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Dr. David Holcomb, assistant professor of history and political science at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, said both U.S. Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin did what they needed to do in Thursday night’s vice presidential debate.

“I thought it was pretty interesting,” Holcomb said. “I was mainly waiting to see how Palin would perform as I think most people were. I was curious as to which Palin would show up,” he said, referring to the Alaska governor’s well received speech at the Republican convention or the candidate who gave a poor performance in her television interview with Katie Couric.

“I don’t think she made any major gaffes,” he said of Palin’s debate performance. “I don’t think it hurt (John) McCain. I don’t think it necessarily helped him, but it could have potentially hurt him if she had made any gaffes. She seemed to have avoided those types of moments.”

Holcomb said Palin’s performance probably reassured those who were going to vote for McCain anyway and put to rest questions about whether she would remain on the Republican ticket.

As for Biden, Barack Obama’s running mate, Holcomb said he had a “solid debate.”

“It was clear he had a mission to go after McCain as much as he could and he did it and did it effectively,” he said.

Biden and Palin “didn’t really go after each other.”

A small group of Democrat voters gathered in one residence on Thursday night to watch the debate together.

“I think the first impression I got was how closely to the questions Sen. Biden was able to stay as opposed to Gov. Palin who had to deflect the questions that she was asked because obviously she wasn’t comfortable with the questions and to go into a different direction to find a comfort zone for herself,” Thomas Young of Temple said.

“I think the key to comparing them is even though he has much experience Sen. Biden made it very clear that his job was to support and to fulfill and to carry forward the policies of his president,” Young said. “Quite to the contrary, even though she has far less experience, Gov. Palin made it clear that should, in a tragic situation, she find herself president she would follow her own instincts instead of trying to carry through those of her president.”

Democrat Frances Tervino added, “She was good, I am not taking that away from her, it’s just that Biden was better. She did the best she could.”