who is at fault for the economic crisis was next. Palin blamed the creditors for giving people the opportunity to purchase homes that they could not afford and encouraged everyone to demand more regulation from the federal government to prevent this from happening in the future. Biden responded explaining that McCain has previously stated that he thinks there should be regulation on the market. He also pointed out that Obama had brought up the sub-prime mortgage issue well before McCain did. Biden ended his argument by telling of an article in which McCain says he would like to remove much of the regulation from health care as was his opinion with banking. Palin responded to these comments saying that she agrees there should be tax decreases. She stated that Obama voted 94 times to increase taxes or not to reduce them. Her opinion is that the private sector should keep more of the money to improve the economy and the government will have to be able to operate with less money if necessary. Obama's vote to increase taxes for even middle class taxpayers was the final point to Governor Palin's argument. In response, Biden discredited Palin's accusation and said the vote she brought up was not to increase taxes and McCain voted the same. He also brought up that using the standard Palin used to count Obama's tax increase votes, McCain has voted to increase taxes 477 times. He continued to point out how Palin failed to respond to his statements about deregulation. Palin refused to respond to the deregulation and said she was not going to answer the questions that he or the moderator want her to, but instead to speak directly to the American people. She began by stating how she has lowered taxes in the past as a mayor and as a governor. Before she could finish her additional points the moderator stopped her so they could move on to the next topic.

The next question was about the plan to increase taxes for those who earn over $250,000, and how that is not class warfare. Biden said it was about fairness and explained how it was important for the middle class to have the tax breaks and why McCain's tax breaks are mainly for the highest earners. Palin said that the taxes under Obama's proposal would tax small businesses and harm the economy. She also pointed out some of the details of McCain's health care plan and how it would give a $5000 tax credit to purchase health care and keep health care from being controlled by the federal government.

What campaign promises the candidates will not be able to keep was the next topic covered. Biden said they may have to slow down on foreign aid because of the economic crisis. Palin responded to some of Biden's points about tax cuts for oil companies and other large corporations by stating that Obama voted for the tax breaks and she had to oppose them as governor of Alaska. Palin also said that she does not have any campaign promises that she will not keep and she does not think McCain would take back any of his campaign promises either.

Palin had the first chance to respond to a question about whether she would support a bill supported by McCain to make it harder for people to file bankruptcy. She said she would have supported it, but there would be changes now because of the changes in the economy. Biden, who voted in favor of the bill, defended his position and stated facts about his decision to vote for the bill. Palin decided she did not want to respond to that, but instead to talk about energy sources and explain her reasoning to why America needs to become energy independent.

The next question was about climate change. Palin started off saying that Alaska feels the effects of climate change, but she did not want to speak about the causes. She stated that she was the first governor to form a climate change cabinet and says why America needs to urge other countries to also work to help the climate. Biden said he feels global climate change is caused by human activities and said the U.S. should work on alternative energy which can be used to supply energy domestically and also be exported. Palin said that McCain and herself support capping carbon emissions. Biden said he also supports capping carbon emissions.

The next topic was same-sex relationships. Biden said he feels it is constitutionally supported to honor same-sex relationships the same way as hetero relationships. Palin said she may support some same-sex relationships if they do not change the meaning of marriage. Biden agreed that he does not support same-sex marriage.

The following question was about foreign policy. Palin began by praising the troop surge and said how she thinks it is important to keep the troops there. Biden described Obama's plan for a troop withdrawal over 16 months and pointed out that Palin has no time-line and that McCain had also voted against funding the troops as well because of the time-line in the amendment. Biden explained how McCain has been wrong on many fundamental issues of the war.

Biden responded to a question about Iran and Pakistan by stating that McCain's ideas about the central war on terror being in Iraq and said that he believes the terrorists are in the hills of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Palin said that she feels both Pakistan and Iran are dangerous and stated some of the reasons she feels this way. A question about nuclear weapons came later. Palin listed some countries she thinks should not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. She then turned to issues in Afghanistan and said we should be using the same techniques as in Iraq. Biden responded that the commanding general in Afghanistan said the troop surge will not work there, he also pointed out how in three weeks fighting in Iraq as much money was spent as has been spent on the entire action in Afghanistan. Palin said that the general in Afghanistan did not say the surge would not work.

A question to Biden about interventions and his current ideas for Darfur. He said that interventions have saved many lives and he said he did not support intervention in Iraq. He suggested creating a no-fly zone in Darfur. Palin said she is opposed to Biden's method of voting in favor of the war and stating that he is against it, she also supported intervention in Darfur. Biden defended his position of having been against the war in Iraq and McCain's strategies.

The next question was about what the candidates would do if they were to become president. Biden stated that he would follow the policies Obama has and restated some of the main points. Palin said she would not follow all of McCain's policies because she is a maverick in a team of mavericks. The candidates both stated what they would be doing as vice president. Palin said she would work on leading the senate and working on special needs activities. Biden said he would be giving his advice to Obama, though not actually making the decisions. Biden said that Cheney is one of the most dangerous vice presidents in the history of the United States and that the vice president is not in the legislative branch.

In describing their weaknesses as a vice president Palin began by talking about her connections to middle class citizens and her world view. Biden said he will not change and will accept being judged for who he is. He explained how he previously had issues with money and family issues though he is now well off.

Biden made a statement about how McCain is not a maverick in his voting policy with Bush, his health care plan, and the war. The issues he is a maverick for are not the issues that are important to people.