I have to admit, despite mispronouncing “nuclear” and avoiding a few too many questions, I like Governor Palin. How can you not like someone who gives a shout-out to third graders watching a debate for extra credit? She’s definitely a patriotic, upbeat person and I would probably enjoy watching a soccer game with her. But the right person to vote for is the person who shows the best ability to reason, the best ability to lead our country into the future and the best ability to deal with new challenges.

It’s important to remember that the challenges of the future will be different from the challenges of today. No matter what policy decisions are made about today’s issues, in four years, the next debate will be about how the leader made solid decisions despite unpredictable circumstances.

And though Governor Palin certainly seems like a patriotic person who wants to do right by Americans, she hasn’t given us a lot of information about her ability to reason and think through problems. Last night, we heard Governor Palin reiterate Senator McCain’s foreign policy lines about Obama. We also learned that she supports McCain’s “all-of-the-above” approach to alternative energy, believes in the importance of education, and wants to do right by Americans. All of these feelings are important and will help progress the United States. But, we still don’t know specifically how Governor Palin will influence Senator McCain as the vice president of the United States.

Conversely, Senator Biden was able to give specific answers that offer insight into how he thinks. For example, when asked how the economic crisis might affect some of the promises he and Obama made to the American public, Biden was able to list specific changes that would have to be made and reiterated that health care and education were priorities. He also gave several examples of his own foreign policy beliefs including the policies he would’ve liked to enact in Lebanon and his position about Kosovo. He was also able to discuss, in depth, some policy initiatives he would like to undertake that have not previously been major talking points, including possible action in Darfur.

When Governor Palin was asked what promises she and McCain might have to recant given the recent economic developments, she did not think the economic changes would have any effect on McCain/Palin policy. It is certainly possible that the economic conditions will not affect how McCain/Palin would budget. But the economic crisis will at least change the amount of revenue the government would receive from taxes. This means that economic conditions would have to either affect the McCain/Palin plan for spending or their plan for tax cuts.

As we make decisions about our future, we need to place an emphasis on how the candidates make decisions. Though candidates’ stances on current issues including tax policies, foreign policy and climate change give us insight into how they might reason in the future, it would be foolish to vote based on a particular policy. We need to elect someone who has the judgment to continue to identify issues and take stances with which we will continue to agree.

In this debate, Senator Biden demonstrated a deeper understanding of the issues facing our country. His ability to show the complex nature of the challenges we face and the complex responses they require gives me confidence that he will help Senator Obama to lead our country well. Palin’s responses? Well, at least she loves Israel.