The vice presidential contenders Joe Biden and Sarah Palin offered their share of zingers and even a couple gaffes during their one and only debate on Thursday in St. Louis.
Biden tried to link the health care plan offered by Palin and presidential hopeful John McCain to Palin’s past support of a now-famous congressional earmark to fund a bridge to a small island that was labeled the “Bridge to Nowhere.”
“So you’re going to have to place — replace a $12,000 plan with a $5,000 check you just give to the insurance company. I call that the ‘Ultimate Bridge to Nowhere,’” Biden said.
Meanwhile, Palin corrected her rival about the offshore drilling for energy resources when Biden said “drill, drill drill.”
“The chant is ‘drill, baby, drill.’ And that’s what we hear all across this country in our rallies because people are so hungry for those domestic sources of energy to be tapped into,” she said.
Biden, who is known for his verbal miscues, managed to only have one major gaffe, 
apparently erroneously referring to Hezbollah instead of Syria when he talked about the United States and France coming to the aid of Lebanon.
“When we kicked — along with France, we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, I said, and Barack said, ‘Move NATO forces in there. Fill the vacuum, because if you don’t know — if you don’t, Hezbollah will control it,’” Biden said.
Meanwhile, Palin had a couple mistakes herself, calling the U.S. commander in Afghanistan Commander McClellan when his name is David McKiernan.
She also got her words mixed up when talking about the financial crisis, which has been criticized as a bailout for bankers on Wall Street and doing little to help Main Street Americans.
“It’s a toxic mess, really, on Main Street that’s affecting Wall Street,” Palin said.
She also referred to her opponent as “O’Biden” at one point, combining her opponents’ names.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
- Photo credit: Reuters/Jim Young (Palin winks during the vice presidential debate), Carlos Barria (Biden laughs at the debate)
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Will the libs PLEASE join Ms. Palin and tell Biden/Obama to stop the whole ridiculous notion of BadBushequalsMcCaintheSame tripe !?
- Posted by Obama is Bush3Obama has never, NEVER voted against a fleeting Democratic notion, let alone a piece of legislation- so who really thinks he’d ever use a veto pen? Haven’t we learned enough about the dangers of a total one party power? Obama is Bush III, be assured of that. Pelosi and Reid will run right over that punk. That’s why they selected him for you.
McCain wouldn’t get half his ideas through congress.
Biden was wrong about not questioning the ‘motives’ of others, ecspecially when their ‘judgement’ is so far out there.
Now I look at him and also wonder “Say it ain’t so Joe”.
You had better “judgement” when you said Obama was a bad, bad idea. Four people on the ballot, the only really genuine person left is Governor Palin. Put her to work in Washington. That place really needs it.
- Posted by filmmakerBiden showed he had the gravitas to be President. Palin spoke in a series of mini-stump speeches. Biggest surprise was Biden’s success at characterizing the McCain/Palin position on gay marriage as being no different than that of Obama/Biden. Pretty deft move. Second biggest surprise was Palin’s relentless blaming of Wall Street greed as being responsible for the financial meltdown. No blaming of Democrats in particular or government in general. And her solution is regulation on steroids. Strange debate, in these ways.
- Posted by Larry WeisenthalSarah Palin reminds me of my mom.
I love my mom very much.
My mom should not be in the white house.
- Posted by VegasForTheVoteYou forgot a major gaffe on Biden’s part…not knowing which article(s) of the Constitution the Vice President is mentioned in. Hint: Article I is not the “executive” article, it’s the legislative one. And, the VP is mentioned there (as president of the Senate). It’s also mentioned in Article II, which IS the executive one.
Of course, I could just be wrong and could just be reading my “Evil Dick Cheney Approved Constitution.”
- Posted by BrianThey both did all right, both held their own. Personally, I think Bush is doing a heck of a job, and will vote accordingly.
