Palin-Biden debate chat and commentary!
posted at 8:00 pm on October 2, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Tonight, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden square off at 9 pm ET for the only Vice Presidential debate for this election. Palin needs to convince American voters that she is up to the task of the second-highest position in the executive branch, while Biden has to avoid making any major gaffes that will force the national media to report them.
Can she do it? The Examiner’s Mark Tapscott predicts that Palin will prevail:
Call me a cockeyed optimist or a fool or whatever, but I predict Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will be the clear winner over Sen. Joe Biden in tonight’s debate between the vice-presidential nominees. Not because I think she’s a master debater – though she clearly has been underestimated in this department before – but because she possesses the one qualification nobody else on either ticket has – She’s not part of the Washington crowd.
I’m somewhat less sanguine than Mark, but willing to be proven wrong. I think both candidates will do well tonight. Biden’s already been through more than a dozen of these in this cycle alone, and he hasn’t made a serious mistake in any of them. His gaffes come in less-guarded moments. Don’t expect anything but a competent and sharp performance from Biden.
Palin will do very well indeed, and again the low expectations from recent media coverage will make it look even better. I don’t expect her to top Biden, but she really doesn’t need to do that anyway. If she comes across as confident, assertive, honest, and engaged, she will do fine — and in this debate the tie would be seen as a huge win for Palin.
I’ll be at Trocadero’s tonight, at the party for AM 1280 The Patriot, and won’t be live-blogging. We will have a panel discussion before and after the debate, and I may try to broadcast through Ustream for the event. Let’s see how that works, but don’t miss the live chat room! Jazz Shaw of The Moderate Voice moderates the chat, and he does a great job riding herd on the conversation. Be sure to register at Ustream to participate in our raucous live-chat sessions. (And if the log-in prompt doesn’t come up in the chat box below, use this link instead.)
See you at the debate!
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FloatingRock on October 2, 2008 at 10:42 PM
“Social conservative” doesn’t necessarily mean “liberal.”
Ryan Gandy on October 2, 2008 at 10:45 PM
So what was Biden’s final Scranton count?
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 10:45 PM
The Luntz group thinks she’s qualified AND intelligent–they say that the MSM interviewers edited her responses.
Steve Z on October 2, 2008 at 10:45 PM
Oh God, no, not Frank dunnz.
Hey, his folks agreed unnanymously well except for one drunk guy.
Everyone except drunk guy thinks she is qualified YES!
dhunter on October 2, 2008 at 10:45 PM
Lunz is asking, incredulously, of his “undecided voters” whether she’s qualified. They practically screamed “of course” in unison.
Wow.
I thought she was good — I didn’t realize how good.
ClintACK on October 2, 2008 at 10:45 PM
Big win per focus groups….
JIMV on October 2, 2008 at 10:46 PM
That was Jake Tapper… what a pile of fecal matter!
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 10:46 PM
Everything in consideration, I think Sarah rocked. She was well informed and beleivable. I think if I had a transcript of all of her words, I could have took a highlighter and separated every word which was her own and what McCains handlers told her to say. She was far better when she was talking off the cuff rather than repeating what McCains RINO advisors were telling her to say.
Bikerken on October 2, 2008 at 10:46 PM
Five weeks vs. 35 years?
Palin +11
Nikita on October 2, 2008 at 10:46 PM
I know I know! wasn’t it great! If any part of the country had never heard the term “MSM” before, they have now.
MechEng5by5 on October 2, 2008 at 10:46 PM
ABC shilling strong for Biden
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 10:46 PM
ABC: “Palin survived death spiral of past few weeks… Biden will be declared the winner of the debate.”
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 10:47 PM
Luntz thinks the polls will shift TOWARD McCain.
For the future: keep her away from the MSM–get her on talk radio and Fox and the campaign trail!
Steve Z on October 2, 2008 at 10:48 PM
jackasses
phronesis on October 2, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Sarah Palin won for sure. Even the stupid focus group on Fox News thinks so. HA!
