Vice presidential candidates are chosen to add to the ticket or balance it. Since this summer both Obama and McCain have chosen vice-presidential candidates. Assess to what degree either VP candidate or both do to add to the ticket? What factor, if any, will Palin and Biden have in the election? Do you agree or disagree with their choices and why?
Be sure to site your sources. There are lots of quality articles out there on this topic. You can refer to the VP debate from 10/2 if you watched it.
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In this particular election, the vice presidential nominees have a great impact. Both candidates chose their VPs for a specific reason; they had a good strategy for obtaining more votes. Both VP choices will make a big difference in the election and have deeply changed the way the public views Obama and McCain.
Barack Obama chose Senator Biden because of his experience in the political game. He has served as a senator from Delaware since 1972; he is known for getting things done and being an expert on foreign policy, terrorism, and other issues that matter to Americans (1). Obama has been criticized by the McCain campaign for his lack of experience in politics (2). Choosing Biden for a running mate counteracts this weakness. The Delaware senator is widely recognized for bringing peace to the Balkans and protecting children from criminals in the sate of Delaware and all over the United States (1). His list of achievements goes on to include passing legislation that helps students afford college, with the ACCESS act; being co-chairman of the International Narcotics Control Caucus, which helps combat drug trafficking across the globe; and sponsoring the 2007 Biden Crime Bill, used to crack down on computer hacking and child exploitation (1). All of these things shine a positive light on Senator Obama who has served merely two years in the United States Senate (2). Biden was a great choice for Obama because it gives skeptics a piece of mind to know that when Obama is elected, there will be a more tenured member of the American political system right along with him. Choosing Biden balances the Democratic ticket immensely. It puts Obama, and his fresh ideas that come from outside of Washington and his eight years of experience in the Illinois state senate, with Biden’s 20+ years in Congress.
John McCain’s choice of Governor Palin for a running mate was an unexpected one. She was virtually unknown until the nomination and her experience in politics and foreign affairs is less than that of Barack Obama. When Obama surpassed Hillary Clinton in the Democratic Party, polls showed that many women would no longer vote on the democratic ticket. A major part of McCain’s motive for choosing Palin his her gender and maverick status within the state of Alaska. Prior to becoming Governor, Palin served on the Wasilla City Council, she also served two terms as Mayor of Wasilla County (3). Under her leadership as Governor, Palin has completely changed the education system in Alaska and passed legislation to help low-income senior citizens (3). The countries first reaction to Governor Palin was positive. American women showed an overwhelming urge to vote McCain because of his choice. But as soon as Palin began doing interviews, her lack of experience became obvious. She stumbled on questions regarding foreign affairs and her personal life went under investigation by the media. Despite some of these weaknesses, Palin does have the support of many Americans. She is a lifetime member of the NRA and supports McCain’s policies regarding Iraq, foreign oil, and other aspects of his platform (3).
Regarding the election, the VP candidates will play a role when it comes to middle ground voters. I feel that Obama made a good decision in choosing Biden as a running mate; with this choice he stifled some of the bad press on his lack of experience. The VP debate brought back some of the initial support for Palin, she definitely held her own and could prove to be a good choice for McCain (4). A lot of the criticism about McCain is his age, and I think that Palin’s lack of experience could hurt him because people are fearful that she could easily become the next president considering McCain is in his 70s. I am not a huge fan of Palin, but I think that, in seeking a person with similar goals to him, McCain made a good decision.
(1) http://biden.senate.gov/senator/
(2) http://www.obamapedia.org/page/Does+Barack+Obama+have+ enough+experience+to+be+president%3F?t=anon
(3) http://gov.state.ak.us/bio.html
(4) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/02/vice.presidential. debate /index.html
(5) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/02/vp.debate. reportcard/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
(6) Palin Interviews with Charlie Gibson, Katie Couric, and the Vice Presidential debate also used as source
All opinions of the vice presidential candidates aside, their main task at hand right now is to help sway the swing-voting states in this election. To win important states like Iowa, New Mexico, Colorado, and Virginia, the VP candidates must use their advantages. Joe Biden has lots of experience and is well known, plus he is good with the media and speaks in a way that is easy for many voters to understand (http://www.vicepresidents.com/nobody-votes-number-2-get-over-it.) He is very experienced in public speaking and foreign policy, and since so many people are skeptical of voting for Obama because he doesn’t have as much experience, he has made a good addition to the ticket. Also, his criticism of President Bush may draw those who also dislike the Bush administration to vote for the Democratic ticket (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/us/politics/24bio.html?_r=1&oref=slogin.)
On the other hand, McCain’s campaign referenced Palin’s experience as the commander-in-chief for the Alaska National Guard a lot right after she was chosen as his running mate, but when it was made apparent that she had never personally given an order to contribute to what the Guard does, they didn’t mention it as much anymore (http://underthelobsterscope.blogspot.com/2008/09/don-be-fooled-palin-advantage-over.html.) But she started as mayor of Wasilla before becoming governor of Alaska. She is a big proponent of reform, and has been ever since the start of her political career, which could be a really good thing for the McCain ticket after the Bush administration. But with Obama practically screaming his wishes for change, it makes me wonder if the GOP’s party ticket have enough support to beat them. Also, Palin is said by her former gubernatorial opponents to have been chosen because she makes people “feel good” (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/30palin.html), but personally, I feel exactly the opposite. I think her addition to McCain’s ticket is to further illustrate what he and the Republicans stand for this election, and also to try and garner the female vote, because as it has said in our textbook, women are typically more likely to vote for Democrats.
I think the major role that the VP candidates have in this election is to enhance the feelings and thought processes constituents go through when they think about voting for a particular party. I think Biden was added to flesh out Obama’s amount of experience, and Palin was brought in to soften the appearance of McCain’s campaign. I think both candidates will make the decision for whom to vote much easier.
I agree with the choice of Biden because Obama needs to look like he has more experience on his side, but I disagree with the choice of Palin. She’s fairly blatant in showing her disregard for the environment by the way she has an actual bearskin draped over the couch in her office in Anchorage, not to mention that she didn’t approve a bill meant to keep salmon in her area healthy. And above all, she is supportive of an oil pipeline that will run through Alaska, a place known for its natural beauty, a place that should not be ripped open in order to contribute even more to global warming (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/30palin.html.) In addition, people are worried by the fact that since McCain is so old, he might die in office, and then Palin would become president, which I really do find to be kind of a horrifying prospect because as I said before, she just gives me a bad feeling. I think I might even be more supportive of the McCain ticket if she were not on it.
Both presidential candidates made good decisions this year about adding candidates to their ticket that widened their appeal to the American public. Senator Barack Obama selected Joe Biden most likely for his extensive experience in Washington, especially in the areas of foreign policy. Biden has been a strong critic of the war in Iraq, he is a leader in the congressional group to end the genocide in Darfur, he helped pass the Chemical Weapons Treaty in NATO in the 1990’s, and works towards equal pay for women (1). He has also chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a strong reassurance to voters worried about Obama’s domestic and international experience (2). So in a way, the selection of Joe Biden to add to the Obama ticket both reinforces Democratic votes (against war in Iraq, passed Violence Against Women Act), and eases fears of undecided voters (extensive domestic and foreign politics experience) (2).
John McCain’s choice for his Vice President was Sarah Palin. Palin was the governor of Alaska who focused on education, energy, and transportation reform and development. She has had extensive influence in the creation of a privately funded $40 billion dollar national gas pipeline, which will serve to decrease our dependence on oil. Palin has also worked to eliminate useless office luxuries, including a personal driver, chef and jet. She has a son in the Iraq war, is the mother of a mentally handicapped child, and is commonly though of as a regular “hockey mom” (3). Palin both helps and harms McCain’s campaign. She has very little experience (no national politics experience, only Governor of Alaska for two years), and with public fears concerning John McCain’s age she is not thought of as a comforting alternative president (4). Rick Horowitz expresses these fears in his blog on Huffington Post.com, saying “The camera loves Sarah Palin -- darn right it does! You betcha! The microphone? Not so much….[folksy language is] no substitute for...for... What's that word I'm looking for? For knowledge. For knowin' stuff” (5). But at the same time, Palin offers a fresh face to the McCain campaign, is drawing extensive media coverage and votes from parents of Iraqi soldiers and children with down syndrome.
These candidates are a huge factor in the elections this year. Their media coverage had been immense compared to that of previous Vice Presidential candidates. The debates between the Vice Presidential candidates actually drew 17.5 million more voters than the debates of the Presidential candidates (6). Unfortunately for Palin, polling results of undecided voters revealed a greater support for Senator Joe Biden (7).
1. http://www.barackobama.com/learn/meet_joe.php
2. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/28/joe-biden-obamas-vice-pre_n_115457.html
3. http://www.johnmccain.com/about/governorpalin.htm?sid=google&t=palin&r=gop
4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/01/sarah-palin-mccains-vice_n_116383.html
5. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rick-horowitz/vp-debate-what-sarah-pali_b_131886.html
6. http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/10/palin_biden_debate_draws_699_m.html
7. http://www.cbc.ca/world/usvotes/story/2008/10/03/us-debate-polls.html?ref=rss
This year’s presidential election has been more closely watched then ever before, and with this year’s vice presidential pick has made the race even more exciting. This year has been the first time that an African American nominee has made it as the presidential nominee on a major party. Also this is the first time as well that a woman has made it as the vice president nominee of a major party.
