I watched the ebb and flow of the vice presidential debate as closely as I could, looking for any gaffes or just plain mistakes on either Joe Biden’s or Sarah Palin’s part. In fact, neither stumbled. The only real difference between them as I saw it was this: Biden showed a grasp of the issues befitting a vice president; Palin showed all the enthusiasm of a cheerleader at a hockey rink, rating John McCain a great American hero, or words to that effect.

Cheerleading is an important activity at a hockey game; what it has to do with the running of our country I hope we shall not find out this time around, at least.

Jim Loomis

Cambridge