WildBillK on October 2, 2008 at 10:48 PM
ABC: “Palin did her homework… was comfortable on stage with Biden.”
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Frank Luntz is on Fox doing his focus group. Good reactions all around. He says, “Brit, watch the polling over the next few days, you’re going to see a shift.” (toward McCain).
NightmareOnKStreet on October 2, 2008 at 10:49 PM
Sarah not only ate Biden’s lunch, she ate breakfast, lunch, and the snacks in between.
irongrampa on October 2, 2008 at 10:49 PM
What did we learn tonight?
Governor Sarah Palin just galvanized her place in American politics.
Saltysam on October 2, 2008 at 10:49 PM
I really like that lady!
coldshot on October 2, 2008 at 10:49 PM
I hope someone tape campbell’s brown focus group on CNN. She asked for a show of hands who one, Biden 11 Palin 10 “biden won by a large margin” huh?
Zaggs on October 2, 2008 at 10:50 PM
ABC: “Biden effective at tying McCain to Bush presidency… Palin tried to keep saying look ahead and not behind.”
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 10:50 PM
Well i thought she won. But i also thought McCain won, and unless there was a huge Bradley effect, most people disagreed.
phronesis on October 2, 2008 at 10:50 PM
AP? Were you watching?
CC
CapedConservative on October 2, 2008 at 10:50 PM
It feels good to feel good.
Yeah, I know.
pugwriter on October 2, 2008 at 10:50 PM
Curious what the doubters will have to say now?
irongrampa on October 2, 2008 at 10:50 PM
SARAH, CAN YOU EVER FIND IT IN YOUR HEART TO FORGIVE ME FOR BEING A WHINY LITTLE *****
I was wrong! And for once I am glad that I am!
Go Palin Go!
Borislav on October 2, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Tell Kathleen Parker that Palin is staying on the ticket!!
Steve Z on October 2, 2008 at 10:51 PM
ABC: “Biden very effective speaking to kitchen-table middle americans.”
Gee, did any of you see or hear Sarah Palin at the debate too?
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 10:51 PM
I don’t think Biden looked comfortable on the stage with her at times.
Candy Slice on October 2, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Exclusive: Barack Obama is ‘aloof’ says British ambassador to US
Barack Obama is a “decidedly liberal” senator “who was finding his feet, and then got diverted by his presidential ambitions”, according to a frank verdict delivered to Gordon Brown by the British ambassador to the United States.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/3125120/Barack-Obama-is-aloof-says-British-ambassador-to-US.html
LOLOL,…as if he’s telling us something we didn’t already know!..: o )
christene on October 2, 2008 at 10:52 PM
Yep. Biden spent the entire debate yammering on about the failures of the Bush administration. Palin finally told him it’s not about looking back, but about your plan going forward. By that time, I think everyone was relieved to hear someone say it.
But the CBS spin? Biden kept trying to tie them to the Bush administration, and Palin kept distancing herself.
And of course, once again the left and the media get away with the usual hyperbole about the Bush administration ruining the economy, tax cuts for the wealthy, the “miserable failure” of Iraq, and Cheney being the “most dangerous vice president ever.”
Of course Palin didn’t argue any of that, and she shouldn’t have. She has to focus on the actual issues, and “blunders of the Bush administration” are not relevant.
But it is a shame that these kinds of ridiculous lies keep getting thrown around without correction. Bush has made enough real mistakes that can be criticized without the above garbage.
theregoestheneighborhood on October 2, 2008 at 10:52 PM
Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!
She has re-lit the fire. I’m thrilled.
deedtrader on October 2, 2008 at 10:52 PM
I think she really looked good tonight and overall, she showed she is really intelligent and had a real good grasp of the topics. She’s kinda like Newt Gingrich, with a hot body!
Oh my god, my eyes just jumped out of my head and ran away for inflicting that image on them!