The reason why that Obama chose Senator Joe Biden is because of his lifetime experience, something that Barack Obama has been criticized. Biden has represented the state of Delaware as US Senate since 1972.He is strongly recognized as a leader in foreign policy, one of the nation’s most influential voices on terrorism, drug policy, and crime. (1) He has dedicated his work for his people in Delaware such as fighting to cover healthcare costs for all of Delaware’s children. (1) I think Biden’s 36 years in congress makes up for Obama’s lack of experience, something that he has been highly criticized. Also Biden is highly respected and recognized in the legislature something that looks good for Obama to have a strong vice president.
Pretty much everyone was shocked when we all heard that Senator John McCain had picked Governor Sarah Palin as his VP pick. Palin lacks all the experience and understanding of foreign policy to Biden, which was shown on last week’s VP debate, with a CNN poll that Biden won the debate of 51%. (2) Even though she doesn’t have a great amount of experience, she still has done a great amount of work as governor. Palin made history as the first woman to hold the office as governor in Alaska on Dec. 4, 2006. Under her leadership, Alaska invested %5 billion in state savings, overhauled educating funding, and implemented the Senior Benefits Program that provides support for low income older Alaskans. (3) She created Alaska’s Petroleum Systems Integrity Office to provide oversight and maintenance of oil and gas equipment, facilities and infrastructure, and the Climate Change Subcabinet to prepare a climate change strategy for Alaska. (3). After the Republican National Convention after Palin’s acceptance as the VP nominee, McCain/Palin’s poll increased to 47%, a bit of a jump from before. (4) This year both candidates are targeting on getting the women votes because right now 52% of the population are women, and with Palin as the VP nominee has also led to an appeal for women to vote for McCain. (5) I agree that Obama picked Biden as his VP nominee, because Biden does have everything that Obama lacks. Biden has the experience while Obama doesn’t have as much experience as McCain. Also Biden is one of the seniority in Congress so is highly respected. I don’t think Palin was the right choice made my McCain. She clearly lacks the experience, she’s just not ready enough to help run a powerful country. Her TV interviews have supported evidence that she lacks the understanding of foreign policy, as well seen on the VP debate as she dodge many of the questions.
(1) http://biden.senate.gov/senator/
(2) http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3604750,00.html
(3) http://gov.state.ak.us/bio.html
(4) http://minx.cc/?post=272004
(5) http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=37cbdaef-67d0-40be-a305-d26cd8d3d407
I think that Obama made a good choice in picking Biden as his VP candidate. He has a lot of experience in politics and has been in them for a long time. Biden can help bring Obama’s ideas reality. He has experience in bringing stability to countries, like the Balkans. (1) He can help negotiate peace in Iraq and make Obama’s dream of change come true. One of Obama’s main criticisms is that he is not experienced enough with foreign policy, but Biden is recognized as one of the nation's leading authorities on foreign policy. (1) This will greatly help Obama, but I have heard people saying that they don‘t want their president relying on the Vice President to make all foreign policy decisions. Biden isn’t just another politician from Washington, people like the small town appeal he has (3). Another plus that Biden has is his faith. Biden is a Roman Catholic who attends church weekly. (6) By choosing Biden, Obama may have been able to grab the votes of some swing voter Catholics. I agree with Obama’s choice because Biden brings a lot of experience and new ideas with him. I think he will bring new voters with him also.
McCain was under a lot of scrutiny after he chose Sarah Palin to be his running mate. People were shocked that he chose this inexperienced young woman to be his VP candidate. People say that she does know nearly enough to run this country if something were to happen to McCain. I think that there are positives to his decision though. Palin has some top priorities that are very close to her heart: energy development, ethics reform, education and workforce development, public health and safety, and transportation and infrastructure development. (2) These are some issues that are important to a lot of Americans who wish to see a solution to the many problems they found regarding these issues. One thing that is extremely important to Americans and continues to grow in importance as prices continue to rise, is the issue of gas and energy. Palin took a stand against the oil companies while she began a process to construct a gas pipeline. Her dedication led to work on a $40 billion natural gas pipeline to help lead our country to energy independence. (2) She is the chair of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission which promotes conservation and protecting the environment and health of people. (2) This shows that she has experience in and plans for the energy crisis in our country. Biden says that Palin has very extreme ideas, but that may be a good balance for McCain’s moderate view on things (3). She can help gain some of the more conservative Republicans while McCain is gaining support from the more moderate Republicans. I believe she also appeals to a lot of “soccer moms” and families out there. Her own story has become very well known throughout the media, but I think it is helping her gain followers. I think there are positives and negatives to McCain’s decision, but I think she is continuing to show Americans that she can do it and McCain was not wrong. The debate is a good example of this.
I definitely thought that Palin held her own in the debate, the Washington Post agreed with me and had a whole article on it. Right off the bat, Biden began to compare McCain and Bush, but Palin did not seem fazed by it at all. (4) In the debate Palin seemed very relatable and real. She used her normal “betcha” and “gonna” instead of talking very professionally like most politicians (4). I know when I was watching I was much more drawn to Palin. She seemed very calm at home, even joking around with Biden a lot. Biden gave off a very condescending tone, which I thought hurt him. He was however, very fluent in his answers and was a very, very good public speaker. Yes he was more knowledgeable about the issues and was well prepared, but that is not always enough. In the 1960 election, Nixon was clearly more knowledgeable, but still lost the election largely due to JFK’s persona and comfortable sense in front of camera. (5) It is very important for Americans to feel at ease with their leader. Palin seemed to make Americans feel at ease and is bringing a lot of attention to the McCain campaign again (5). Before the attention wasn’t so positive, but things are starting to look up for McCain and his running mate. I thought that both the VP candidates did well in the debate and they will play a rather significant role in the upcoming election. There has been a lot of controversy and disputes over the VP candidates that draw a lot of attention to them. For the great amount of media attention that is on them, it is hard for Americans not to factor them into their decision making process come early November.
1.http://www.barackobama.com/learn/meet_joe.php
2.http://www.johnmccain.com/about/governorpalin.htm
3.http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/08/biden.palin/
4.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/02/AR2008100200408_2.html?sub=new
5.http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,433426,00.html
6.http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/08/26/can-biden-help-obama-win-catholic-voters.ht
I agree with McCain’s nomination of Sarah Palin in the sense that it will help his campaign. For some Americans it will be easier to relate to a young, woman, than an older man. The fact that Palin is a woman should help McCain get more of the womens’ vote. (1)Although a recent poll showed that independent women were almost split with 45 percent for Obama, and 41 for McCain. This same poll and article analized the things that would be important for Palin and McCain saying that, “if the McCain-Palin ticket is to pick up steam either as a result of Thursday night's debate or forthcoming campaigning, one logical place to look for that process to occur is among independent women who are Catholic, middle aged, not college graduates, of average religiosity, and of mid-range incomes.” She could appeal to that exact group or Palin could use her celebrity-like status among Americans.
Sarah Palin has clearly generated a lot of gossip in the media and therefore is getting a lot of attention. Right after the announcement of her running many Americans did not know who she was.(3) A poll stated that “More than 7 out of 10 Americans interviewed said they had never heard of Palin, or didn't know enough about her to have an opinion.” There is a certain buzz of mystery over Palin, yet will it have an impact on the election? Her image seems a lot more positive than it does negative. (2) “Palin is the perfect choice for VP. Not only is she conservative, she is considered a “maverick” which would make her and GOP nominee John McCain a highly compatible duo.” This comment shows her ability to please the conservative Americans. She will help balance the ticket with her conservative viewpoints, and her platform is consistent with McCain’s.
Sarah Palin may also help add to the ticket or at least balance it because of her appearance on tv. (4) “Biden is clearly more knowledgeable than the governor. But, remember in 1960, Richard Nixon was far more knowledgeable than John F. Kennedy. So it's all about the voters feeling confident and comfortable with the candidate.” It is very possible that American’s will like her just because she looks good on TV. Biden appeared defensive because of the fear of appearing sexist. Biden did give direct natural answers, and went after McCain rather than Palin, but often looked at the moderator rather than the television screen. Palin having experience in television, knew to look directly at the people.
I would say that Obama’s decision to run with Biden was a safe choice. Biden definitely has the experience. He has had thirty years of experience in politics. And although there are speculations as to how “middle-class” he is, he grew up in the middle-class. (5)“Joe Biden has fought every day over the course of his life in public service to improve the lives of middle class families.” When a lot of Americans are middle class, Biden’s upbringing will help get those votes.
Also, Biden is the chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.(6) Foreign policy experience — or rather his lack of it — has been one of the chief arguments used against Barack Obama in his run for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Biden’s qualification will help the ticket due to these allegations against Obama. But will Biden overall help Obama?