- Posted by frank burnsmax-
wrong. the governor proved adept at regurgitating the talking points fed to her by her team of “Washington insiders” but showed contempt for truth and for continuity of discourse. she redirected the prompt whenever she felt uncomfortable answering a question and generally came across as disingenuous.
let’s face it, governor palin’s image was what was at stake tonight and she defended it admirably. unfortunately for her, biden showed a level of professionalism that frankly, left palin looking lost and out of place. palin was a cute choice for the republicans, but her charisma will not save the ticket.
- Posted by danSarah should be a talk show host and nothing else. I wouldn’t elect her for the job of local Dog Catcher. She’s a box of rocks, dumb as a stump. A real dunce. You can see she was cutting school during US Government classes. She just found out the legislature holds the purse strings!! LMAO…OBAMA|BIDEN…
- Posted by X_Republicant_XBiden amazed me. One CNN commentator complained that he had talked about himself instead of Obama, but that was a good thing. We had to imagine the scenario where Biden would have to lead the country through the aftermath of an assination that ought to be unthinkable. We have to imagine Obama thought about it, and chose Biden for that job above all others. Well chosen, I think.
On the other hand, the chance that McCain would be unable to govern during a chemo course is much more likely. He chose Palin.
- Posted by Mary PorterThe only thing more unbelievable than the socialist’s having the audacity to think they can capture the hearts and minds of a free Republic en masse, is that they are actually succeeding to such a degree.
- Posted by sevanclaigI attended HBC when Obama was in law studies. I read his Daddy’s papers from his own time there before either of us, and if a sane citizen would take the time to do so as well, you might see that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
I really cannot believe this is happening.
Are we living in the Twilight Zone? Palin has no idea what she is saying. She can memorize words, but they have no meaning because she has no experience. And, she used the word “lame” which is offensive to people with special needs.
She literally has the nerve to talk down to Biden on issues that she literally has no point of view.
This is insane. This woman has no clue and could be president. Come on people!!
- Posted by HilaryPalin: “I’m not one to attribute every activity of man to changes in the climate”.. got that one a bit backwards there… oh well, who cares about the details when you could be VP!!!
- Posted by JenRonald Reagan in a dress. Trickle down economics didn’t work in the 80s, and it hasn’t worked for the last eight years of Bushdom, yet they hope we’ll be so mesmerized by Miss Alaska’s smile that we won’t remember that “investing in the nation’s infrastructure” (as she said) means TAXES. The private sector doesn’t take the risk in building roads and bridges–the taxpayers do. Those same taxpayers she’s so sure wants the government off their backs; meanwhile we’re having to shovel out the screw-ups that the private-sector bankers have wrought. What does that matter when you can wave the flag, throw on the xeonophobia, and sprinkle in a few gosh-darn-its and be *cute*.
- Posted by M RYeah, I think “O’Biden” was on purpose. I’ve heard “McPalin,” too.
I thought they were more or less evenly matched, and it was interesting to hear them talk about what the role of the VP actually is. The ultimate winner was the moderator. Can we keep her for the next Presidential debates.
- Posted by ENHey Nate Stockard, I have see the exact same message on several boards now.
- Posted by Nate StockardHands down Sarah is the winner!!! Sarah ‘gets’ what real people know and live - she is one of us.
Biden put his foot in his mouth with so many untruths that he made my teeth curl - he is a Washington insider who is clueless about truth.
- Posted by maxI caught “O’Biden”, too. That was funny! However, I feel you really had to look deep to find these slips. Overall they both did VERY well considering how low the expectations were! However, just as predicted, both sides are declaring victory…where are the scores?!
- Posted by ChelseaGo Sarah! Who cares about Dancing with the Stars!
- Posted by Eloise AndvikThat O’Biden was absoultely on purpose.
Thank GOD
- Posted by KMI am very Republican, but I have to declare a loss. Biden was well-spoken and took the victory, but I have posted a blog with reasons why Repubs will still win in November!
http://averagepolitics.wordpress.com/200 8/10/02/biden-vs-palin-who-is-the-victor /
- Posted by Nate Stockard