Bikerken on October 2, 2008 at 10:52 PM
Palin made Biden blush many times!!! calling him on his disconnect with reality on record.
bwahahahaha
and Biden’s attempts to cream McCain were so perverse, so obviously indoctrinated shit…
Before the American invasion in Iraq, the Shiites and Sunis were getting along and had been. It wasn’t until Iran sent in the terrorists and al-Quaeda goon squads invaded during Bush’s failure to secure that all hell broke loose, and thereafter it was eye for an eye and all out effort from tribal terrorists to gain dominance of Iraq. Now that there’s Iraqi central order and city organized order, except for the radical terrorists funded by Iran, Iraq is doing VERY WELL getting along with each other as before. McCain was not wrong as Biden projected in the revised record according to Obama-camp.
The obvious smooth delivery on topic by Biden came from the crimp sheets Gwen gave him in advance, and seemed on his podium as the debate began and his eyes were reading.
Palin’s delivery was prepared yet impromptu and well improvised according to demolishing the challenges that Biden threw at her. Yes, she could have brought up Obama’s pre-senate history to prove Obama’s illegitimate quest for the Oval Office; ACORN Marxism and leading financial corruption thieving of our present economy, Annenburg anti-student thieving of grant funds for lawyers instead of classrooms, Altgelt broken housing for the poor thieving of funds, indiscreetly encouraging people to disrespect political opponents via prosecution for critical thought, hacking personal computer accounts, etc. But that would have turned the debate into a mud wrestling competition. And Palin didn’t want to harm Biden’s delicate heart condition. Not at their first meeting (snark).
maverick muse on October 2, 2008 at 10:52 PM
ABC: “Since it looks like Biden was the debate winner, what could Palin have done better?”
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 10:52 PM
MSLSD’s David Gregory has Mike Murphy, Rep strategist and Harold Ford, who just said, “she held her own” & “Biden was a little off his game” Whoa! That’s like five thumbs up on Siskell & Ebert’s old show.
NightmareOnKStreet on October 2, 2008 at 10:52 PM
The main street media can spin all they want, but most of those who watched will say Sarah won.
Zorro on October 2, 2008 at 10:52 PM
Gov. Palin did an excellent job tonight.
Jill1066 on October 2, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Considering that she was up against somebody who has hundreds of times the debate experience as she does, and that he was trying to debate McCain instead of her, I think she did fantastic.
FloatingRock on October 2, 2008 at 10:53 PM
I must admit I was one of the doubters. But Governor Palin is an excellent debater, when her words aren’t filtered and edited by the media, as she pointed out herself!
Steve Z on October 2, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Oh man I am so pumped! Sarah was GREAT!
jewells45 on October 2, 2008 at 10:54 PM
She accused the MSM of doing a chop job on her interviews and the ladies in the Luntz focus group did also.
Lying media, Lying old Joe and Lying Dems. With this fantastic performance and the ORielly smackdown of Barney Frank the polls will move unless the MSM continues to rig them.
Sarah couldn’t possibly answer all of OBidens lies she would have never gotten her message across. McCain will have his chance Tues.
dhunter on October 2, 2008 at 10:54 PM
Sarah just saved whatever chance the ticket may have. She won the debate and looks competent.
Mattpat11 on October 2, 2008 at 10:55 PM
If Obama/Biden can attempt to chain the last 8 years of Bush to the ankle of McCain/Palin, why the &@#*&^#@$ can’t McCain/Palin turn-about and chain the Fannie/Freddie/subprime mess to the ankle of Obama/Biden?
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 10:55 PM
Somebody needs to get Palin and McCain and all the other Republicans and make sure that they can answer “Community Reinvestment Act” when they are asked about the cause of the current economic situation. “Wall Street Greed” is just wrong. “Barney Frank” would also be a good answer.
