Gut level: Sarah Palin did a fine job in the debates tonight and could study and network herself into presidential sufficiency with support from knowledgeable people around her.

Palin had notes, and with notes, she can think on her feet. She would also have notes during substantive negotiations with foreign leaders, congresspersons, citizens or whomever, if desired. However, with so much at stake in the US and abroad at the present moment, she is less than fully dimensional enough to independently handle the presidency should the unthinkable happen and McCain leave the picture.

A president must be inter-dependent on others, not totally dependent because of inexperience in various areas of national and international issues. We've seen the results of that with one governor.

Joe Biden is the more mature, intellectually ethical, and experienced candidate who could handle those who would attempt to manipulate him were he to become president because he is more aware of such manipulations. That is a crucial skill for the Chief Executive post now as at few other times in history. Sarah Palin is young enough to be back in four years. This isn't skipping the Olympics, and his version is about more than medals.

Sarah Palin was likely mishandled by some of the more juvenile of her campaign advisers in her preparation for Katie Couric. And she should have fired them and taken the bull by the horns. She didn't do that to my knowledge, but after many experts, advisors and the press said John McCain should push the handlers away, it appears that she was allowed to handle things herself and did a great job.

As much as I admire her presence, debating skills, listening skills in debate and her record, I cannot support her over Joe Biden when considering her as a possible presidential replacement for McCain. The reason for this is that she is not aware enough of Washington and the world to deal with its manipulators, for example, the US Chamber of Commerce that is currently threatening Congresspersons who question the bailout (This from the organization that supports massive corporate interests in conflict with small business and consumer choice interests but pretends to speak to small business needs).
 
Palin is also not sufficiently knowledgable about Constitutional powers and her answer that she would pursue what power for the Executive Branch that the 'nation needs' related to presiding over the Senate concerned me. It concerns me that she does not realize that her job would also be to uphold the US Constitution against enemies foreign and domestic: even if they were in her own party or in her own misunderstandings. To battle such enemies requires that one care enough to show respect for the Constitution in that it reflects the will not only of today's constituents but also yesterday's, while being a guarantee for tomorrow's freedoms.

Who would stand up against the lobbyists and lobbying by those with a corporate stake in foreign policy? If someone explained to Sarah Palin that she should, and she bought into that person's authority, she would fight who they told her to fight. As president, however, who is going to tell her the truth if she doesn't know it from study, experience and diligence, considering that few posts attract so many panderers for influence even within the cabinet?
 
On the US Chamber, I'd be concerned that she might lapse right into the "well, they're for tax cuts for business to create jobs," and conclude that they are therefore trustworthy on the bailout. That isn't at all a conclusion that protects the American people from frauds, marauders and lobbyists (is that redundant?) and we need a president who can and will protect us.

With more federal experience she might be able to see and handle all of this. However for now, she is better suited to a fitting cabinet job than she is to VP and replacement for the president on this go-round. Perhaps she will have lost some of the automatic platform recitation in favor of non-partisan, substantive between the eyes shots to drop those lobbying mooses and meeses. I'll be ready to vote for her then as principal. Maybe that will come four to eight years from now.

Joe Biden on the other hand knows that the US Chamber is a fork tongued entity, for example. The unknown is whether he would actually stand up against them. I believe that he would, and has from time to time.

Joe Biden also treated Sarah Palin with gentlemanly deference without being piggish, smug or condescending. That is good work and very much unlike some of the blogosphere bile I've read. Often I've noted the snark comes from those who themselves couldn't do a quarter of what the person they're criticizing can do and has done.

I'm confident that Biden knows who he is, what he should do, and wouldn't be swayed by his ego needs to forget his values. One thing I am not aware of is whether Biden drinks or has a drinking problem. A McClatchy dispatch from the campaign trail has him saying he's never taken a drink in his life since there are so many alcoholics in his family. It seems to me that being president and caring as much as Joe Biden seems to care for people, there would be a temptation to imbibe. He'd need to have someone watch out for him on that; to make sure. All of the spiked punches in Washington etc. etc.

The job of taking over for the president is the most important VP role. Joe Biden is ready for it. Joe Biden can analyze both domestic and foreign policy issues not only with an education to support him, but having lived the issues and conflicts over the years. Were he to become president, or even as VP, not only could he work with Congress, but he would finally have the power to veto or counsel veto on bad legislation. He would have power he has never had to right a long line of abuses he's been beholden to in the give and take of Congress. It is truly the most "political branch."

Will Biden try to do the right thing? Yes, it seems evident. I suspect that is why he ran for president before. He's suffered quite a bit also, which gives him the ability to empathize with people when deciding what the right thing to do is. That is absolutely essential at this time in history considering what a vacuum of morals, ethics and humanity we've seen among principals and upper management at credit card banks, mortgage companies, tobacco companies and many corporations in their treatment of consumers and employees as individual human beings, fellow Americans and basically, fellow souls.

(On the US Chamber example: It isn't clear that Biden and Obama or McCain have stood up against the pressure from banks and the US Chamber to bail them out with corporate welfare? Perhaps Brad Sherman is one of the few Dems up in arms?)

At the end of evening, people go home late because they've been working on reaching a truly comprehensive, non-fraudulent recovery plan. I question corporate welfare and am not sure Palin will do so outside of Alaska.

Palin may bring more energy to her reform enterprise, however, Joe Biden may not need to expend as much energy to know what approach to hammer out as president because he has been so well versed in the issues for so long. As such, he can also save time avoiding the obvious.

The VP for either candidate should be Biden at this stage. Palin could suffice but wouldn't be best now. Obama should find a concrete plan for effectuating a culture of life and make the "choice" doublespeak unnecessary, and for that he should consult Biden's depth of conscience on the matter.