2008 VP Debate

As I'm sure all of you know, the 2008 Vice Presidential Debate between Democratic VP nominee Joe Biden and Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin is this evening, starting at 8pm (Central), and held at Washington University in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.

I'm proud to be from Missouri, which boasts a swing state status. Missouri has had quite a good record for choosing the presidents that eventually get elected. (Note I am not saying that they chose well, just that they matched election outcomes.) In fact, 1956 was the last time Missouri got it wrong, choosing Democrat Adlai Stevenson by an incredibly narrow margin of 4,000 votes. So it's safe to say that what happens in Missouri is a fairly accurate indicator of what is happening nationwide.

A CNN/TIME poll taken just two days ago puts Barack Obama just 1 percent ahead at 49% to John McCain's 48%. This is a very interesting fact, considering all previous polls had put Obama behind McCain by anywhere from 2 to 10 points. This does, however, reflect a nationwide shift of voters towards Obama. All signs lead to the current economic crisis as the reason.

Now it might sound like I'm super involved and keep up-to-date on everything political, but my fascination is actually very recently discovered. I did vote in the last presidential election (at the ripe age of 18) by absentee ballot as I was a new freshman at Kansas State. I do remember sitting in my dorm room on election night, watching my roommate's tiny television as the ballots were counted and the numbers came in. But I was nowhere near as informed then as I am now. For some reason, I just find this election absolutely fascinating! Maybe it's the fact that there is an African American presidential candidate or maybe it's that there is a female vice presidential candidate or maybe it's that I feel the most important and hotly debated issues affect me more now than 2004's issues did then. But the result is the same. I am practically glued to my television (and computer), watching the latest polls, debates, interviews, gaffes, and Saturday Night Live skits.

From the onset of my newly-found obsession, I tried to remain objective, making my mind up on the issues, setting my priorities before taking sides, and not allowing stereotypes to pervade my opinions. But even though it is early in the running, and there is still almost 5 weeks left before the election, I believe I have come to a decision regarding my vote, and (just to warn you) my stance will be made painfully obvious in the following paragraphs.

Now I'm not trying to change minds or alienate, I'm simply sharing with you all the interesting and humorous things I've seen over the past few weeks. And warning that those things will lean overwhelmingly left.

First is a short that played on Fox News (lovingly referred to as Fixed News or Fox Noise by most liberals) where Brian Wilson "polled" diners in Scranton, Pennsylvania, asking them collectively who they will vote for.



If you pay close attention, you will notice that a man in the center of the shot begins to raise his hand when Wilson asks for McCain voters. His wife quickly hits his hand down. When Wilson then asks for Obama voters, he raises his hand and his wife raises both of hers. Hilarious! Also, you'll see that when Wilson asks for McCain voters, there is one hand raised, almost off camera on the right. When the shot pans out, you see that it is actually Wilson's hand. And even after that outrageously one-sided vote, he has the cajones to call it a split!? Oh, Fox News, you make me giggle.

Next is the most recent of Palin's interviews with Katie Couric, where Couric asks her what newspapers and magazines she reads. Check out her answer:



Any of them? All of them?! This is just one of the many reasons why Palin scares the living bejesus out of me. (Her belief in Creationism and inquiry into book banning are among the top of my list.) And perhaps it wouldn't be that big of an issue if McCain weren't 72 years old. But he is, and there is a very significant chance that she would become president in the next four years. And that is a very scary thing for me.

So to lighten the mood a bit, my last video comes from Saturday Night Live, which is seeing major exposure on cable news networks for Tina Fey's guest star portrayal as Sarah Palin for its opening skits these past two weeks. The most recent skit portrays Sarah Palin's first interview with Couric:



And check out this side-by-side comparison of Palin and Fey as they deliver the exact same words:



(45 seconds in is where the comparison starts)

Apparently, according to Keith Olbermann, Tina Fey will be appearing on the next five episodes of SNL up until the election on November 4th. I am so excited for this. The first two were amazing and it can only get better.

So please take a gander. (I myself will be sitting back, taking notes while sipping a White Russian.) Make up your own mind. And for Pete's sake, register to vote!