Pelayo on October 2, 2008 at 10:56 PM
Me too… and those times were from 9:00 pm to 10:30 pm…
CC
CapedConservative on October 2, 2008 at 10:56 PM
If there truly was 34% out there that were waiting for the VP debates to decide who to vote for, McCain/Palin should see a big hit in the polls the next few days.
Of course, the post debate B.S. and all weekend of pundits making excuses for Ol’ Joe, will skew that some.
cntrlfrk on October 2, 2008 at 10:57 PM
Sarah Rocks! Biden’s road kill!
Stellar performance. Glad that Gwen Ifill was actually fair in her questions but allowed Biden more response time.
eaglewingz08 on October 2, 2008 at 10:57 PM
The only thing Palin accomplished tonight was not looking like a total idiot. Only brainless conservatives think she won. Biden was a class act all the way!
barry norris on October 2, 2008 at 10:58 PM
Fred Thompson thinks that Tina Fey will have more trouble mocking Palin in the future…
Steve Z on October 2, 2008 at 10:58 PM
Fox’s web feed crashed on me early in the debate and I couldn’t find CNN’s so I was watching MSNBC’s. When the debate was over it only took two or three sentences, literally, for me to realize how slanted the analysis was and close the window.
FloatingRock on October 2, 2008 at 10:59 PM
Krauthammer coming up with Brit. This should be rich.
pugwriter on October 2, 2008 at 10:59 PM
She made us Libertarians proud!
Barry Goldwater is smiling from his grave.
ericdondero on October 2, 2008 at 10:59 PM
Definitely a while there where Biden looked like he was flustered.
Good Job Sarah.
If America had a fair and un-biased news network, you would be a National Hero right now, and the Vice President in a few weeks.
cntrlfrk on October 2, 2008 at 11:00 PM
I just know y’all were waiting with bated breath for this, but here’s my final take: America got to see tonight why it is that many conservatives love Sarah!
TeeDee on October 2, 2008 at 11:01 PM
stand up, stand up Ifill
sven10077 on October 2, 2008 at 11:01 PM
Agreed. The third or fourth time we hearch “wall street greed” was a bit much.
phronesis on October 2, 2008 at 11:01 PM
Have you been drinking?
It can slow your response time.
cntrlfrk on October 2, 2008 at 11:02 PM
Biden’s face lift left crooked eyes. To tell the truth, Biden looked best while laughing with Palin’s joke on him.
Palin’s face illuminated the stage, her eyes shone! She kept such warm composure, intense but not fanatical. She did not brow beat Biden or Obama. Biden fell for the ol’ routine, “kill, kill, kill” syndrome. Hateful people went for that, but any undecideds were turned off by it. Palin never resorted to hateful or disrespectful jabs. When Biden “choked up” over a memory decades old, I did not buy it though I was intently sympathetic to his story until he tried turn tables accusing Palin of having said that men/fathers don’t feel for children as women/mothers do. I was so proud of Palin’s ignoring that cheap shot, focusing her responses on what she wanted to say.
Gwen Ifill always made room for Biden to butt in an additional response, “May I?” “YES, PLEASE, BY ALL MEANS!” though the courtesy never extended to Palin. All the more admiration for Palin that she got everything across so well in spite of any favoritism, and in spite of Biden’s most oddly unusual suave delivery and attack.
maverick muse on October 2, 2008 at 11:03 PM
I think its’ time for OBiden to step aside he obviously is not up to the task at hand and was the worst candidate on the stage tonight by far.
dhunter on October 2, 2008 at 11:03 PM
they picked….the job now is not letting reality bust their narrative….I am looking for a nice 30 pound hammer
sven10077 on October 2, 2008 at 11:04 PM
Krauthammer thinks Biden won on issues, but Palin on presentation.
Sounds like Nixon-Kennedy–Nixon won on radio, Kennedy on TV.
Steve Z on October 2, 2008 at 11:06 PM
You guys are nuts and delusional. Biden did an amazing job!
barry norris on October 2, 2008 at 11:06 PM
I’m listening to local TV channel interview… a Mom and (first-time voter) son were undecideds, after watching debate both now leaning McCain/Palin.
