"He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak." - Michel de Montaigne
It is 5:00 a.m. Erika and I just arrived at her friend Mary Beth's house. It is still dark outside. We are equipped with our tea and coffee. We are here to watch the vice presidential debate between Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin. We left our building at 4:45.
We did this last week. Left our homes before dawn to go watch television at someone else's house. Last week we were watching Senator Obama and Senator McCain. It was fun. But this will be more fun.
However, watching these debates is more than fun - it's an investment. We are invested in this election because we believe this is America's chance. See, many people around the world view the 2000 and 2004 elections as proof that Americans are stupid. Not that they make poor choices, or mistakes, or that their system is broken, but that they are stupid.
I must admit that this debate is not the one event to combat that opinion. Governor Palin has not proven her wisdom of the world, or much wisdom at all, and Senator Biden is known for his foot-in-mouth gaffs.
Thus far, Ms. Palin is exhibiting her prowess in memorization. She is exhibiting her skill as a maverick by consistently refusing to answer the questions she is asked; although, she blatantly stated that she may not answer the questions as she is supposed to. She is exhibiting her ability to read pages and pages of notes in between her comments and then espouse her memorized responses directly into the camera.
Senator Biden is restraining himself, as is Gwen Ifill, I am sure.
We got up at 4:00 this morning because for us, people like Erika and Mary Beth and I, the debates are to politics what the playoffs are to sports. We have a team we are rooting for whom we would like to become the national champion.
When our team makes a good comment or whips out a good fact, as well as answers the question, it's like a score. We yell at the television for good and bad plays, look away in disgust from poor responses and check the stats online as we watch. This is serious. We only wish that everyone else took it as seriously as we do. Watching Palin talk down to voters and viewers with her rehearsed responses and fake folksy-ism is insulting.
Our coworker emailed Erika during the debate.
"I guess they don't use the letter 'g' in Alaska," he wrote, clearly riveted by Palin's inability to complete some of her words such as "comin'" with their final letter. She sure did that a 'heck of a lot.' I must use this lesson in class and explain to my students that I am 'not got to allow' them to use such colloquial speech in their appeals to audience.
“If I ever hear you talk like that...” said Mary Beth to her daughter as the middle-schooler noted one of the governor's Palinisms.
Mr. Biden did well this evening. He was composed and factual and he answered the questions he was asked. He even, unlike so many other folks in politics, exhibited his knowledge of the role of the Vice President, as a member of the Executive Branch. He avoided any chance he will be criticised for sexism or attacking Palin's lack of depth. He did what a vice presidential candidate is supposed to do in the vice presidential debate, which is debate the qualifications and policy of themselves and the presidential candidates.
Governor Palin put on a fine performance as well. She recited her answers, even when they were unprovoked by question or topic; she smiled, and she even winked. She played to her audience - "Joe Six Pack" and the hockey moms. She even gave a "shout-out", and she gave an entire 3rd grade class extra credit for staying up past their bedtimes (as her own infant clearly did) and watching her debate. She made quite a few errors of fact, in particular related to General McKiernan (not MacClellan), but whether that will matter to her audience is unclear.
I will watch each debate I can, be it at 5:00 a.m. or not. I will continue to donate for Change and wear my 'Si se puede', in every language, t-shirt. I will encourage my students to remain engaged in the political conversation and debate the canons of rhetoric and how our candidates use them. And for the next 33 days I will hope that enough voters will do their part on November 4th to ensure that 'stupid' and 'Americans' are no longer synonymous. Right now, the 'winner' of the debate is too close to call, and it'd be a shame to say the same thing about the election.
* CLICK ON THE TITLE ABOVE FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES FACT CHECK
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