I voted for Palin in the poll. I agree with this article’s conclusions, even though I can’t stand the sort of things they cite as positives in Palin’s performance. She did a tremendous job of not answering unfavorable questions and was only occasionally called on it (which would then precipitate another non-answer, ideally one based around her imaginary qualifications in energy policy, maverickery, and “dealing with problems that involve heads rearing over something”).
Biden beat her on substance in most cases, sure. But anything short of her dropping dead in a moment of overwhelming self awareness about her own inadequacy for any job, let alone veep, is not a win.
Am I the only person that found it weird that Palin’s stated position on same sex union rights was essentially the same as the Democratic Party’s line? When did Republicans shift on that one? Did I miss that?
I’m a little surpirsed I haven’t seen reaction from the evangelicals about it. They’ve been so in love with her up until this. I can’t imagine they’re okay with that position.
Palin won if you watched with the sound off and if victory meant surpassing the expectations held for a junior high debate squad. Not looking nervous in a debate should be a given, especially when you might be expected to remain calm, cool, and collected during a global emergency.
Her answers were semi-coherent but got worse as the evening wore on. She had no response when Biden corrected a “mis-truth” and would just repeat them. She was no different than a doll with a string that makes her speak. It was embarrassing that she even came out and said I’m not going to answer what you asked and I’m going to talk about something else. Sure these people dodge questions in a debate, but what she did sounded desperate.
Was she likable? Sure even though I have a personal prejudice against rednecks (and she is a redneck) but really… is that all we’re going to ask of her? And not only did she say nucular, she has said nuclear in the past, so she’s a flip-flopper on her on illiteracy.
Biden whipped out numbers like he wanted to ether the viewing audience for the first half of the debate, he seemed restrained for the most part and let (along with the moderator) Palin’s non-sequitors stand unchallenged a lot of the time. But by the end I thought he came across as a well-informed, down-to-earth guy and certain I felt more reassured if he had to step up.
I’m shocked that we can let not ugly (Palin’s not hot, looking at Tina Fey should show you what that kind of hot is) be enough. She got trounced, it’s just that everyone talking last night was too polite to point that out.
I think the punditry wants to call this a win for Palin because their expectations were so low, but I don’t think that feeling will be shared by the general debate audience (and the polls so far bear that out.) This is mostly going to further cement Obama’s lead.
Biden vehemently denied her claim of how Obama would raise taxes on families making as little as $42,000 – saying that by the same standard, McCain voted to raise taxes 477 times. But by keeping Biden on the defensive, Palin probably won on that turf.
This bugs the shit out of me. So all you have to do is tell lies and half-truths and you win because you’re “Keeping your opponent on the defensive.” Biden should’ve just started off calling her a leaking tapir and he would’ve won because she would have to spend her time countering!
…this is still a candidate with tremendous potential to not only stick a foot in her mouth but completely gnaw it off and suck dry the bones before realizing it’s her own.
The biggest one for me was the insistence that the surge would work in Afghanistan, when it is categorically not supported by General McKiernan.
Point Biden. To start, Palin got newly appointed Gen. David D. McKiernan’s name wrong when she called him McClellan. And, more important, Gen. McKiernan clearly did say that surge principles would not work in Afghanistan.
As the Washington Post reported:
Washington Post: "The word I don’t use for Afghanistan is ‘surge,’ " McKiernan stressed, saying that what is required is a “sustained commitment” to a counterinsurgency effort that could last many years and would ultimately require a political, not military, solution.
This ^^ It was funny watching the talking heads afterwards because they really weren’t sure how to respond. Uhh - well she didn’t fall to the floor convulsing so that’s good but she didn’t answer any questions… so the public will decide.
This is Bush 2.0 with boobs and a skirt. America fell for that in 2000 and 2004 but do they really want more “folksy naivete”?