Joe Biden scored points on the issues at last night’s debate, but Sarah Palin showed a winning, folksy style, a Post panel of experts found.
“I think he shows his knowledge of issue and policies,” said Lee Miringoff of Marist College Polling Institute.
Mickey Blum of the firm Blum and Weprin agreed.
“I don’t think there’s ever a question that Joe Biden has full command of the issues,” Blum said, adding of Palin: “She has great stage presence and she has a lot of that sort of the spontaneity and the charm and the folksy common touch that made her seem . . . relatable to people.”
Blum also found “it was good enough that she didn’t lose it for [John McCain],” and noted Biden was less charming than he’s traditionally been in past debates.
On the critical points of being effective on offense and defense, Blum said Biden fared better – in part because of his command of the material, and in part because he was careful not to go after Palin.
Miringoff faulted Palin for having a near “Dukakis moment,” referring to the losing 1988 presidential nominee, when Biden emotionally described the pain of losing half his family in a car crash.
“She could have said something warm, [but she] just moved on,” he said, describing disparities in the performances of the veep candidates.
Andrew Smith of the University of New Hampshire said both performed well.
“Both had some room for improvement, but both did excellent in the debate,” he said.