Palin-Biden Debate

Palin looks cool and collected. Biden looks vaguely Presidential in a stern white-bread kind of way, but tired and has that weird Botox face. The eyelid job makes him like a white guy playing Fu Manchu.

McCain has made Palin drink the climate change kool-aid. It's clear she doesn't believe it and it made her sound hesitant on an easy environment question.

Finally she skewers JB on climate change...it's burn carbon, split atoms or turn out the lights.

She sounds much less hesitant now.

He's going for same-sex marriage. That'll get you the votes of all those people who were going to vote for you anywhere. Palin gives a Libertarian/Federalist answer. She's good.

Biden flips. Now it's no.

On to foreign policy. Iraq. She's nailing BHO using Biden's vote, she sounds like she's done her homework this time. Biden is talking nonsense...trying to make McC. look like he didn't support the troops is a lost cause. She nailed him, she's got the facts, there's just no way for Biden to spin Obama's opposition to the surge.

He's still trying....no one is going to believe it..now he's running against Cheney.

Pakistan/Iran: why does Biden get the first shot at every question but one so far...oh. I forgot Ifill has a financial stake in an Obama win. Biden (and BHO) have a point about the locus of the problem being in Pakistan.

Palin: party line on Iran..cannot be allowed nukes...quoting Ahmadi-Nejed...pulling out Obama's meeting quote. She's holding her own. WIll JB repeat the Kissinger lie? Obbi got taken to the woodshed on that.

JB: denies Obbi said anything of the sort. Claims A'jad not in control of Iranian security. He'll be surprised to hear that. JB is sputtering a bit, something about McC. refusing to talk to Spain.

Palin: backs up Israel, embassy in Jerusalem (yeah, right), never again.

Biden: running against Bush again. They'll never learn.

Palin: she's got him. Why are looking back, because you can't look forward. She just smiled and pointed out that Bush and Cheney aren't running.

Biden: still doing it, this is what Palin was waiting for, as long he's running against W, he's circling the drain.

Palin: on nukes. Didn't quite answer the question (when if ever should nukes be used) but showed she understands what deterrence is. She should have said that nukes are a last resort against an existential threat to the national security of the United states.

Biden: talked about Afghanistan. Also didn't answer the question.

Palin: good rebuttal. She's clearly been studying.

I expected a lot worse and I expected better of Biden. He's spent at least half his time complaining about Bush.