(7)Just 14% of registered voters interviewed in a new USA Today/Gallup poll say Biden makes them more likely to vote for Obama in November. This supports my opinion that Biden is a safe choice. He will not hurt nor advance the campaign. With Obama’s current lead, it is good that he does not have a running mate who will hurt his status. It would be nice if he boosted his ratings, but for now, a no harm VP is good enough.
(1) http://www.gallup.com/poll/110938/Women-Who-Politically-Independent-Grabs.aspx
(2) http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/03/06/221205.php
(3) http://www.gallup.com/poll/109951/Palin-Unknown-Most-Americans.aspx
(4) http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,433426,00.html
(5) http://www.barackobama.com/learn/meet_joe.php
(6) http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1695803,00.html?xid=feed-cnn-topics
(7) http://www.gallup.com/poll/109783/Biden-Does-Harm-May-Help-Much.aspx
The Vice Presidential candidates have sparked more attention than any in the past, thus making their role extremely crucial. The VP candidates are no longer in the background, but have appeared to be getting even more media coverage than the actual presidents, with about four more million tuning in to the VP debates versus the latest Presidential debate (1). Their movement into the spotlight has made their reputation very important for the upcoming election, and could very well determine many Americans’ votes.
Sarah Palin definitely adds to McCain’s ticket, outshining him in the media with her spunky personality and good looks. It is still to be determined if her presence ultimately benefits McCain or harms him. This argument can be made for the former for the following reason: her appeal to the middle class (she states she comes from the middle class and her reputation for being a hockey mom that is like everyone else). These qualities allow her to equate herself with a large majority of Americans and speak to them “directly”, like she did in the VP debates on Thursday (2). While these characteristics can be viewed as positive, they can also help to denounce her intelligence (3). By Palin playing her hockey mom card constantly and her inability to answer questions concretely make her seem ignorant (2). On the VP debates senator Joe Biden asked her about McCain’s vote of deregulation of Wall Street and she completely dismissed the topic, instead discussing McCain’s tax plans. While I believe it is good strategy for Palin to avoid questions she is unable to answer (this was an evident mistake made on her previous interviews on CBS), by avoiding every question she seems to know nothing. Many Americans are worried about the possibility of John McCain dying and Sarah Palin becoming the new president because of her obvious lack of experience (4). McCain’s decision to add Palin to his ticket has also hurt his argument that Obama has no experience, when Palin has even less. On the VP debates she answered questions extremely vague, seeming to avoid the actual issue by dropping in the words Maverick and her folksy language (4). An example of this is when she was asked about McCain’s position on the economy during the VP debates. She did not make any clear statements, but dropped empty words of “reform” and “get rid of corruption on Wall Street” with no evidence or plans to back it up (2). I also think the recent publicity she has received for her accusation against Obama and how he “palls around” with terrorists will hurt McCain’s standings (4)(“Our opponent though, is someone who sees America it seems as being so imperfect that he’s palling around with terrorists who would target their own country?” Palin was quoted saying in the New York Times.) I personally disagree with McCain’s choice of Palin for his running mate because I believe her publicity takes away from his platform and what is actually important. I also think, not necessarily her lack of experience, but her lack of knowledge is too prominent and will become increasingly evident to the American public over time.
Obama’s choice of Biden as his running mate also has its ups and downs. Biden is a good choice because of his amount of experience (he is a 36 year-old veteran of the US Senate) (2). He also doesn’t get as much media coverage as Sarah Palin, which can be viewed as a positive considering the attention is allowed to remain on Obama and there is less opportunity for him to be mocked (4). While Biden is an overall good choice for a VP, the negative aspects he brings to Obama’s campaign is that he seems to be the stereotypical politician (4). Obama’s advocacy for bringing change to Washington is neutralized by the choice of Biden considering he has been in the heart of Washington for 36 years(4). This also makes it harder for him to connect with the American people, not containing the familiar and colloquial attributes of Palin (1). While I do believe Biden seems like every other politician in the past, he is still a good addition to the Obama ticket. His immense amount of experience will reassure the American public about voting in a fresh and young president like Obama.
1. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/palin-obama-is-palling-around-with-terrorists/
2. VP Debates (Thursday)
3. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/mccain-ad-the-wolves-are-out-against-palin
4.http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/08/the_case_against_joe_biden.html
Ever since Palin was announced as McCain's running mate, she has been targeted by the press. The media and the American people were immediately curious when an unheard of Alaskan woman was chosen as the VP candidate by the Republican party. Relatively unknown, she has been the focus of media attention, while Biden has stayed out of the press. For those who know politics, Biden is a well known and respected Senator, who has the experience that many people claim Obama lacks. While Palin was meant to add youth, and appeal to women for McCain's campaign.
Over all Palin has been repeatedly criticized for her lack of experience, and the media has devoted a high amount of attention on what she has said in past weeks (1). While most people concede that Palin did a decent job at the VP Debate, the interviews that she has had with Katie Couric and Charlie Gibson have damaged her credibility (1). Claiming that being near Russia qualifies as foreign policy experience has had even Republicans doubt her competence (1). The effects of her governance of Alaska has also faced scrutiny in the face of lawsuits for a proposed gas pipeline (1), and investigation of abuse of power from firing Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan (2). Palin is also facing criticism over $43,490 in state funds given to the Palin family for travel expenses that weren't reported as income and were not paid taxes on (3). Controversy is surrounding Palin, and new articles are appearing every hour to suggest she isn't qualified and these claims are not just slander, they are based off of truth.
Biden has done a far better job of staying out of media scrutiny. However the Wall Street Journal decided to write an article about all the things Biden said during the VP debate that were factually incorrect (4). Biden claimed that we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, but we never did (4). He also claimed that the commanding general in Afghanistan said a surge there would not be effective. But in reality the commanding general claimed that we need to commit to counter insurgency (4). During the debates, Biden also claimed that Obama did not say he would be willing to meet with Ahmadinejad, when just last year he criticized Obama's for wanting to negotiate with rouge states (4). Despite the inaccuracies in what Biden said, a WSJ/NBC poll reported that people think that Obama and Biden are doing better in debates (5). Yet, the criticism of the inaccurate facts of Biden's claims don't seem to be as well know as Palin's inability to name any other Supreme Court case than Roe v. Wade (1).
In think these VP choices were wrong for both sides. Biden and Obama don't agree on several issues which will make for controversy if they win office, and Palin is facing so much scandal and bad press that she has probably done more harm to McCain's campaign than help.
In conclusion, I'm a cynical person and this post is me niggling about how both VP candidates.
(1)http://www.starbulletin.com/editorials/20081005_The_Palin_Effect.html
(2)http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jOTk11gvqDAgD0cY3i4WjI_2YOxwD93L6VO01
(3)http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/questions-linger-about-palin-taxes/
(4)http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122325448093406451.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
(5)http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/10/06/wsjnbc-news-poll-obama-and-biden-are-better-debaters/
I think that Biden was a good choice for Obama from the start, because he provides the experience in politics that Obama lacks. He has been in the Senate for decades, and he has participated in many other political organizations, such as becoming ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee in 1997, and served as chairman of the committee from 2001-2003, and from January 2007 until today (1). This experience helps the ticket in that it counters the argument that Obama doesn’t have enough experience. There is also the fact that Biden is older, and Obama is younger, and just that mix seems to show a good and efficient combination. Also, from the debate between the vice presidential candidates, he proved that he was very educated and an excellent politician (2). He attacked George Bush, which Obama also does, and helped to show the change that Obama will bring to the office (2). He also did a good job of trying to connect McCain with Bush, and actually got some facts that were similar in their plans to make sense (2). Another great accomplishment he had during the debate was make it hard for Palin on some questions, such as foreign policy, without making himself look bad (3). Shanto Iyengar, a professor, said that he “came across as a very personable guy,” which I think supports the entire ticket of Obama being one of the people, and working for the people (3). Some say that he seemed a bit flustered during different parts of the debate, but they still think that he gave a solid performance , and it is there were you see how solid and respectable of a VP candidate he is, supporting the Democratic ticket (4). In the election I think that he will help gain some of the undecided voters who think that Obama doesn’t have enough experience, because he will be a solid, reassuring figure who will help Obama if he needs help in office. He also will hold the support of the supporters they already have, because he doesn’t do anything that will really hurt the ticket in a big way, therefore not losing any voters. I think that this was a great decision made by the party, because it provides for the experience and age that Obama lacks, and is a safe pick for a race that they were already winning.
