I was about an hour behind because of babysitting but I finished and watched a couple minutes of analysis. Just wanted to throw my thoughts in.
1) It was embarrassing watching CNN before hand. The station spent the half hour I saw bashing Sarah Palin in every single way and ignoring Joe Biden.
2) Palin did fine, no major gaffes, she may well have reassured some people. Those that don’t like her never will.
3) Biden obviously “won” in that he is a much better debator. I believe you don’t grade on a curve in these things. Doesn’t matter how much experience a person has, doesn’t matter what they look like. Its a performance.
So in that, Biden wins hands down, knows the subjects, knows how to handle himself, clear winner in terms of the actual debate.
4) Tomorrow the media which seems more even tonight toward Palin will go right back to attacking her.
One thing stood out to me when Joe Biden was discussing the Vice Presidency and the powers it contains in relation to Vice President Dick Cheney’s position on the office. He said:
BIDEN: Vice President Cheney has been the most dangerous vice president we’ve had probably in American history. The idea he doesn’t realize that Article I of the Constitution defines the role of the vice president of the United States, that’s the Executive Branch. He works in the Executive Branch. He should understand that. Everyone should understand that.
He added:
The only authority the vice president has from the legislative standpoint is the vote, only when there is a tie vote. He has no authority relative to the Congress. The idea he’s part of the Legislative Branch is a bizarre notion invented by Cheney to aggrandize the power of a unitary executive and look where it has gotten us. It has been very dangerous.
For those not following, the basic notion attributed to Cheney here is that the Vice President occupies a role as president of the Senate in times of a tie breaking vote and therefore is not a part of the Executive Branch.
While I am not going to argue in favor or against Cheney’s interpretation, I found Biden’s argument against this interpretation interesting in that he said “he doesn’t realize that Article I of the Constitution defines the role of the vice president of the United States, that’s the Executive Branch.” The problem is, Article 1 doesn’t define the Executive Branch, Article 2 does that.
Michelle has done a heroic job of managing the house, the family and still finding time to campaign and be out on the road,” he says, after directing staff members to turn off the television, which was tuned to Fox News Channel. “I’m always marveling at everything that she can do.”
And then he sings.
“I’m every woman,” he croons. She cringes. He laughs. “That’s Michelle. It’s like, Chaka Khan! Chaka Khan!”
“Frankly, I wish they had picked a moderator that isn’t writing a book favorable to Barack Obama — let’s face it,” McCain said on “Fox & Friends.” “But I have to have to have confidence that Gwen Ifill will handle this as the professional journalist that she is.”
“The Secretary concerned shall establish a pilot program to implement a certain percentage of approved projects involving the sale of merchantable timber using separate contracts for-
‘‘(i) the harvesting or collection of merchantable timber; and
‘(ii) the sale of the timber.”
MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE.—
The total amount obligated under this subparagraph may not exceed $1,000,000 for any fiscal year during which the pilot program is in effect.
Page 364 Title II: “SPECIAL PROJECTS ON FEDERAL LAND”
“Project funds may be used by the Secretary concerned for the purpose of entering into and implementing cooperative agreements with willing Federal agencies, State and local governments, private and nonprofit entities, and landowners for protection, restoration, and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat, and other resource objectives consistent with the purposes of this Act on Federal land and on non-Federal land where projects would benefit the resources on Federal land.”
Some of the conditions for funding:
‘‘(i) Whether or not the project met or exceeded desired ecological conditions; created local employment or training opportunities, including summer youth jobs programs such as the Youth Conservation Corps where appropriate.”
‘‘(ii) Whether the project improved the use of, or added value to, any products removed from land consistent with the purposes of this title.”
The best thing about following politics is that you never know just what will come up. With all eyes focused on tomorrows VP debate, moderator Gwen Ifell may have already tipped the scales giving the political right ample fire an allowing the coverage of the event to focus on her instead of the candidates performance. A bad move for a moderator.
The Internet and talk radio are buzzing this morning with the revelation that PBS host Ifill has a book to be published subtitled “The age of Obama” which she says will “shed light on the impact of Barack Obama’s stunning presidential campaign.’ The revelation has those on the right charging bias and will no doubt change the news story today from a heavy focus on the expectations game surrounding Gov. Sarah Palin to the objectivity of the moderator.
Ifill’s book profiles up and coming black politicians including Democrat Artur Davis, Democrat and longtime Obama friend Deval Patrick and Democrat Cory Booker. In the publishers write-up it is said Ifill draws upon interviews with Obama, Colin Powell who is a Republican but has given hints he is open to supporting Obama, Jesse Jackson and Clinton administration advisor Vernon Jordan. The publishers write-up gives the impression of a pro-Obama, pro-Democrat book giving those on the right plenty of room to launch attacks about Ifill’s interests in the election.
