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US POLL: Vote! Who Won Last Night's Debate?
Friday October 3, 2008

Sarah Palin and Joe Biden
Democratic vice presidential nominee Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) (L) shakes hands with Republican vice presidential nominee Alaska Governor Sarah Palin after the vice presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri October 2, 2008.
REUTERS/Jim Young/Landov

According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. 51 percent of those who watched Thursday's vice presidential debates thought Democratic Sen. Joe Biden did the best job, while 36 percent thought Republican Gov. Sarah Palin packed a better punch.

But 54 percent of respondents said Palin -- who peppered her arguments about energy, the economy and global warming with folksy phrases like "doggone it" and "betcha" -- was more likable (36 percent voted for Biden).

84 percent of the people polled said Palin did a better job than they expected.

Said New York Times critic Alessandra Stanley: "Ms. Palin spoke far more fluidly and confidently than she had in her devastating interviews with Katie Couric of CBS. Ms. Palin did stumble into a few loop-the-loop non sequiturs, but mostly she stuck to practiced talking points. She didn't answer questions directly, but she spoke out with self-assurance and even cockiness, correcting Mr. Biden when he tried to repeat the Republicans' slogan about oil exploration in Alaska. 'The chant is 'drill, baby, drill,'" she said.

Added Stanley: "Mr. Biden made few mistakes; he appeared more measured and thoughtful on substance, and made forceful points that contrasted with Ms. Palin's slogans. But she provided the more vivacious, visceral television performance."

But ABC News' George Stephanopoulos said, "Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden did something even more important. He executed the core strategy of the Biden-Obama campaign -- taking the fight to Republican presidential candidate John McCain, and tying him to President Bush. Biden did that in every single answer last night."

Look back at photos of Sarah Palin's family on the campaign trail.

POLL

Who won last night's debate?

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