I think that the nomination of Palin was a very risky move made by the Republican Party, but I think that it will pay off. It was risky in the beginning, first and foremost because she is a woman. She is the first woman to be running for the vice presidency, and if McCain died in office, she would become the first woman president of the United States. Another reason it was risky was that she is very inexperienced politically, only serving in an office since 2006 (5). She also held her position in Alaska, which is not part of the continental U.S., so she had been away from the whole of America and the politics in it. However, she also has many positive parts of her resume. First, she was the first woman ever to become the chief executive of Alaska, and has done a great job changing the status quo there and reforming old policies (5). She also has had a lot of experience with the oil crisis, because it is in Alaska where many of the oil drilling problems occur (5). She is also the Chair of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, which shows her experience in this big topic (5). Another risk concerning her inexperience came up when the VP debate came around. She was expected to have problems, especially on the issues of foreign policy. However, after the debate was over she seemed to have exceeded expectations and held her own; with some saying she actually won the debate against the experienced Biden (4). She was a very personable character who connected to the common person, and seemed to know more than expected on the issues, and except for a few stumbles, showed that she was fit for office (3). I think that she will be very beneficial to the Republican ticket, because she will gain some of the undecided voters. She will take some women from the Democrats, appealing to women’s experiences in the debate. She also will keep the support from the Republican Party, because she showed that she had extremely conservative beliefs, and that she could hold her own in the politics. This makes me think that even though it was a risky move, it will be a good match to McCain, because she brings the more conservative to his moderate, the youth to his age, and the personality to his experience.
Sources:
1) http://www.barackobama.com/learn/meet_joe.php
2) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/02/vice.presidential.debate/index.html
3) http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10624895
4) http://hotair.com/archives/2008/10/03/vp-debate-analysis-palin-hits-home-run/
5) http://www.johnmccain.com/about/governorpalin.htm
Vice Presidential candidates are chosen by presidential candidates for certain reasons. Just a few of these are: for more media coverage, a better image, and to appeal to a different group of citizens. Both Obama and McCain picked their VP running mates for specific reasons to benefit their campaigns. Both VP candidates have a large factor in this year’s election. The clear evidence of this is that the VP debate was a huge event this time, with nearly 70 million viewers (4). Since the VP candidates are so different from their running mates, it is clear that they were picked for specific reasons, especially appearance. For example, Obama is African American and he is fairly new to politics, while his running mate, Biden, is an old, experienced, Caucasian politican. McCain is an old, Caucasian, experienced politician and war veteran, while Palin is a woman who is fairly new to politics. This way, both party’s tickets have experience, new faces, and trailblazing opportunities because Palin is a woman and Obama is African American.
Presidential candidate John McCain chose Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska. One of the things she adds to the campaign is media coverage (1). Since she is a new “fresh face” like Obama, it counters his extensive media coverage a little. Also, she is a “trailblazer” for gender in politics, which makes a good story (1). The fact that she is a woman was intended to gain women’s votes, and at first there was an initial bump, however, now some women say that she is losing their support (2). Some critics claim that women do not like her because she is “too pretty, too confident, and might embarrass us” (2). She was also picked for her pro-life, pro-gun, socially conservative stance to attract those voters who agree with her (2). With the fuel prices skyrocketing lately, her experience in Alaska and her energy stance make her an attractive pick (3). I agree with McCain’s choice of Palin. I think she brought the needed media attention and she appeals to different groups of voters.
Presidential candidate Barack Obama chose Joe Biden. Biden definitely was not picked to gain more media attention. This has been made much too clear to me because it is much easier to find articles about Palin. Obama chose him because he has many years of experience in Washington and he has leading authority on foreign policy (5). Since Obama is centered on change and new leading, he picked Biden for his resume and his extensive experience to fill in the gaps (5). Also, Biden is Catholic, but pro-choice, and he grew up in a middle-class family, so he appeals to those groups of voters. I also agree with Obama’s choice of Biden. He shows that there is someone with experience filling in the gaps of Obama’s campaign, so it does not seem so radical and he appeals to different groups of voters.
Both candidates picked their running mates for many specific reasons to attract media and voters, and we will continue to see how this affects the presidential race.
(1) Washington Post, Media Backtalk by Kurtz
(2) CNN.com “Why some women hate Sarah Palin”
(3) VP debate 10/2
(4) Washingtonpost.com “Palin-Biden debate sets TV ratings record”
(5) nytimes.com “Obama chooses Biden for his running mate”
With McCain’s choice as Sarah Palin as his running mate, he has drawn much more attention to his campaign (1). Palin leaves an impression of confidence and strength in her public appearances (1). Although Palin doesn’t have nearly as much experience as Biden, she brings her experience as the Alaskan governor as well as 2 terms on her city council and 2 terms as Mayor of Wasilla (3). She fought against special interests, lobbyists, and the big oil companies in Alaska (3). She was also able to eliminate nearly half a billion dollars in wasteful spending in Alaska (3).
I believe the main advantage Palin brings to the Republicans is her charisma as 54% of people voted her to be more likeable than Biden (4). She does well on television and is very disarming (5). However, her downfall is her lack of experience. She doesn’t have experience in the economy, which McCain has admitted is one of his weaknesses (5). In a poll, 54% felt Palin wouldn’t be qualified to serve as president if it became necessary (4).
Obama chose Biden as his vice presidential candidate because Biden brings everything that Obama is not (2). Biden has been in the Senate for 6 terms, has expertise in foreign policy, is Catholic, and has a suburban middle class background (2). Biden is also much more outspoken that Obama (2). Biden has been chairman of Judiciary and Foreign Relations committees, and was a spokesman for the Democrats on Supreme Court appointments and national security issues in the Cold War (2). However, his ideas for U.S. foreign policy are sometimes controversial (2). He supports dividing Iraq into 3 regions (2). His personality can also get him into trouble as he isn’t as cautious as Obama in political confrontations (2).
I believe the main advantage that Biden brings to the Democratic ticket is his experience. In a poll, 78% felt he would be qualified to serve as president and 57% felt he was more intelligent than Palin (4). I think this is the main asset he is bringing to the campaign. While he will help Obama gain the support of many voting blocks like Catholics, I believe most people are impressed by his experience. This will be especially helpful since many of the Republicans are attacking Obama for lacking experience to govern the country.
I think Biden’s downfall is lack of political charisma (2). He is known for some of his gaffs such as comments like “You cannot go to a 7-Eleven of Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent”, he also commented “you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy” when talking about Obama (2).
I think Biden and Palin will play a large role in the election this year. The election is already so close that any small political maneuver could gain the few votes necessary. I also think people are very concerned about the vice presidential candidates because John McCain is so old and many speculate that Obama is more vulnerable for assassination attempts as one was already discovered during the Democratic Convention (6,7). I agree with Obama’s and McCain’s choices. Biden clearly fills in the places that Obama has been criticized for being weak in. Also, Obama is somewhat of a celebrity, while Biden is not. On the other side, Palin has brought that celebrity like quality and attention to the McCain campaign. She also brings youth and being somewhat of a Washington outsider to the Republican campaign.
1. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/08/biden.palin/
2. http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1835478,00.html
3. http://www.johnmccain.com/about/governorpalin.htm
4. http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08.htm
5. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2008233695_opin07nielsen.html
6. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4617490.ece
7. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/07/uselections2008.johnmccain1
The vice presidential candidates of this campaign year are markedly different than in past years. They are under more scrutiny than previous candidates and votes are being won of lost because of them. Both presidential candidates chose running mates who would add something to their ticket.
Obama’s choice of Senator Biden was a wise one. Both share a common background in law and a passion of helping the middle class (1). Perhaps the most important reason that Biden was selected is his foreign policy credentials. He was a ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee in 1997 and served as chairman of the committee from 2001-2003, and 2007-the present (1). His experience is in a department that many feel that Obama lacks in. The Obama website credits Biden wit being “…One of the nation's leading authorities on foreign policy, as well as one of its most influential voices on terrorism, drug policy, crime, and issues important to women” (1). These are issues that are important to many independent voters who Obama will need to win in November. Biden’s stance as a Populist- Leaning Liberal (2) balances out the more moderate approach Obama has had to take in the general election. I agree that Biden is a good choice politically, but his selection seems to contradict some of Obama’s key points. Much of the campaign is based on changes in Washington, but Senator Biden has been serving there since 1972 (3). On the other hand, some political analysts believe that “whatever traps he sets for himself, however many minorities he offends, he always seems to wriggle out” (4). Obama has had to chide Biden for going of message or taking the wrong stance on issues such as the AIG bailout, and clean-coal technology (4). I think that as long as Biden and Obama can get on the same page, he will have a positive effect on the ticket.
In contrast, I believe the fact that Palin has publicly acknowledged her disagreement with McCain on certain issues is not a hindrance to the ticket. Her different stance on sexual education (5), drilling in ANWR, and global warming (6) appeal to a different Republican base than McCain’s stances do. As to whether I think it is wise trying to appeal to people at different ends of the Republican political spectrum, I am undecided. It leaves potential for a broader base of support, but at the same time may alienate voters who are very against one of the stances. Palin’s focus on energy and ethics reform matches up with McCain’s platform well (7). She, like Biden, places an emphasis on aiding the middle class. Her appeal to soccer and hockey moms across the nation has been noted. The Democracy Project (8) notes a few good reasons why McCain chose Palin as his running mate. They say that Palin’s youth complements McCain’s experience, she is a reform governor with bipartisan appeal, and that she is very patriotic in addition to many other good things. Although these reasons make sense to me, I still wish McCain had chosen a different running mate. I think Independent Senator Joe Lieberman, a supporter of the war in Iraq, could have helped. “His independent status could bolster McCain’s reputation as a bipartisan consensus-maker, and may also help McCain add some distance from the Bush administration” (8).
