VP Debate Battle of Style vs. Substance, says Debate Expert

Emory University debate coach James Roland says Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Joe Biden both hit their marks in the only vice presidential debate Thursday night.

"I think Gov. Palin definitely exceeded expectations. She held her own and had no major problems or mistakes. Biden, though, was far superior in his content and presentation," says Roland.

"Neither one did a bad job. Both were quite effective in persuading their target audiences and communicating the differences in their ideologies. If you're more moved by style and presentation then Palin definitely won for you. If you prefer substance and content, then Joe Biden was far better and the stronger debater," he says.

Roland is director of Community Debate Programs and debate coach for Emory's Barkley Forum. He is a former nationally ranked debater and as s director of programs for the National Debate Project, Roland is one of the nation's foremost experts on the role of debate in urban education. He has been a debate advisor to the U.S. State Department, Atlanta Housing Authority, Open Society Institute and Urban Debate Leagues in Miami, Milwaukee, Memphis, Washington, D.C., New York, Nashville, Baltimore and Jamaica.

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Challenges and Opportunities for McCain, says Emory Scientist Black

The Republican National Convention – back on track after Hurricane Gustav and revelations about the personal family life of vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin – provides an essential opportunity for the McCain campaign to make its case to the American public, says Emory University political scientist Merle Black.

"Palin's first impression in Ohio was terrific. She has definitely brought a lot of energy to the campaign," Black says. The disclosures about Palin's family issues "seem to have produced a rallying of the conservative base around her," he says. However, "these revelations have hurt her and McCain among independents and Democrats."

Wednesday and Thursday will be make-or-break-nights for Gov. Palin and Sen. John McCain: "They both need to have really strong speeches," says Black. "Palin is now under great pressure to show strong leadership, to take a beating and keep on trucking. That is part of McCain's appeal as well, and if they can display that strength, they will make a good impression on Republicans and independent voters."

Black, Emory's Asa G. Candler Professor of Politics and Government, is a renowned expert on national politics and the foremost authority on politics in the South. One the nation's most incisive commentators, Black is coauthor of “Divided America: The Ferocious Power Struggle in American Politics.” The groundbreaking work details, for the first time, the country's distinct regional differences to assess the driving forces of partisanship in national politics.

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