Was Petite Palin denied an honest Vice Presidential Debate?

History was made on October 2, 2008 8:30 PM EST when the experienced and tall Democratic Vice President Senator Joe Biden met with the overnight popular petite Republican Governor Sarah Palin. From the first handshake I noticed Biden’s stature with an excited well prepared Palin who stands at 5 foot and 7 inches. On camera she looked like a petite woman and on television, image is everything. Was this image a major factor in how Senator Biden set the tone for the debate since by all definitions, Palin is not a petite woman?

Alas, as the debate began and continued I realized halfway that this was not like the past Vice Presidential debates that I have seen. Biden was firm on his positions as he proceeded to answer the moderator’s questions while attacking Senator John McCain. That was his job, he did it and he did it well but his decision not to strike back at Palin directly was a bit disappointing for me. I can understand why Biden did not rip petite looking Palin. He did not go after her because her experience outside of Alaska is very limited compared to his veteran experience in Washington but I also could see that he did not go after her because he did not see her as much of an opponent. He didn’t go after her because experience came into play and he did not want to seem like the tall, overbearing bully picking on a petite woman, who is perky and energetic.

Joe Biden had many chances to squash her on that forum. Her constant quotes from the Ronald Regan era, her praise of Rudy Giuliani, her inability to directly answer the Moderator’s questions but look at the camera and tell the American public she was going to speak honestly and not really reveal anything but wink at the camera. I would have liked to hear her position on a woman’s right to choose or her position on stem cell research. Biden would have pounced on her like a lion to a bird if petite Palin were Mr. Palin, Vice Presidential candidate of the right wing Republican party.

Did Senator Joe Biden back off because Palin is petite compared to him and a woman? Yes! I am convinced that the debate would have been more dynamic and intense if Palin were an averaged height male or even a short male. Biden played it safe because subconsciously if he would have been too tough on petite looking Palin he would have appeared like an old school Senator that supports the glass ceiling because Palin is liked by the American public. She’s charming, plain and simple.

Senator Biden did his job and won the debate and Governor Palin did her job to make people like and connect with her as an averaged American woman. She crammed well for the debate. But, Biden did deny Palin an honest debate because of people’s unspoken perception that being petite portrays a lack of strength.

Now, I wink as I ask all readers not to make your decision based on height but base it on the stature of experience and on what you believe to be fair for you, the middle class and the poor.

This is registered voter Petite Rican signing off.

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