In conclusion, I initially believed that the vice presidential candidates would play a large role in the election, but after watching the debates I am not so sure. Some analysts on television announced that since Palin didn’t completely screw up, and Biden wasn’t as aggressive as he could have been, the debate essentially was a tie even though polls show the Biden was the winner. The single debate performance may have made the vice presidential candidates a non-issue, and proved that they are both ready when under the spotlight. I think the election will be more decided by the actual candidate themselves. The VP’s evened the playing field, and now it is Obama and McCain’s election to win or lose.
1. http://www.barackobama.com/learn/meet_joe.php
2. http://www.ontheissues.org/Joe_Biden.htm
3. http://biden.senate.gov/senator/timeline/
4. http://www.slate.com/id/2200302/
5. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120742.php
6. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/6035372.html
7. http://www.johnmccain.com/about/governorpalin.htm
8. http://blogs.forbes.com/trailwatch/2008/08/mccains-vice-pr.html
Palin adds a strong social conservative draw to McCain's ticket (1). Her presence on the ticket encourages conservative groups to contribute to the campaign (5). She also helps encourage voters concerned with abortion to come to the polls (6). She also endeavors to represent the mainstream American (2). However, she does not have much, if any, experience, making many lose confidence in McCain (1). At the time of the convention, 41% of people believed she had enough experience, now only 25% see Palin as having enough experience (3). Even in the area where she claims to have the most experience, energy, Alaskan officials say she really does not have that must knowledge (4).
Biden adds foreign policy experience to Obama (7). However, some view Biden’s experience as solely through a legislative committee and not actual knowledge (8). He also brings support from key Catholic working voters (7). Biden himself is Catholic, and he brings in working class Catholic voters (8). Catholic voters are considered key in several swing states (9). Finally, he brings support from Pennsylvania (7). Biden grew up in a middle-class family in Pennsylvania (8). Pennsylvania is considered a swing-state, making it important for Obama to gain support there (8).
I think Biden and Palin will each factor differently into the election. I believe Palin will have a greater role in the election because of McCain’s age. Even though some people believe it is not right to consider age, considering it a factor like sex or race, I think that consideration should matter. If John McCain were to die in office or become unable to perform his duties, Palin would become president. Certainly, Obama could suffer an unexpected illness, but McCain, because of his age, has a higher probability of being unable to maintain his position for all three year. His father died of heart failure at age 70 (10). McCain himself has already had four skin cancers removed (10). Therefore, voters might be more aware of Palin and how she would act as president. Biden will play a factor in serving to support Obama’s campaigning and his foreign policy experience.
I agree with McCain’s choice as vice president. First, Palin does bring in voters who want a social conservative. They will not be affected by her lack of experience and so will remain with the ticket to Election Day. Second, Palin has charm that attracts voters even if she does not understand the issues or have enough experience. Finally, the Republican primaries were so negative; it would have been very unbelievable to see McCain being so friendly with a former competitor.
I also agree with Obama’s choice for vice president. Biden provides valuable foreign policy experience even if the two men did not agree on all issues. Also, Biden again provides key Catholic support and working class support across several swing states. He also provides support in Pennsylvania which is a swing state. I also think Biden can take a harder line on some things and allow Obama to continue to focus on policy.
(1) http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/letters/story.html?id=40eeb10e-af76-4f1e-8319-16f1d562730b
(2) http://www.tbnweekly.com/pubs/clearwater_citizen/content_articles/100608_cit-01.txt
(3) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jKLz7PW9AGelXQRIVxIeA0-kSB9AD93IEQNG0
(4) http://washingtonindependent.com/10472/palin-overstates-energy-experience
(5) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122324862376106085.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
(6) http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/30456179.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUl
(7) http://www.brewtonstandard.com/articles/2008/10/06/opinion/opin01.txt
(8) http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-23-biden-vp-choice_N.htm
(9) http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/biden_catholic_vote/2008/08/25/124676.html
(10) http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/05/09/mccains-age-and-past-health-problems-could-be-an-issue-in-the-presidential-race.html?PageNr=2
I don’t think Palin was a good VP choice for McCain, unless of course he was trying to lose votes, and I believe America thinks the same. When polled on whether or not Palin was ready to take office should it be deemed necessary, more than half said no. One might argue that a 53% no vote is only 3% over half (truth), but one must also look at the fact that only 12% of those polled thought Biden would be unfit to take office, 87% saying yes, he would be fit (1). In an election this close, McCain needs to have a VP with numbers like Biden, especially for one as old as himself. As Jack Cafferty of CNN puts it “If John McCain wins, this woman will be one 72 year-old’s heart beat away from being President of the United States, and if that doesn’t scare the hell out of you, it should.”(2). In the aforementioned poll, pollsters also responded that they believe Biden is more intelligent, more likely to bring change that the country needs, better at clearly expressing their views, and more in touch with the needs and problems of people (1). In terms of who did a better job at selecting a VP, the answer is clearly Obama.
I think Palin does bring some things to the campaign, though. Besides an inability to speak coherently (2), she is more personable, polled with an 18 point lead of “likeableness” over Biden (1). Her background in politics is attractive to some too, being anti-establishment and having strongly conservative ethics. She also has a strong potential to gain the women’s vote (3). Despite these facts, her popularity with independent voters is slowly slipping, and some question whether or not McCain made a mistake in choosing her (4). And who knows, perhaps the fact that she can’t string three words together will help her. It certainly didn’t hurt Bush, shown clearly by his election and reelection (5).
And what does Biden bring to the campaign? The experience to allay fears of Obama’s “inexperience”, some pretty good speaking skills, and an appeal to white, middle-class voters that perhaps Obama wasn’t getting on his own (6). The only thing that Obama has to worry about with Biden is that he’ll say something stupid like how FDR addressed the nation on TV after the 1929 stock market crash. None of these slip-ups have proved devastating so far, however, and the above poll (1), still shows that Americans believe he’s smarter than Palin.
(1)-http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08.htm
(2)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8__aXxXPVc
(3)-http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/29/rollins.palin/index.html
(4)-http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/03/mann.ct.palin/index.html#cnnSTCText
(5)-http://www.slate.com/id/76886/
(6)-http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1846632,00.html?xid=feed-cnn-topics
In this election, I think Palin will draw out a lot of support from the very religious conservatives with her hardcore pro-life stance and her views on same-sex marriage (1). Then again, with a teenage daughter being pregnant out of wedlock, which could be a turn off for those who strongly believe in celibacy before marriage. She also said that she wanted to legalize the death penalty(1). With such a close race, McCain and Obama need all the support they can get to come out on top. She may also bring in supporters from women because she’s also pro equal rights for women and appeal to those with children or loved ones that have mental or physical disabilities(1). I guess she would be getting votes from some men, too, solely on the shallow fact that they think she’s pretty.
Palin also keeps referring to herself as a hockey mom and repeating the phrase “Joe Six Pack” (2). It’d be a refreshing change from the regular politician’s that the people of the U.S. have come to view as deceiving and “out of touch” with the public. It might be good that she hasn’t been corrupted by power, but I don’t think I’d trust her to run the country on that alone. It seems like she’s thinking on too small of a scale and will continue to think like this later on. She’s making a huge leap from a being a governor of a state with a population of about 677,000 people (3) to potentially being in charge of over 305 million with less than desirable experience. I think picking Palin for his VP was a bad decision. There are many other more qualified candidates that could have been chosen.
1) http://www.ontheissues.org/Sarah_Palin.htm
2) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/02/debate.transcript/index.html#cnnSTCText
3) http://www.sitnews.us/0208news/021008/021008_ak_population.html
Obama’s pick of Senator Joseph Biden was an average choice. Biden has the political experience of 35 years in the Senate (3). Biden’s experience will help the Obama administration (assuming he wins) to talk and deal with congress. No doubt, over his 35 years as a U.S. senator, Biden has accumulated many allies and has numerous tricks up his sleeve. This helps balance out Obama’s inexperience, which has been a main criticism of him. Biden is also an international affairs expert (1). Biden is an avid environmentalist and wants an increase in renewable energy sources as well as better mpg cars(3). Biden does not help unite the Democratic Party, which is somewhat divided after the battle between Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama (1). Overall Biden brings experience and balance to the Democratic ticket. I don’t think that Biden will make a big impact on the 2008 Presidential election. Biden is what you think of a typical politician. There is nothing exciting about that sticks out to the public, so they will be thinking of voting for Obama only when it is election time.