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 11:07 PM
I totally agree also. I’ll tell you right now that this is why McCain doesn’t have a chance in hell of winning this election. He is not fighting. For all those people who scoff at the idea that he is trying to lose, you have to wonder what the hell his handlers are telling him. He shoots himself in the foot every time he opens his mouth.
John McCain is running as a somewhat conservative democrat. That appeals to neither democrats or republicans. Whenever he acts conservative, he shoots up in the polls, when he acts like a RINO, he goes down in the polls. He hasn’t got a change in hell. Now if she were the ticket lead, and espoused CONSERVATIVE principles, it would be another story.
Bikerken on October 2, 2008 at 11:07 PM
The Sarah of our conservative dreams showed up and did us proud. You go girl!
deedledee on October 2, 2008 at 11:08 PM
Come next April, we will all have forgotten about this global warming crap. Climate change, a calm sun means we will freeze our butts off. Bring the brass monkeys in. Those climate models, er, computer programs, that have been predicting a hotter earth do not have an algorithm for variable solar intensity, garbage in – garbage out.
Pelayo on October 2, 2008 at 11:08 PM
well I tried to cry….just like Scranton tried….poor Joe
sven10077 on October 2, 2008 at 11:09 PM
Compile a ready reference thesaurus for Palin’s daughter to drill her generation with quick responses. YouTube the thesaurus into an anti-Obama song. Mary Kay Ham?
maverick muse on October 2, 2008 at 11:09 PM
You would have to be clinically insane to believe that Bin Biden won that debate…
SaintOlaf on October 2, 2008 at 11:11 PM
McCaskill (D) still thinks McCain is hiding Palin, and that Palin should answer more questions from the MSM.
Sure…have her answers trashed and twisted around.
Of course…McCaskill doesn’t want Palin to win, so Palin should ignore her advice!
Steve Z on October 2, 2008 at 11:12 PM
CNN commentary was so blatently anti-Palin. More “filtering” to the American voters by the elitist corp of ninnys like Campbell Brown, David Gargle Gergen and company. Looked like an inquisition meetings of dour dumplings trying to salvage what tiny vestage of credibility they claimed to have.
What a bunch of schmucks!
wepeople on October 2, 2008 at 11:12 PM
McCain has some warped sense of honor… he probably somehow feels obligated to follow some sort of rules; sort of like an unwritten Queensbury rules for political contests.
He needs to at least start running ads that name names and affix blame for this Fannie/Freddie/subprime mess… followup ads with speeches/pressers in which his very lips tell America the truth about the cause of all of this.
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Forgot this part at beginning: I don’t think it’s his handlers, it’s McCain himself that is trying to run the race with his foot partially on the brake.
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 11:17 PM
I’m from Missouri – McCaskill is a loon……. When the Fox guy was prasing Gov Palin you could almost see McCaskill telegraphing with her “blinking eyelashes” how she really feels about Palin….. It kinda reminded me of the SNL parody of Couric interviewing Gov Palin
HouseHold6 on October 2, 2008 at 11:17 PM
This won’t effect the outcome of the election. This is BHO or McC’s to lose.
Mojave Mark on October 2, 2008 at 11:18 PM
On cnn.com – after hours GOP Debate Party – with the ‘Cuda’ speaking, and the crowd going wild with Palinmania…
gxpgxp on October 2, 2008 at 11:18 PM
And you’d have to be a complete idiot to believe that Palin won that debate. Conservatives think that any Republican who can complete a sentence while drooling the typical conservative beliefs is a master debater.
barry norris on October 2, 2008 at 11:18 PM
Biden held his own because he had the questions in advance. He did not trip and fall or eat his foot, though he dished out plenty of tripe.
