I’ve spent way too much time the past few days reading and watching commentary on the debate. Because this is the weekend every six months when Mormons quietly retreat from life to listen to General Conference, I have had a few extra days to digest the debate before jumping into the fray with my thoughts. It has been an interesting experience to juxtipose the varried political ideologies with the eternal words of the Prophets of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Listening to conference is always a grounding and sobering experience for me. I tend to step back from the grind of current events and think on things eternal: Family, Friendships, Love, Service, and Freedom.
I suppose the good dousing I had this weekend in things eternal makes it a little more difficult to weigh in on the blatherings of the chattering class in our society.
But I’ll try. My initial reaction to the debate was that both Biden and Palin were good at communicating their message to the people of this country. The well documented fact that Biden was yapping whoppers about as fast as he talked has been parsed here and here.
I thought Sarah won the debate overall, and was thrilled to see her do so well.
In all of the commentary on talk radio, the news, and various internet chat rooms etc…that I have been reviewing, no one has taken issue with this portion of the debate, which for me was the most troubling when talking about an Obama Presidency. I wanted to share my concerns because so far I have not noticed anyone else talking about it.
During this line of questioning in which Palin had her best dig of the night (“Nobody got your joke Joe”) Gwen Ifill asked:

IFILL: Everybody gets extra credit tonight. We’re going to move on to the next question. Governor, you said in July that someone would have to explain to you exactly what it is the vice president does every day. You, senator, said you would not be vice president under any circumstances. Now maybe this was just what was going on at the time. But tell us now, looking forward, what it is you think the vice presidency is worth now.

PALIN: In my comment there, it was a lame attempt at a joke and yours was a lame attempt at a joke, too, I guess, because nobody got it. Of course we know what a vice president does.

BIDEN: They didn’t get yours or mine? Which one didn’t they get?

PALIN: No, no. Of course, we know what a vice president does. And that’s not only to preside over the Senate and will take that position very seriously also. I’m thankful the Constitution would allow a bit more authority given to the vice president if that vice president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate and making sure that we are supportive of the president’s policies and making sure too that our president understands what our strengths are. John McCain and I have had good conversations about where I would lead with his agenda. That is energy independence in America and reform of government over all, and then working with families of children with special needs. That’s near and dear to my heart also. In those arenas, John McCain has already tapped me and said, that’s where I want you, I want you to lead. I said, I can’t wait to get and there go to work with you.

IFILL: Senator?

BIDEN: Gwen, I hope we’ll get back to education because I don’t know any government program that John is supporting, not early education, more money for it. The reason No Child Left Behind was left behind, the money was left behind, we didn’t fund it. We can get back to that I assume.

With regard to the role of vice president, I had a long talk, as I’m sure the governor did with her principal, in my case with Barack. Let me tell you what Barack asked me to do. I have a history of getting things done in the United States Senate. John McCain would acknowledge that. My record shows that on controversial issues.

I would be the point person for the legislative initiatives in the United States Congress for our administration. I would also, when asked if I wanted a portfolio, my response was, no. But Barack Obama indicated to me he wanted me with him to help him govern. So every major decision he’ll be making, I’ll be sitting in the room to give my best advice. He’s president, not me, I’ll give my best advice.

And one of the things he said early on when he was choosing, he said he picked someone who had an independent judgment and wouldn’t be afraid to tell him if he disagreed. That is sort of my reputation, as you know. I look forward to working with Barack and playing a very constructive role in his presidency, bringing about the kind of change this country needs.

I don’t know if anyone else is troubled by this, but I was. Biden Said:
“Barack Obama indicated to me he wanted me with him to help him govern”.
“So every major decision he’ll be making, I’ll be sitting in the room to give my best advice.”
“He’s president, not me, I’ll give my best advice.”
It was sort of like he was assuring the voters, “look we all know this guy has never led anything, made any major decision in his life, and has no executive experience whatsoever, so, rest assured, I will be standing over his shoulder “helping him govern”.
When someone is president we have to assume that he/she has the final word on every major decision he/she makes. We don’t want a “commitee of fools” running the executive branch of the government. We want one person, with the proven leadership ability to make the difficult choices, able and ready to respond to any issue with clarity, focus, and grit. John McCain will have no problem making those determinations. And I believe Sarah Palin would do an even better job of making the difficult decisions that a president must make every day. She did it as a leader in her state, and she has done it as a wife and mother.
I don’t believe Senator Obama is up to the task of leadership and I believe Joe Bidens understanding of that fact was the reason he was assuring the country during that point in the debate. The country does not have the time for a freshman senator to learn leadership on the job. It is for this reason that I will be voting for McCain/Palin.
Here is the whole transcript of the Biden Palin Debate.
Jenny Hatch