By Pablo Fanque,
All This Is That National Affairs Editor
The Senator and Governor clashed in last night's debate on energy, drilling in Alaska, global warming, the wars in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, income taxes, The Failed Presidency (although they both took shots at 43 and Dick Cheney), corporate tax breaks and a number of other issues. They agreed on Israel (they're our peace-loving buddies) and same sex marriage (neither of them support it...the idiots).
Sarah Palin made a few minor mistakes, mispronounced the Afghanistan commander's name, and ignored many questions, but she absolutely outperformed expectations. It was like this was hardly the same woman we saw fumbling questions as harmless as what magazines she read in her Katy Couric interview.
Biden was clearly in better command of the facts and figures. He was less irritating, more charming, and yes, Presidential.
Palin brought up Alaska, her mayorship over and over, drilling and energy probably too often. She used the word "Maverick" about McCain and herself at least ten times during the debate. Finally, Biden explained at the end, how they weren't really mavericks at all on the issues that mattered, but were really just parading around in Maverick costumes.
Biden did not go over his time limits, did not bully or intimidate her, and made no verbal gaffes or infelicities. He was prime-time Smilin Joe, courtly, respectful and engaging. Unlike John McCain in the last debate, he often looked at the Governor and smiled (Palin to be fair also looked at him; she also mugged for the camera and winked). Biden was acidic in his excoriation of McCain's position on the Iraq war, and called him the "odd man out" for his refusal to accept a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Joe was good.
Sarah Palin, apparently at the urging of McCain officials, pronounced Nuclear Nukuler numerous times. She dropped the G from almost every gerund, and often used folksy vernacular like "betcha" instead of bet you, and even dog-gone-it.
They were mostly very civil, and spent their time attacking the other guy's Presidential candidate. Palin said Obama had voted to raise taxes 94 times. Biden's rebuttal disagreed with that number and trumped it: "by the same reckoning," he said, McCain voted "477 times to raise taxes."
I don't think The Governor changed anyone's mind. Biden may have changed a few. For either side, there was no net harm. With McCain-Palin slipping steadily in the polls, this can only mean real fireworks for next week's town hall Presidential debate at Belmont College in Nashville, and the October 15th domestic debate.
Finally, for all the talk about Gwen Ifull being a partisan and in the OPbama camp, she performed masterfully, treated each candidate very well, and did not lob any bombs Palin's way she wasn't tossing at Biden too. Unfortunately she never lobbed the gotcha bomb at Palin. I wonder if she felt constrained after all the controversy over her book and politics.
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I thought Palin looked vacant and snide--she really didn't answer one question straight on. Honestly, I wasn't impressed. She came off as a little manic to me-like she had a desperate need to fill every nook and cranny with words even if they didn't make sense or were the wrong ones. If this woman becomes our vice president, I will few it as a national embarrassment.
ReplyDeleteI wish Gwen would have held Palin's feet to the fire at least once to answer the frackin' question.
Me too! I found her very irritating. . .I think all the brouhaha over Gwen before the debate may have muzzled her just a bit. I really did want that gotcha question too!
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing that Palin was able to skirt every question and yet at the end somehow remain credible (due to the lowered expectations). Biden came acrosss to me as someone you would like as President.
Me too, ALSO. But though she stanched the bleeding the whistling you hear is cold arctic through the that hole in she blew into her foot, ALSO.
ReplyDeleteLet me try again.
ReplyDeleteMe too, ALSO. While she may have stanched the bleeding, the whistling you hear is cold arctic air ripping through that hole she blew into her foot over the last couple of weeks, ALSO.
i THINK SHE CAUTERIZED THE WOUND, but I don't think that necessarily means they can save the limb. . .or prevent gangrene from spreading upward.
ReplyDeleteIn this case the fish rots from both the head down and the feet up!
You betcha, In this case the fish rots from both the head down and the feet up, ALSO.
ReplyDeleteBiden made me proud. This ticket is looking better by the day.