Undecideds: Palin holds her own vs. Biden

Sarah Palin more than held her own in Thursday night’s debate between the candidates for vice president, a panel of undecided Georgia voters said.

Palin, the governor of Alaska and Republican John McCain’s running mate, “did a little better than most people thought she would,” said Seth Rhine, 32, of Monroe.

The panelists, asked by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution to monitor the debate and the election, also felt that Democrat Joe Biden, the U.S. Senator from Delaware and Barack Obama’s choice for vice president, turned in a solid performance.

The bottom line, however, is that Thursday night did not move any of the panelists off their status as undecided.

Here’s what they thought of the night:

Seth Rhine

Age: 32

Lives in: Monroe

Occupation: Teacher of Advanced Placement Economics and baseball coach in Gwinnett County.

“All in all, I think Biden did exactly what he needed to do and even showed honest emotion towards the end when he spoke of his son (that was very touching). He was appropriate in his responses or attacks of Palin. I really think Palin did a little better than most people thought she would. I think both vice presidential candidates really complement their presidential hopefuls.”

Connie Koster

Age: “In my 50s”

Lives in: Tucker

Occupation: Executive assistant, entrepreneur, Mount Paran Nursery worker

“Excellent debate. Points and positions clearer. Palin was decisive, intelligent, confident in her knowledge and abilities. Biden held his own, was defensive and accurate in his rebuttals. This debate makes me want to delve deeper. Leaning … but still undecided.”

Mandy Lewis

Age: 30

Live in: Lawrenceville

Occupation: Technical support supervisor for Neurostar Solutions

“I really connected with Governor Palin tonight! In the beginning, I thought she was a little scripted but as time went on and she got a little more comfortable I think she was the star on stage tonight. I don’t think that Biden did a bad job tonight and I agree with him on the issues still more than Palin, but there is something about her that is really down to earth and just ‘connects.’ My reservations have been whether or not she is tough enough to handle Washington and tonight I think she showed me that although she might not have the experience she is one tough cookie and she can handle the big boys!”

Ef Rios

Age: 38

Lives in: Atlanta

Occupation: Technology

“Biden was strong and well trained in the debate format. While answering questions he showed balanced reasoning, experience and knowledge in a variety of topics that differed from the current administration. His serious talks to the camera made him more connected to the actual life of middle class citizens.

“Palin was well spoken and effective in bringing her small-town feel to the big stage. She avoided some of the questions in order to talk about her Alaska small town connections. Even though sometimes she looked like she was reading from a teleprompter, she was able to get past her talking points and be free to be herself.

Terrance Smith

Age: 45

Lives in: Ellenwood

Occupation: Law enforcement

“Well, the debate is over and it was just that, a debate. Although, it did start out like ‘try this slogan,’ each candidate acting like pitchmen for cheap T-shirts. I believe each candidate fell into and stayed in comfort zones (especially Palin) at times, avoiding the issue and/or questions. Overall, I would say Palin won simply because she ‘survived.’”

Carole Scarborough

Age: 69

Lives in: Manchester

Occupation: Semi-retired; works part-time for an organization that cares for disabled persons.

“Governor Palin was clearly outmatched, but held up far better than I’d expected her to do. Her delivery was uneven; she was strong in some areas, and somewhat tentative in others. She seemed to gain strength as the debate progressed, and her own voice emerged through the coaching. Senator Biden is a seasoned debater who has his facts at his fingertips: his experience weighed heavily in his favor. I still want to hear the next two debates before I decide where my vote should go.”