Democrat Sen. Joseph Biden made his first stop in Virginia today since becoming the nominee for vice president and he landed at the Virginia Beach less than 12 hours after Republican Sarah Palin shot a jolt into the Republican National Convention.
Palin, the governor of Alaska, gave a blistering primetime speech on Wednesday night taking on Barack Obama, the media and the Washington elite in her first major event since Republican John McCain tapped her to fill the second spot on the GOP ticket.
"I thought the vice-presidential nominee was incredible," Biden said during his opening speech at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. "She is good. She laid it out there."
But when pressed not to back down by a female member of the audience, Biden vowed to ask the tough questions.
"I was impressed with the governor last night, and I think she is going to be a great debater," Biden said. But "I will be unrelenting in my debates with the governor of Alaska on the positions she has taken."
Biden noted that Palin's speech did not include any references to health care, college education, or the middle class.
Palin's background has been the source of much criticism from Democrats and some Republicans, who are struggling to get to know the the relatively unknown governor. Only in the first term as chief executive, Palin has already generated problematic news coverage.
Just days after her selection, Palin was forced to confirm that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant and defend her ability to stand on the national stage with little experience - an issue that McCain has used to hammer Obama on the campaign trail.
It's clear that Democrats are willing to be gracious about Palin's primetime speech, but they are prepared to question her on past policy.
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