Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin went head to head in their first and only vice presidential debate in St. Louis last night, clashing on the economy, energy issues and foreign policy. The candidates greet each other warmly at the start of the highly anticipated showdown.
It was the first time both candidates had met. "Hey, can I call you Joe?" Palin asked as they were introduced. "Governor, it really was a pleasure getting to meet you," Biden said as the debate wrapped up.
The debate format suited both candidates' styles. Confined to 90-second responses, Biden's tendency to overspeak was held in check. Palin also seemed to find comfort in the time limits which allowed her to make her points succinctly on less familiar ground and to use the two-minute rebuttal period to occasionally expand on a previous point. The economy quickly took center stage, with both candidates weighing in on the financial crisis and the bailout bill awaiting congressional approval.
Overall, no punches were thrown or security had to be called. We'll call it a VP debate success!
