Posted by
The Valletta Papers on Friday, October 03, 2008 11:07:36 AM
Palin won the debate. She presented a fresh and lucid rationale for her principles. Biden’s style showed a command of the "facts," though often distorted and even blatantly wrong. For example, Joe Biden, in his typically brash, rapid-fire manner, skewered Dick Cheney’s views concerning the constitutional role of the Vice-presidency with this claim:
“Vice President Cheney … has the idea...he doesn't realize that Article I of the Constitution defines the role of the Vice President of the United States. That's the executive. He works in the executive branch. He should understand that. Everyone should understand that.
“And the primary role of the Vice President of the United States of America is to support the President of the United States of America. Give that President his or her best judgment when sought and as the Vice President to preside over the senate only in a time when in fact there is a tie vote. The constitution is explicit, the only authority the Vice President has from a legislative standpoint is to vote only when there is a tie vote. He has no authority relative to the Congress. The idea that he's a part of the legislative branch is a bizarre notion invented by Cheney to aggrandize the power of the unitary executive.
Somebody please get Senator Biden obtain a copy of the United States Constitution. Article I of the Constitution focuses on the legislative branch. Article 2 defines the executive branch of the Federal Government. The first mention of the office of the Vice President in the Constitution is appears in Article I, section 3, clause 4 is the first time the Vice President is mentioned in the Constitution. This clause states: “The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.”
Contrary to Biden’s claim, this section briefly develops, explicitly and implicitly, the relationship of the Vice-President to the Senate. A recent article by University of Tennessee College of Law Professor, Glenn Harlan Reynolds, argues that that the "Vice-Presidency's legislative character" is "significant" (Northwestern University Law Review, Vol. 102, 2007).
Article 2 covers the Executive Branch and briefly notes that how the Vice-President is elected with the President. It does not, however, enumerate a specific job description of the Vice-Presidency.
This is just one example of many showing that much of Biden’s blustering is actually bloviating bull.
Palin won the debate. She connected with American’s like Biden never will.