Junto Boys

VEEP DEBATE

Game, set and match to Cheney.

Nothing happened in this debate to change anyone's mind on policy, but Cheney showed gravitas and he even refrained from smashing some easy lobs. It would have been easy to cite the Wall Street Journal article that demonstrated that high tax rates can easily be avoided by rich people like John Edwards who shielded $13 Million dollars in taxes during one year. He also didn't cite the doctors in North Carolina that Edwards put out of business with his junk science claims.

Though when Cheney was criticized on Haliburton he got a little angry and delivered his sharpest passage of the night. He pointed out how Edwards has missed most votes and committee hearings and although Cheney is the presiding officer of the Senate, it was the first time they have met. Cheney was also strong when he pointed out the sacrifice made by Iraqis to contrast the Democrats position that Americans are on their own.

Cheney also made the point that he and Bush are committed to winning this war on terror and the wannabees are following the polls. When Edwards brought up no connection between Iraq and 911 Cheney answered back correctly that Iraq has a long track record of supporting terrorism.

Edwards wasn't bad. He speaks well and articulates his positions well. But he was more like Bush was in the first debate in that he had a few talking points he wanted to reiterate. It seems like his job was to remind America that Haliburton is evil, Iraq was a mistake and we can get cheap drugs from Canada. Oh yeah, and that we'll tax the hell out of people that aren't you. I loved that little fireside chat at the end about how America was crumbling financially.

UPDATE: The "we've never met" line was too good to be true, but the fact that Edwards couldn't simply contradict it at the time showed that Edwards hasn't been around Cheney all that much. "I know I've met him but where?" the thought bubble can be seen above Johnny's head while Cheney makes the larger point that Edwards doesn't take his Senate job all that seriously. Bob Dole resigned so that he could campaign. Edwards and Kerry have taken leave with pay.

I heard Fred Barnes and Jonah Goldberg liken the situation between Edwards the showhorse and Cheney the workhorse. That about sums it up.