Unlike Obama, McCain took a risk in choosing governor Palin as a running mate. This choice was in large part a design to attract some Hilary Clinton supporters and Independent women voters (1). In theory, this would be a good idea, but in practice, it is not so successful. It is true that some voters will vote for the Republican ticket now because there is a woman on it, but many of the Clinton supporters and the Independent women are unlikely to be convinced since Palin is so conservative (1). This is another place that Palin helps the Republican ticket. Palin is extremely conservative (anti-abortion, pro-state-imposed-death penalty, anti-sex education, anti-same-sex marriage, anti-environment, pro-creationism, pro-censorship, pro-gun ownership, and pro-war), which helps to attract more conservative voters to the McCain ticket (1). McCain is fairly moderate, so Palin’s conservativeness attracts the people on the right. Religion is a big factor that may help the Republicans (1). With the addition of Palin, who is a Pentecostal Christian, many religious voters will be attracted (1). According to a study done by Gallup, 2/3 of highly religious voters vote Republican no matter what issues they support (1). This also helps explain why low income and middle class voter vote for far right policies that are meant to help the rich (1).
Overall, I think that Obama’s pick will not have much affect positive or negatively on his campaign. On the other hand, McCain’s pick will probably benefit him because of the attention attracted. It seems like people are voting more for Palin than for McCain even though they are on the same ticket. I also think that it is interesting or ironic that both sides have an old experienced politician and a young inexperienced politician. It’s as if they are matching each other’s moves. But of course they aren’t or else both sides would be almost identical.
Also, the thing people care about most for vice presidential candidates is if they are ready to take over as president in case something happens to the president(2). With this view, I think many people are turned off by the thought of having Palin as president because of her inexperience and strong conservative views. I don’t think many people would care whether Biden was President because he is experienced and is well qualified for the role(1).
1)http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_3712.shtml
2) http://www.kolotv.com/blogs/masterblogpage/28127869.html
3) http://www.grist.org/feature/2007/08/29/biden_factsheet/
This election really has turned into a historical one by all accounts. In addition to being the first with a minority candidate, it also is the first where the vice presidential race is drawing as much, if not more attention from the American people. Indeed, the vice presidential debate this year drew nearly 4 million more viewers than the presidential debate [1]. Much of the excitement regarding this race stemmed from the unexpected pick by John McCain of Sarah Palin. Initially the pick seemed crazy, but then it looked to be ingenious. Now it is increasingly looking like a very good gamble that just might not be enough.
Sarah Palin comes to the Republican ticket out of nowhere. Prior to the announcement of the VP, I really had no idea who she was. I was expecting someone like Pawlenty, and actually thought I heard wrong when my mum told me. A month later, I can see why McCain chose this path. Palin brings a much more energetic feel to the ticket [3]. Before she came out, the old, white-haired McCain was juxtaposed against young and charismatic Obama. Palin, however, has managed to bring youth and vigor to the McCain campaign. Also, she has over seven years of executive experience, almost two years of which were as governor [2]. Neither Biden nor Obama have this. In this time, she has had practical diplomacy experience in dealing with the two foreign countries her state borders. Her conservatism also balances out the ticket. McCain has been accused of being too friendly to the Washington left. Palin, on the other hand, is an NRA lifetime member and has actually lived through the experience of pro-life vs. pro-choice [4]. However, she is not so extreme considering that she has supported benefits for same-sex couples. Palin also will be able to bring a more grounded approach to energy issues since Alaska is the center of many things. Shen supports drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but she has also stood up to Big Oil in the past. For example, she supported a natural gas pipeline rather than an oil pipeline [4]. Palin is also a maverick, which complements McCain very well. For instance, she also opposes congressional earmarks and the Obama-supported farm bill and ethanol subsidies [2].
In contrast, Obama’s vice-presidential pick was just predictable and boring, for lack of a better word. However, this election has always been Obama’s to lose. Thus, as long as the vice presidential candidates do what is expected of them, there is not a good chance that it will impact the final result. After the vice presidential debate, instant polls showed that Biden was the winner, winning around 50% of the vote in several polls [6]. Many debate critics mentioned that going into the debate, Palin had much lower expectations. Even though she did well, it was not enough to help the Republican ticket, only to not hurt it [5]. Biden does bring more to the ticket than merely fulfilling expectations. His age and experience contrasts Obama’s and balances out the ticket. One of the most common Republican attacks is against his lack of experience; Biden is able to counter that. Also, he has a good backgound with blue-collar roots and a strong Roman Catholic faith that should be able to draw some votes [7]. In addition, Biden is strong in his knowledge of foreign policy and defense matters. He is also a good pick because he has a history of working through issues in a bipartisan way. This moderation should help to get votes from some of the undecided in the middle.
I think that most of the vice presidential effect has tapered off. Initially, these pickings set the media and the American people on fire with opinions, but both have lost that excitement that comes with all new things. I do believe that both picks were good, however. Each candidate added and balanced the ticket out and I think that either one will do an admirable job in office if elected. I definitely agree with Obama’s choice in Biden. He was a very safe choice and does not have much tangible evidence against him. Palin’s nomination was such a shock to the nation that I question it a little. It was risky to pull in a new player so close to the elections. While I admit that I got caught up in some of the hype about her, the questions raised about her inexperience in Washington and general past political experience certainly are legit. Her performance in the debates reinforces this; while she was articulate and really quite good, overall she didn’t have quite as good a grasp on all of the information.
[1] - http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/palin-obama-is-palling-around-with-terrorists/
[2] - http://inessentialmusings.com/blog/2008/8/29/what-does-palin-bring-to-the-republican-ticket.html
[3] - http://demockracy.com/vp-debate-reactions-part-2/
[4] - http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/29/INA312IIVL.DTL
[5] - http://demockracy.com/vp-debate-reactions-part-1/
[6] - http://demockracy.com/instant-polls-biden-the-winner/
[7] - http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93906339
With in the 2008 election the VP nominations have become exceptionally important. As the race itself is so close many American voters are looking to the VP nominees as an insight to the next 4 years of American government.
First off is the choice of Alaska’s Governor, Sarah Palin. McCain’s choice to nominate Governor Palin was on that confused and upset McCain follower’s nation wide, because she was unknown to the United States. But McCain seemed to know what he was doing. With lose of Hillary Clinton for the democratic nomination, McCain seem to try to sway the women’s vote to his side. When Palin was elected to Governor, she expressed that her major priorities were resource development, education, public health and safety, and transportation and infrastructure development (1). Even though these are not the largest of the topics brought to the table with in this election many Americans have shown want for changes in these fields (2). Palin also brings background in the problem with the oil issue, as she is the chair to the interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (1). With in the start I felt that Palin was an inexperienced nobody from nowhere. As I got to know more about her I did feel as if she was in fact a good choice, because of the way that she was able to speak, one thing that McCain very much lacks on, and the way that she portrayed herself as knowing what she was talking about. Looking more into her background though now I feel that it was a poor choice. Her lack of experience is noticeable with in her own bios, and I do not think that he is ready to help run this country. As seeing certain interviews in the past I have become less enthused with her nomination, because her lack of experience reeks when she is in a one on one interview.
Second was the nomination of Senator Joseph Biden. He is a six-term senator of Delaware and is the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (3), which is a large help considering the War in Iraq is a large issue of this period in time. He is one of the most resound senators dealing majorly with foreign policy, civil liberties, crime and college aid (3). These traits will certainly help Obama in his campaign. Biden have a stronger background in politics will certainly help Obama now that more experience is behind their campaign. I would have to say that I do think that Biden was a good choice for Obama. I think that he had the right idea when picking someone with an actual background and a name that was more commonly known throughout the political world. Biden’s past legislation, I think, greatly brings a shine to the campaign as it addresses large issues that have come up with in this race. And as for the overall effect that he has on the campaign, I would say it is positive.
1. http://gov.state.ak.us/bio.html
2. http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/elections/presidential/presidential_election_2008.html
3. http://usliberals.about.com/od/liberalpersonalprofiles/p/SenBiden.htm
Obama and McCain’s picks for vice-president have been met with an unusual amount of controversy and interest. Obama, of course, seemed to have more at stake in his pick with much less Washington experience than the 72 year old McCain. Often times, candidates are encouraged to pick running mates that will balance the ticket ideologically or make up for some weaknesses (1). Obama did this well with his pick of Biden. During the debate, Biden touted his ability to offer advice and different ideas to Obama, rather than only be a yes man. And Biden has been in the Senate since the 1970s so he understands Washington. Biden is Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee which is also important because a criticism of Obama is that he lacks foreign relations experience (1). There was some assumption that Obama would try to pick a woman to win back some of the female voters who were possibly put-off by Hillary’s loss. That means that Clinton could have been a first-choice but it was suggested that Obama would then have to share the spotlight with Hillary and Bill Clinton (1).
McCain’s pick of Palin, the Governor of Alaska, was met with a huge wave of criticism. Watching CNN during the RNC, I know what was said. People were saying that she was an outsider with no important experience and others, mainly fellow Republicans, felt the pick would energize the base and that Palin had more executive experience than any of the candidates. She surprised almost everyone by becoming the vice-presidential pick. It can be said that Palin was picked because she is a fresh face in politics (2) and she can energize the Evangelical and conservative bases with her record and beliefs. It held true at the beginning as polls drew Obama and McCain into a virtual tie. And McCain may also have picked Palin because she is a woman and could help to draw Hillary votes and independent women (2).
