Biden, Palin trade jabs in fight for middle class

The vice presidential candidates stick mostly to the economy and the wars in their only campaign debate.

CAMPAIGN '08: THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

October 03, 2008|Cathleen Decker and Michael Finnegan, Times Staff Writers

The candidates differed more on global warming; Biden said it was "man-made" and Palin equivocated.

"If you don't understand what the cause is, it's virtually impossible to come up with a solution," Biden said.

A discussion of Israel sparked one of the night's most spirited exchanges -- even as both candidates pledged their unstinting support for the longtime U.S. ally -- by spinning into a debate over accountability versus finger-pointing.

Biden condemned Bush's policy toward Israel as an "an abject failure," asserting the president had emboldened Israel's enemies and waited too long into his administration to become engaged in peace talks. "We will change this policy with thoughtful, real, live diplomacy," said Biden, who suggested that "no one in the United States Senate has been a better friend to Israel than Joe Biden."

Palin responded by hailing her rival's support for Israel and rejecting the way Biden depicted Bush's policies with her line about the "blame game."

But over and over again, both candidates bore in on what they perceived would link them with the millions of Americans watching in their living rooms and who may ultimately decide the election.

Biden told the story of his friend Joey Danko, who, when Biden asked how much it cost to fill his car's tank, replied that he had no idea because he never had enough money to do so. Palin gave a "shout-out to all those third-graders at Gladys Wood Elementary School."

"You get extra credit for watching this debate," she said.

cathleen.decker@latimes.com

michael.finnegan@latimes.com

Times staff writer Mark Z. Barabak contributed to this report.