The two vice presidential candidates, Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin, will take the stage tonight for their first and only debate, one that has garnered more attention than the typical running mate debate.
Experts and students alike are eagerly anticipating the discussion between Biden, D-Del., and Palin, R-Alaska.
The candidates will debate a number of issues, most likely emphasizing the economic crisis and social issues.
Each candidate brings strong qualities suited for tonight’s debate, said Gordon Stables, director of debate and forensics for the Annenberg School for Communication at USC.
Both candidates can be expected to launch attacks at the presidential nominee on their opponent’s ticket, he said.
The choice of running mate strongly reflects on the judgement of the presidential hopeful, said Sheldon Kamieniecki, the dean of social sciences at UC Santa Cruz.
Students said the two running mates have increased the appeal of their respective campaigns.
“Before, I wasn’t high on (presidential candidate John) McCain … I was going to the voting booth biting my tongue,” said Daniel Pickett, a third-year political science student, who plans to vote for the Republican ticket. “Now, I’m excited because I have someone that agrees with my political principles.”
Some students also displayed enthusiasm for Biden.
“Biden really holds true to Democratic and progressive values,” said Sonya Mehta, a third-year international development studies student.
But others said that the potential vice president does not dictate which campaign they support and are focusing solely on the presidential candidate.
“I don’t care much for Palin as to what she has to bring to the White House,” said Edesha Basa, a fourth-year political science student who endorses the Republican slate. “I’m voting McCain for McCain.”
And the debate could change the popular opinion of each candidate.
Kamieniecki said that because McCain is currently trailing Obama in potential electoral votes, including battleground states Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, his ticket stands the most to lose from a poor performance by his running mate.
Catherine Allgor, a visiting professor of history at Claremont McKenna College, said that because Palin is the more controversial candidate, her showing in the debate would reflect more on McCain.
Experts also noted the intense media attention that each ticket’s running mate has received, and Kamieniecki said this increased coverage will have the most impact on independents who still have to decide who to endorse.
“The real question is the independents; these are people who are not wedded to either party strongly,” he said. “It’s really the independents that may be at the crossroads of being turned off.”