PALIN: No, no. Of course, we know what a vice president does. And that's not only to preside over the Senate and will take that position very seriously also. I'm thankful the Constitution would allow a bit more authority given to the vice president if that vice president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate and making sure that we are supportive of the president's policies and making sure too that our president understands what our strengths are. John McCain and I have had good conversations about where I would lead with his agenda. That is energy independence in America and reform of government over all, and then working with families of children with special needs. That's near and dear to my heart also. In those arenas, John McCain has already tapped me and said, that's where I want you, I want you to lead. I said, I can't wait to get and there go to work with you.
IFILL: Senator?
BIDEN: (brief comment about education from previous question)
With regard to the role of vice president, I had a long talk, as I'm sure the governor did with her principal, in my case with Barack. Let me tell you what Barack asked me to do. I have a history of getting things done in the United States Senate. John McCain would acknowledge that. My record shows that on controversial issues.
I would be the point person for the legislative initiatives in the United States Congress for our administration. I would also, when asked if I wanted a portfolio, my response was, no. But Barack Obama indicated to me he wanted me with him to help him govern. So every major decision he'll be making, I'll be sitting in the room to give my best advice. He's president, not me, I'll give my best advice.
And one of the things he said early on when he was choosing, he said he picked someone who had an independent judgment and wouldn't be afraid to tell him if he disagreed. That is sort of my reputation, as you know. I look forward to working with Barack and playing a very constructive role in his presidency, bringing about the kind of change this country needs.
IFILL: Governor, you mentioned a moment ago the constitution might give the vice president more power than it has in the past. Do you believe as Vice President Cheney does, that the Executive Branch does not hold complete sway over the office of the vice presidency, that it it is also a member of the Legislative Branch?
PALIN: Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. And we will do what is best for the American people in tapping into that position and ushering in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president's agenda in that position. Yeah, so I do agree with him that we have a lot of flexibility in there, and we'll do what we have to do to administer very appropriately the plans that are needed for this nation. And it is my executive experience that is partly to be attributed to my pick as V.P. with McCain, not only as a governor, but earlier on as a mayor, as an oil and gas regulator, as a business owner. It is those years of experience on an executive level that will be put to good use in the White House also.
IFILL: Vice President Cheney's interpretation of the vice presidency?
BIDEN: Vice President Cheney has been the most dangerous vice president we've had probably in American history. The idea he doesn't realize that Article I of the Constitution defines the role of the vice president of the United States, that's the Executive Branch. He works in the Executive Branch. He should understand that. Everyone should understand that.
And the primary role of the vice president of the United States of America is to support the president of the United States of America, give that president his or her best judgment when sought, and as vice president, to preside over the Senate, only in a time when in fact there's a tie vote. The Constitution is explicit.
The only authority the vice president has from the legislative standpoint is the vote, only when there is a tie vote. He has no authority relative to the Congress. The idea he's part of the Legislative Branch is a bizarre notion invented by Cheney to aggrandize the power of a unitary executive and look where it has gotten us. It has been very dangerous.
Indeed, not only, to me, was this the most important question of the evening, but provided the most important responses. From both candidates' responses, it is clear what role each sees the Vice President as having. Sarah Palin champions the increased role of the Vice President in the Senate. She repeats that the flexibility that she believes the Constitution gives the Vice President will allow her to"usher in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president's agenda". To me, this translates to: the Executive's agenda is most important, and dissenting opinion, in the Senate or otherwise, will be trumped.
So last night I was working, like every night, until 6pm, which is when the Phillies were set to start Game 2 of the NLDS against the Brewers. Traffic in Georgetown is always fabulous, so I was in the car for a quite a bit, slamming my steering wheel and hoping that everyone at GU was infected with norovirus so they couldn't leave the house and impede my way home. While crawling down 34th street at about 6:30, I called Boyfriend at home to see how the game was going. "1-0 Brewers. Brett Myers sucks, Phillies can't hit for shit." Great, I thought, here goes Playoff Bust 2.0. But then I remember to think positive, and continued my journey home.
There's a chance of proposing the Philadelphia-sports equivalent of the Edsel or New Coke, but we have 25 years' worth of reasons to take this risk. Call it a big civic experiment that maybe, just maybe, will help restart that championship drought clock at 0:00.
When the Phillies begin their playoff series here tomorrow, let's pack up all the built-up anxiety and unhappy history and put it on ice somewhere. Everything from 1964 to Black Friday to Joe Carter to Kaz Matsui gets tied in a sack, weighted down and thrown into the Schuylkill.
On Saturday evening, over the din of the clinching celebration, oracle and shortstop Jimmy Rollins said something that stuck.
"The fans here, they were expecting us to win," Rollins said, gesturing toward the still-giddy faithful cheering and smiling in the stands. "When you expect a team to win, believe me, that goes a long way."
Laugh if you want. Roll your cynical eyes. Show up for Game 1 just knowing in your shrunken, shriveled Grinch heart that Cole Hamels will get lit up and the offense will go missing and you will be doomed to another year of misery - but at least you'll get to tell all your friends you just knew it would happen.
Go ahead. Make my case for me.