Palin was great. After everyone chapped their hands from wringing over gotta be ahead of the curve ‘I’m smarter than Palin’ doom and gloom pessimist forecasts, Palin PROVED HER WORTH in gold. Quit pulling the rug out from under Palin. She’s a great runner on this ticket!!!! To be honest, she quelled my anger at McCain for the moment. That’s as good as a miracle gets for me.
maverick muse on October 2, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Biden lied through his teeth. That’s not amazing, it’s classic Biden.
sloopy on October 2, 2008 at 11:20 PM
Drudge votes: Palin 73% Biden 25% with 120,475 total votes.
Steve Z on October 2, 2008 at 11:21 PM
She knocked his socks off, blew him out of the water!
He even reached back for his own personal trials and he just looked pitiful.
Sarah’s back in town!!
PattyJ on October 2, 2008 at 11:22 PM
I was really starting to get wobbly legs after the MSM interviews. I feel very rejuvenated now after forcing myself to watch!
neuquenguy on October 2, 2008 at 11:22 PM
barry norris on October 2, 2008 at 11:18 PM
so you think a man who lied about his comments on coal and lied about a comment obama made won the debate?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rXyTRT-NZg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSFSUbMWenU
Darn those pesky facts!….BTW,..it will not take 10 years to get oil!…lol
christene on October 2, 2008 at 11:23 PM
Don’t look at the MSM sites, you’ll be shocked! it’s like 80% Biden!
neuquenguy on October 2, 2008 at 11:23 PM
whoa…Karl Rove says there were 10- factual errors from Biden. flat out wrong!
becki51758 on October 2, 2008 at 11:23 PM
You’re right rascal, McCain should be screaming Fannie, Freddie, Raines, Johnson, Frank, etc.etc. All he is doing is agreeing on Obama with almost everything and voting the same way. He is older, nastier greyer and otherwise, the same flavor of poop in the milkshake. Sarah on the other had actually has some guts.
Bikerken on October 2, 2008 at 11:23 PM
He might start after tomorrow. He has to appear bipartisan until the rescue is approved.
phronesis on October 2, 2008 at 11:24 PM
I watched CNN, too. But it was because its an HDTV signal! As soon as the debate was over it was over to low def but high IQ Fox. That way I won’t be so pissed that I wouldn’t sleep.
And you had to love the self-deprecating Krauthammer who referred to himself as the in-house Palin skeptic and representative of the Eastern Establishment effete.
turfmann on October 2, 2008 at 11:24 PM
It’s a shame Palin could not have countered the “big lie” that “taxing the rich” is a good thing.
Some quick Free Enterprise 101 schooling should point out that taxes raised on “the rich” would be taxes on all businesses, which will mean higher prices, layoffs and more jobs moving overseas.
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 11:25 PM
I’m surprised nobody has picked up on the question to Joe Biden, “How would a Biden administration be different than an Obama administration?” And Biden said, “God forbid that would happen!” Did you people not notice that Ifil was leading him with a question that assumed Obama was killed and Biden had to take over??? Bidens answer was that he would ‘maintain the policies’ of Obama. Did you folks really not hear this??? The question assumed Obama being assassinated!! Think that didn’t play the race card some?
Bikerken on October 2, 2008 at 11:27 PM
I thought she did well on the small business with over 250K of income line though. And Biden went off on taxes often often even to belie the middle class tax cut meme.
phronesis on October 2, 2008 at 11:28 PM
Everybody was doin’ it….
FloatingRock on October 2, 2008 at 11:29 PM
Not gonna happen.
House conservatives will stop that steaming pile from passing.
It’s a scam.
SaintOlaf on October 2, 2008 at 11:29 PM
I pray that timing is the only thing holding him back.
If McCain can (want to) kick terrorist ass in Iraq, he sure should be able to kick Democrat economic terrorist ass here at home.
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 11:30 PM
Overall I think Gov. Palin did well. I think she’d look even better if the media were to highlight Biden’s lies, but we know they won’t.
holygoat on October 2, 2008 at 11:32 PM
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