In the whole scheme of things, even with the weight that has been put on the picks so far, VP candidates generally don’t matter in the election (1). It became clear with how little attacking happened during the VP debate that the issues in the election are quickly shifting to the economy. Now as I am watching CNN, I see pundits saying that tomorrow’s debate on the economy is going to overshadow the first and possibly be decisive for the election.
I have heard many things about Biden being a bit of a hot head and Palin not being experienced enough for the presidency in case the worst should happen. There is the possibility that other picks would have been better, like Hillary for Obama, but that is only speculation. And it does scare me a bit that Palin could become president should McCain win and something bad happen so he cannot perform his duty, but I’m a liberal and they aren’t going for my vote. So their picks are just fine, and they haven’t caused a larger rift in the race, but instead had brought it closer together.
(1) http://www.america.gov/st/elections08-english/2008/July/20080711175003HMnietsuA0.6977503.html
(2) http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/30/eveningnews/main4490618.shtml
(3) CNN and Fox News coverage of the RNC and subsequent things (mainly pundit talk)
I think that Obama’s choice was a good one. He chose Senator Biden to run as his Vice President and I think that a big thing going for him is his experience over Sarah Palin. He is a senior senator, so he brings some experience to balance some people’s opinions that Obama is too young and inexperienced (3). Also Biden is very knowledgeable about foreign policy which is an area that Obama needs a bit of help in (3). Obama also has talked about how Biden’s blue collar roots are valuable in gaining support from that group (4.) For all of these reasons, I agree with Obama’s choice of Biden. I like that he is experienced and as he showed in the Vice Presidential debate, he is a good public speaker as well. That is essential for a person so high up in the government to be able to convey information effectively.
I think that it was also a risky but powerful move for McCain to select Sarah Palin as his running-mate. As the New York Times stated, she immediately made appeals to the disappointed Hillary voters (2). Also, many conservatives are very excited that Palin was selected, so McCain will draw more support from that group as well (2). Because she is a mother of four, with a child with a disability and a son in Iraq, she seems to be a “person of the people,” or “one of us,” so McCain hopes that Americans will identify with her more and gain support because of it. Palin feels very strongly about the environment and even though she differs from McCain on a few issues having to do with the environment, she will gain some support because of it. She will also draw support because of her strong antiabortion views from evangelicals and conservatives. The one worry that I have with Sarah Palin was expressed in the following comment. Because of her lack of experience, “Is this really who the Republican Party (and the American people) wants to be one heart-attack away from the presidency (1)?”
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/29/AR2008082901112_2.html?sid=ST2008082901128&s_pos=
2. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/30veep.html?_r=1&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/H/Hulse,%20Carl&oref=slogin
3. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/08/23/DI2008082300849.html
4. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93906339
Clearly this presidential election is resting on the vice-presidents. Palin especially is a huge factor in the election and will probably be the determining factor in McCain's campaign. Palin was quoted by BBC accusing Obama of mingling with ex-militants and what she's saying and doing is getting more press than McCain is getting. There's at least three articles on the BBC just talking about PAlin and her views and what she's done (1). On CNN they talked about how the Palin spoofs could affect the election, they were saying how SNL experienced a 23% jump in views and that its showing more support towards Obama, though they are saying that the viewers of SNL are younger and Obama has been doing great with the young people vote so they aren't sure how accurate a prediction it is.(2)
Though it's quite funny how you see page after page about Palin and almost nothing about Biden.
It seems as though in this upcoming presidential election the vice presidential candidates may have more of an impact of the voter than the presidential candidates themselves. At first, it seemed like both Obama and McCain made wises choices when it came to picking their running-mates. Joe Biden came to the forefront giving the Obama campaign experience and a secure face, while Republicans responded enthusiastically with the choice of maverick and female Sarah Palin. With the election getting nearer and nearer, people’s views of the vice presidential candidates are starting to change, which could dramatically affect the outcome of the election. I think the candidates add a lot to the ticket, because of the situation our country is in now. In today’s age of terrorism and war, the person who is seen as a heartbeat away from the president is really important to the voter. Vice presidents like Al Gore and Dick Cheny have widely expanded the role, which makes Americans look towards the vice presidential candidates just as closely as the presidential ones, knowing that it is very possible they might be the president’s closest confidant. While only one month ago 60% of independent voters looked upon Palin favorably, that number has now dropped to 48% (1). Her “unfavorable” ratings have increased 10% as well (1), which has started to hurt McCain. Perhaps Palin was not the best choice for McCain after all. He drops in popularity are partially due to the fact that when she encounters the press and isn’t prepared, she doesn’t do a good job (1). Because the media has become such a big part of American politics, her lack of success behind the camera has become unappealing to the independent voters who will make or break this election. Her winking at the camera and phrases like “gosh darn” make it hard for the public to see her communicating professionally with other world leaders. Tina Fey’s dead on impersonations of Palin on SNL are probably not helping her case either. In the vice-presidential debates that occurred Thursday night, Palin’s lack of experience was evident as she appeared to be trying to hard, and repeated herself way too much (2). Many thought she dodged the questions she didn’t like, and it seemed as though the only questions she answered well were when she agreed with Biden (2). She has added some positive things to McCain’s ticket. According to Nick Coleman, Palin connects on the emotional level with the fears of parents, “the soccer moms on the field” (3). While she may not be ready for Washington, she understands where parents stand with their fears about the economy, the war, and healthcare (3). She also appeals to evangelical Christians with her stance on gay marriage and her reference to her faith. Palin’s role will be to connect with McCain’s voters on an emotional level, because he has not really been able to do that. This very thing that draws appeal from Republicans also takes it away from voters who are somewhat skeptical of her “mom-ness.” All this said, I just don’t think she is quite ready for the white house, as feel like she presents herself as not completely knowledgeable on the issues that concern our country.
I think Joe Biden was a very wise choice on behalf of Obama as a running-mate. Biden has had a lot of experience in the public eye (4) and I think, with people’s doubts about Obama’s lack of experience, Biden seems to provide comfort with his history as a senator and his position as one of the leading authorities of foreign policy, drug policy, crime, and women’s issues (6). He is the Veteran politician, and is able to back up his answers with lots of details, numbers and records (5). Practiced in debates and being put on the spot, he did very well in the debate on Thursday. He was able to continuously argue McCain’s programs and Palin’s points, and according to Political Analyist David Gergen, he had superior knowledge and superiority in the debate overall (4). I think, matched against Palin’s lack of experience, Biden has come out the superior vice-presidential candidate. Biden’s role in the election will be to attack McCain again and again, and to capture the votes of the independent voters who have been turned off by Palin and are fearful of Obama’s lack of experience. I agree with Obama’s choice of Biden, because I myself am able to vote in the upcoming election, and I had been wary of Obama’s lack of experience in our country’s economic situation. Experience is a factor that sways many Americans towards voting for McCain. Biden has given that element to Obama’s campaign, and I think that will work very much to Obama’s advantage.
1)http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/03/mann.ct.palin/index.html#cnnSTCText
2)http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/03/debates.irpt/index.html#cnnSTCText
3.) Star Tribune: Sarah Palin nailed what many soccer moms are feeling, Sun. Oct. 5
4.) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/02/vice.presidential.debate/index.html#cnnSTCText
5.)Star Tribune: Palin-Biden give spirited performance. Friday Oct. 3
6) http://www.barackobama.com/learn/meet_joe.php
I think that John McCain and the republican party made an excellent choice when they chose Sarah Palin as John McCain’s running mate. Sarah Palin is everything McCain is not. She is young, pretty and a powerful presence. People who view the government as corrupt and elitist will be more persuaded to vote for McCain because of Palin’s history as an corruption-fighter (1). She’s a former beauty queen, self-proclaimed “hockey-mom,” and a mother of five, and she enjoys hunting and the Alaskan wilderness (3). Many people feel that they are able to identify with her, and she also appeals to many of the women who supported Hilary Clinton, who were left in limbo when she lost the nomination. All in all, I think picking Palin as a running mate was a fantastic choice for the Republican Party.
By picking Joe Biden as a running mate, I think Barack Obama made a very wise decision. Joe Biden brings decades more experience, an excellent foreign policy background, and a firm supporter of the middle class (which will be reassuring ot voters worried about Obama’s “celebrity” status) (2). Both Biden and Obama are outspoken and excellent public speakers, which has proven to be a key component in garnering votes (4).
I believe the vice president has the potential to play a HUGE role in the next four years. It’s like what was said in class, if elected, Obama’s life could be at a serious risk and he could potentially be assassinated, leaving Biden to govern our nation. Likewise, McCain is very old and, there is a very unfortunate possibility that he could while in office, making Palin the President. Before America votes, I think it is exceedingly important that they remember, when they vote for president, they are voting for vice president too.
http://www.johnmccain.com/about/governorpalin.htm
http://www.barackobama.com/learn/meet_joe.php
http://gov.state.ak.us/bio.html
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/joe-biden/
I think that the Vice Presidential candidates are crucial to this election. Obama and McCain both appeal to the 'moderate' voters of their respective parties -- but need to appeal more towards the more conservative or liberal members.
