Biden / Palin VP Debate, Oct 2nd @ 9PM EST

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

If anything, I'd say that he did his best service to his campaign by not flying off the handle, so to speak, and by being fairly measured in his responses. It wasn't a bad performance, by any means, but I don't think it was his best performance.

I missed the middle of the debate. I heard the first part on the car radio, got home and missed part while getting kids to bed, and then watched the last third or so.

I'd agree that the best thing he could do was not fly off the handle or say anything too stupid, and not say anything that could be construed as condescending, and I think from what I saw he pulled all that off well. While Sarah Palin's task was to do better than her interviews, Biden's task was not to blow it and he didn't. They both accomplished what they needed to accomplish.

We were watching it on CNN with their dial-meters for the panel/focus group in Ohio -- certainly an unscientific and limited group for statistical purposes. But it seemed that they typically reacted more favorably to Biden than Palin -- for her, the lines stayed flat quite a good portion of the time, particularly toward the end, while he was getting mostly positive reactions.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I missed the middle of the debate. I heard the first part on the car radio, got home and missed part while getting kids to bed, and then watched the last third or so.

I'd agree that the best thing he could do was not fly off the handle or say anything too stupid, and not say anything that could be construed as condescending, and I think from what I saw he pulled all that off well. While Sarah Palin's task was to do better than her interviews, Biden's task was not to blow it and he didn't. They both accomplished what they needed to accomplish.

We were watching it on CNN with their dial-meters for the panel/focus group in Ohio -- certainly an unscientific and limited group for statistical purposes. But it seemed that they typically reacted more favorably to Biden than Palin -- for her, the lines stayed flat quite a good portion of the time, particularly toward the end, while he was getting mostly positive reactions.

We had on the CNN feed at the law school; I was watching that for about a half hour before I headed for home. I listened while I was driving home, and then started watching at home again (on NBC).

Since you both watched and listened, I wanted to get your take on something. I found that Palin came off much better when I was listening to the debate, rather than watching it, while Biden was better on TV than on radio. Did you find something similar, i.e. a difference in their success depending on TV versus radio?

I may be a bit off, but that was my impression.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Since you both watched and listened, I wanted to get your take on something. I found that Palin came off much better when I was listening to the debate, rather than watching it, while Biden was better on TV than on radio. Did you find something similar, i.e. a difference in their success depending on TV versus radio?

Hmm. We thought that Biden didn't look at the camera enough -- he seemed to be talking to Gwen Ifell while Palin seemed to be talking to "us." He got better about that at the end, but my wife kept saying "look at the camera, Joe!"

I thought they both came off better on the radio. I dunno, though.