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. Imagine a parade down Broad Street. It's easy if you try.
We can do this. We have nothing to lose except losing.
Rollins is right, by the way. There is an unprovable but absolutely real connection between the energy in the stands and the play on the field. We have seen it here over and over, almost always in a negative way.
If you were at the last ever Eagles game at the Vet, you know what it was like when Tampa Bay took the lead in that NFC championship game. And if you were at the first big games at the Linc, you know there was a carry-over, a pervading sense of dread that weighed down on the players as if they were wearing lead boots.
That's not hard to explain or understand, and it is up to the extremely well-compensated players to handle big-game pressure. All of that is true. But if Rollins is right, and he is, there is an equal and opposite reaction when the players sense the fans expect them to succeed.
It is encouraging that these Phillies are acknowledging what happened to them in the three-and-out loss to Colorado last October. They had done what a lot of teams do after breaking through to a higher level. They had arrived in the playoffs wide-eyed and just happy to be there and then gotten bulldozed by the looser, more confident Rockies.
One reason the Rockies were looser: They were here, where all the burden of fan expectation was on the Phillies. And if you were in the ballpark for either of those games, you know the joy of the pennant drive disappeared almost immediately.
Matsui's Game 2 grand slam was a crushing blow, but the Phillies hit .172 as a team in that series. They were tight. They were pressing. And they know it, which is the first step toward correcting it.
"We know that there's more than winning the division," Rollins said. "It doesn't bring you a ring, and it doesn't bring you glory. We won the division last year. Three games later, we were watching with everyone else. We don't want that to happen again."
Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jamie Moyer all echoed the basic sentiment: The team didn't handle itself well last year, knows it and believes that experience will make a big difference this year.
The Eagles parallel holds. The 2000 team lost a wild-card game to the Giants. The 2001 team won the NFC East, won two playoff games and then lost the NFC championship game in St. Louis.
The progression stalled at the threshold to the Super Bowl. The Eagles lost two NFC championship games at home, games they should have won, before getting over the hump and making it to the Super Bowl.
The Phillies can do themselves and their fans a huge favor by seizing the moment this week and beating Milwaukee. The sooner they get over this next mental hurdle, the easier it will be to move on.
And isn't that what every wounded and disillusioned but still loyal Philadelphia sports fan wants, to end this ridiculous drought?
It isn't in our shared civic nature to hold hands and sing "Kumbaya" and expect good things to happen. Maybe it's time to take a leap of faith and try.
After all, we've done it the other way for decades. How's that worked out?
is almost worse than this:
It was a great weekend for me and sports and a lot of my weekend revolved around precisely that activity. I went 2 for 3 this weekend and if it weren't for the Eagles last night, it may have been one of the best sports weekend ever. And as extra bonuses, in each of my sports a rival team lost, so that made me even happier. Let's recap.
Mets lost to the Marlins 6-1. So that meant that the magic number was now 1: either we had to win or the Mets had to lose on Saturday for us to clinch the division. And if for some reason the Phils lost and the Mets won on Saturday, we still had Sunday to work with. The Mets played before the Phillies on Saturday afternoon and they won 2-0, so it was up to the Phillies to control their own destiny. I had been out shopping most of the afternoon and I was nervous about the Phillies, but I came home just in time to see the 9th inning. Brad Lidge, our ace closer who hasn't blown a save all year (41 for 41), had loaded the bases with only one out in a 4-3 game. My boyfriend's father, a lifelong Phillies fan, texted him that it would be ironic if Lidge blew his first save in arguably the most important inning of his season so far. Ha ha, yes very ironic. However, a clutch team effort double play by Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard saved the save for Lidge and the Phillies clinched their second NL East title in as many years. We popped the bubbly and celebrated.
After a joyous celebration of the Phillies win, we then went out to a bar for the Penn State primetime game against Illinois. The game itself was exciting, but too close for comfort in my opinion. The Lions won it 38-24, aided by a great performance by Derrick Williams, who ran, caught a pass, and returned a punt for 3 touchdowns. I would have loved to be at Beaver Stadium for the game; the White Out looked awesome and my brother said it was a high energy game to be at. Now the Lions are ranked #6 after the win and some upset losses by other teams. One of those teams were Wisconsin, the only Big Ten team to have been ranked higher than PSU last week. They lost to Michigan, who suck this year. So too bad for the Badgers; there's only room for one Big Ten power house this year, and that's the Nittany Lions.
Okay so my weekend was going great and I was on a spiteful high after the Mets loss yesterday, so it was really late to me when the Eagles came on at 8pm. We've been plagued with injuries this last week and I was in agreeance with the coaching staff that Brian Westbrook should not play on Sunday and should concentrate on resting his hurt ankle. Well the Bears came out and roughed us up in a close game, ultimately beating us 24-20. But I think we did the most damage to ourselves. The play calling was terrible (the classic nonsensical short passes 5 yards behind the first down line on 3rd and long), we couldn't capitalize on several turnover opportunities, and there were more dropped passes than I can remember. Really not a good showing by an Eagles team that is better than what they put out last night. Now the Eagles move to 2-2 in the toughest division in all of the NFL.