Senator Joe Biden, Obama's VP choice ads much to the Obama campaign. Biden relates to the idea blue collar, small down, worker(3). He has an Irish heritage, Catholic background, and lunch pail appeal which will likely help with undecided voters - especially Hillary Clinton supporters and Reagan Democrats (3). Biden has served many terms with distinction in the U.S. Senate for decades and has run his own campaign for presidency twice (4). Biden proves having experiance, where some fear Obama lacks.
Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska is McCain's VP candidate. Palin was a big suprise, but her speech at the RNC won many supporters, and a standing ovation (1). She has strong public speaking skills, buries stereotypes in the snow by taking on powerful male politicans and fighting against corruption (1). Palin has appealed to the Christian conservatives that McCain's centrist ideals did not win over (1). This is a major factor, because generally Christian conservatives are key supporters for Republicans, so Palin aided McCain in this area (1). Choosing Palin may help McCain close the 'gender gap' (1). She has potential to bring in many women, since 18 million women voted for Hillary Clinton in the primaries; the Republican party is going after their votes (1). Palins experiance lies in the mayor office of Wasilla, Alaska, and the Governor of the state of Alaska.Proving she has experiance in executive power (4).
Recently, the VP's have been focusing on promoting their running mate's image; while bashing their opponent. In the recent debate, Biden proved to be knowledgeable and Palin proved her accomplishments as governor and mayer(2). Biden's strategy was to hammer McCain, link him to the status quo and Bush; while Palin's strategu was to defend her image (2). Both candidates came out very well of the debate in their respective goals. Palin's strength is appearing polished, direct, and stressing her executive experiance (2). Biden's strength was his superior knowledge, and superiority overall on the debate (2). Biden tried to tear down McCains 'maverick' status, and Palin called Obama a 'finger pointer' (2). I think they both can help and hurt their candidates by what they say -- negatively of the other candidate, and positively about their running mate.
I think that each candidate balances out their running mate. Obama doesnt have as much as experiance, but Biden does. McCain has a lot of experiance; Palin is new and fresh. I think they each target different groups within their respective political parties. I think the VP candidates were chosen to get many of the skeptical voters. I think the VP's do play a role, and we will just have to wait and see how the election goes.
(1) Palin's star rises - CNN.com
(2) Biden touts experiance, Palin pushes 'maverick' record - CNN.com
(3) Analysis: Biden's role is filling gaps and taking shots - CNN.com
(4)What Experiance Really Means in Presidential Politics; Jeffrey C. Issac; www.huffingtonpost.com/
The presidential candidates typically pick their vice presidential candidates based on what they need for a successful campaign. Obama has been attacked by McCain for a lack of experience. Choosing 65 year-old Joe Biden was a very good decision on Obama’s part because Biden has a lot of political experience from being in the Senate since about age 30 (1). He is extremely experienced in foreign policy issues, and so he is the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee (2). For example, he worked to get Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic to sign into NATO and pass the chemical weapons treaty to reduce the fear of nuclear war (3). Some other benefits to having Joe Biden as a running mate are that he is a Roman Catholic who was born in a working class family (1). This gives Biden the image of an average joe, and a lot of lower and middle-class citizens feel that Biden would be more sympathetic towards their problems because of it.
Some criticisms that McCain has faced are that he would be just like the Bush Administration. To combat this criticism, he has tried to establish the image of him being a maverick, and chose Palin who is shown as another maverick. For example, McCain and Palin have both fought against special interests, lobbyists, and Big Oil companies, despite the ways other politicians have acted (4). Other benefits of choosing Palin is that she may appeal to the group of women who supported Clinton originally. Another potentially beneficial quality to Palin is her complex family situation. Although some make derogatory remarks about her because of this, many families may feel like they can relate to her situation, and this benefits her campaign somewhat. Although Palin helps McCain in these ways, the issues McCain faces in his campaign cannot be fixed by his choice for Vice President, because the issues he faces deal more with his old age and negative stereotypes of the Republican Party.
Both presidential candidates are facing a fair amount of scrutiny for their choices for Vice President as well. I wonder why Obama is the one running for president if Biden is the experienced one. Most of the criticisms go towards McCain and Palin though. McCain is old, and some people fear that he would die in office and then Palin would be in charge. The issues come up when people are faced with the idea of Palin being the President because many don’t think that being the Governor of Alaska is anywhere near enough experience in governing the entire country. Also, her family situation is quite complex, and people don’t think she can balance her family issues and still stay focused on the numerous issues facing our country right now.
I agree with Obama’s choice because Biden has a good reputation and a lot of experience, so he has seen what types of policies are effective and which ones aren’t. However, since Biden is a lot more qualified than Obama, I think it should be Biden running for president instead of Obama. I do not agree with McCain’s choice of Palin as much. She may be smart and a good debater, but she lacks experience which is what McCain was using to promote himself. This weakens the advantages in his campaign, but she may attract a diverse group of voters to the Republican side, and she does reinforce the maverick image McCain is trying to create in my opinion.
Sources:
1. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/us/politics/24biden.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=why%20obama%20chose%20biden%20as%20running%20mate&st=cse&oref=slogin
2. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/19/biden-busts-his-own-buzz/?scp=1&sq=biden%20intervention%20in%20georgia&st=cse
3. http://www.barackobama.com/learn/meet_joe.php
4. http://www.johnmccain.com/about/governorpalin.htm
This is Oscar's post (he had tech problems and I'm helping him out).
Post 3
The two Vice President nominees in the Presidential Campaign are helping out their respective partners in their multiple ways. Sarah Palin is contributing to the McCain by doing campaign speeches. She says the election is about truthfulness and judgment (1). She is also standing up to the criticism by Senator Obama on McCain stand on social security and health (1). Palin also said that Obama did not make sense when he didn’t make Fanny Mae when some of his main supporters were the head of it (1). Sarah Palin stood her ground in the vice president debate (2). Sarah Palin stated that Biden had said previously Obama is not ready to be the commander and chief of this country (2).
Biden had a hard time in the vice president debate. He should have completely destroyed Palin. Biden had an easy going approach towards Palin in the vice president so would not look like a feminist (2). Biden had to be very careful with his words. Biden has also claim that McCain would be a successor of the current President Bush (2). Biden is contributing to Obama campaign by saying the things he can get away with while if Obama said these things he would not get away with it. Biden helps out by going campaign speeches in support of Obama.
The vice presidential nominees are balancing the ticket by more people are doing to end up voting for McCain because he has a woman as his vice president while more people will be voting for Obama because he is an African American while his vice president is Caucasian.
I think both Presidential candidates made a good pick by picking their respective vice president because it allows them to gain a wider range of voters giving them more votes in the long run.
Both of the vice president nominees will influence the election in their respective ways. I believe so far Palin has done a better job than Biden because everyone expected Biden to be better since he has more experience but Palin has held her own.
1. Star Tribune
2. Pioneer Press
McCain’s choice of Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate could turn out to be one of the most important decisions of the twenty-first century. The 2008 election is historic in the fact that Sarah Palin is a woman and Barack Obama is an African-American, and either way we will have a new minority group within the White House. McCain chose Palin as a contrast to Obama; although they are both inexperienced, Palin represents the interests of small town America and the true Republican ideals [1]. Palin brings energy and youth to contrast with McCain, who some have criticized for being too old [2]. Palin will also draw support from religious conservatives who may have been previously turned away by McCain’s “Maverick” status; she is staunchly anti-abortion and opposes stem cell research [3]. Palin also supports the idea that marriage is between a man and a woman and opposes spousal benefits for same-sex couples [3]. It’s also quite likely that McCain chose Palin because of her gender and to garner some of the women’s vote. American women reacted positively and increased their support of McCain because of this choice. I think McCain’s choice was poor, only because Palin has such little experience. One of the concerns among voters is McCain’s age; a more experienced choice as a Vice President could have mitigated fears that if McCain dies, the vice president will be able to fulfill their duties.
Obama’s choice of Senator Joe Biden is because of his past experience, a strong contrast to Obama’s considerable lack of experience. Biden helped pass the Adam Walsh Act and the Violence Against Women Act, which is sure to appeal to concerned parents and women [4]. Biden is also the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which gives him valuable foreign policy experience that Obama obviously does not have [4]. Biden was chosen to reassure Americans concerned about Obama’s relative lack of experience and to ensure that Obama will have a strong advisor in foreign affairs [5]. I believe that Obama’s choice of Biden was a good move. I believe this because Biden’s enormous amount of experience (six terms) with foreign policy and the Senate will partially mitigate voter fears of Obama’s inexperience [5].
1. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/obama-and-the-palin-effec_b_123943.html
2. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/palin-obama-is-palling-around-with-terrorists/
3. http://www.ontheissues.org/Sarah_Palin.htm
4. http://biden.senate.gov/senator/
5. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/08/24/foreign_policy_got_biden_the_vp_nod/
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