Biden, Aides Focus On Tone of Debate

Video

Getting To Know Joe Biden

"The Early Show" takes a look at Democratic VP Nominee Joe Biden's political career and his family life. Thalia Assuras reports.

» LAUNCH VIDEO PLAYER

But other observers on both sides say Biden must take into account how undecided female voters will view his approach to Palin. In her 1984 debate, Ferraro cast her opponent as sexist.

"I almost resent, Vice President Bush, your patronizing attitude that you have to teach me about foreign policy," she said.

Ferraro, who was a strong backer of Clinton during the Democratic primaries but says she will vote for Obama in November, said Obama was "arrogant and sexist" when he called Clinton "likable enough" during a debate in New Hampshire this year.

"Joe Biden wouldn't do that," Ferraro said. "He's too experienced."

Former Republican congressman Rick Lazio, who drew rebukes for walking over to Clinton and demanding that she sign a pledge not to accept "soft money" during their 2000 New York Senate debate, said, "A man needs to consider whether his language or demeanor suggest a lack of respect."

"On substance, [the pledge] was a fair point," Lazio wrote in an e-mail. "But in retrospect approaching her podium with a written pledge to be signed was a mistake. I should have been more sensitive to how the audience, particularly but not exclusively women, would view this."

Former Maryland governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. said of facing a female candidate, "Of course it changes the dynamics -- it just does." Ehrlich was criticized for repeatedly referring to then-Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend as "ma'am" in a series of debates in 2002. Ehrlich said, "It can work all sorts of ways. You have to be careful of your language; Biden has to be careful of being too aggressive."

Others said gender is overstated as a factor in tonight's debate, particularly as the focus has shifted to whether Palin's experience adequately prepares her for the vice presidency. "I have debated men, I have debated women -- you prepare the same way," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).

Lake cited Biden's performances in the primary debates as evidence that he would avoid such mistakes against Palin and noted that he had debated Clinton roughly a dozen times. "He gets into trouble when he has time to expand," Lake said, adding that debates forced Biden to offer more concise and organized responses.

But those previous debates could also pose a challenge for Biden. In one of the debates that included Obama and Biden, the Delaware senator questioned whether Obama was ready to be president. Biden also criticized the Illinois senator's position that he would meet with leaders of hostile nations such as Iran without conditions.

In his debate against Palin, Biden aides said, the Delaware senator will defend Obama, attack McCain and say little about Palin. "The challenge is to make the case for Barack Obama and prosecute the case against John McCain," Wade said. "Voters aren't tuning in for a vice presidential food fight."

Alex Vogel, a Republican strategist who was top aide to former Senate majority leader Bill Frist, agreed with that strategy but said it might be difficult for Biden to implement.

"It's okay for him to be boring," Vogel said. But he added: "Biden is a one-man gaffe machine; he needs not to make one in this debate, he needs to be not mean, he needs not to talk down to her."