VP Debate analysis: Palin hits home run
posted at 7:54 am on October 3, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Normally, I would have written this post last night, but as it turns out, it was almost impossible to do any writing at The Patriot’s event last night at Trocadero’s. In a way, that turned out to be a blessing, as it got my head out from behind the laptop screen and allowed a greater focus on the debate itself, as well as the crowd of hundreds that came to Trocadero’s to watch it with the Northern Alliance Radio Network. And I can tell you that the crowd had a great time watching this debate.
VP debates usually feature two people attacking two other people who aren’t on stage. In this case, we could make that three people. Joe Biden did a good job in carrying the Democratic talking points last night, attacking both George Bush and John McCain and making the case that they’re one and the same. Biden actually did a much better job staying on point in this regard than did Barack Obama in his first debate, sticking with it all evening long. Biden delivered a good performance in the debate, sounding authoritative even while telling whoppers, such as the claim that NATO had driven Hezbollah from Lebanon, a flabbergasting moment from someone whose strength is supposed to be foreign policy. Overall, though, Biden delivered a competent performance, as he almost always does in debates.
However, that simply wasn’t enough. Sarah Palin demonstrated both the wisdom of adding her to the ticket and the folly of the McCain campaign’s press bubble for the last four weeks. Palin was confident, assertive to the point of aggressive, knowledgeable, and open. She repeatedly went after Biden, which is not usually a tactic seen much in VP debates (candidates usually attack the presidential nominees), and Biden had no answer for Palin. On foreign policy, she offered good answers, made only a couple of rhetorical stumbles in segues when she wanted to change the subject, and delivered an exceptionally fine performance.
In fact, Palin had an answer ready for the entire Democratic strategy of tying McCain to Bush, exposing it as a tiresome and empty allegation:
PALIN: Say it ain’t so, Joe, there you go again pointing backwards again. You preferenced your whole comment with the Bush administration. Now doggone it, let’s look ahead and tell Americans what we have to plan to do for them in the future. …
No, in fact, when we talk about the Bush administration, there’s a time, too, when Americans are going to say, “Enough is enough with your ticket,” on constantly looking backwards, and pointing fingers, and doing the blame game. …
But for a ticket that wants to talk about change and looking into the future, there’s just too much finger-pointing backwards to ever make us believe that that’s where you’re going.
Biden then attempted to bluster his way through a response, using a “past is prologue” excuse, but essentially proving her point. The Democrats have run their 2004 campaign all over again as the anti-Bush ticket, this time with a less-offputting nominee. Palin has been the only person in this campaign to effectively make that point.
Moreover, thanks to the media reaction to Palin on the basis of her interviews with Katie Couric and Charles Gibson, expectations had been set rather low. Biden and the Democrats talked about her experience at debates as a way of raising that bar, but one has to doubt whether Biden really believed she could play on his level. He seemed flustered at times — at one point tugging on his collar as she attacked him, to the delight of the Trocadero’s crowd. Even without those low expectations, she beat Biden — and the nation got a look at the real Sarah Palin.
Will this boost McCain’s standing in this race? I think it will, and I thought that even before I saw the Frank Luntz focus group. McCain needed this debate victory tonight, and it may restart the Palin phenomenon, just in time for the final stretch of the election. This time, though, the McCain campaign has to get Palin out in press conferences, interviews, and contact with the people. She’s sharp, able, and energetic, and she could win this election for McCain if he would just let her.
Update: I want to thank Jazz Shaw for moderating last night’s chat room, and his take on the debate is here. Bottom line:
Point to Palin for the race from me. The pundits will tear the individual statements apart for weeks, but Governor Palin not only beat expectations, but beat Biden fair and square.
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Someone made a good point. Pretend it was Romney, Huckabee or Jindal (sp?) giving those answers last night (not about Alaska obviously, but about Iraq, the economic crisis, etc…). Their performances would have been judged as terrible.
Tom_Shipley on October 3, 2008 at 8:38 AM
Oh please- wrong in NPR’s opinion is irrelevant.
anniekc on October 3, 2008 at 8:38 AM
What now?
I’m with the commenters who say that McCain needs to name names now. I think middle America is outraged at the current credit crisis, and they want names. My understanding is that McCain is on record as predicting this back in 2005, though Biden said that Obama was on top of this issue since 2007. I want to know the answer to that because I’m more inclined to believe McCain and more inclined to believe that Obama would have been advocating more subprime lending or, having loaned to these deadbeats, that the government should now bail them out.
McCain needs a Willie Horton, and I nominate Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and the entire Fannie Freddie gang. He needs a chart showing mug shots of these dolts, and he needs to say that one of Palin’s jobs will be to monitor Dodd and Frank specifically because you know Connecticut and Massachusetts will be sending them right back to Congress. Middle America can get their minds around villians like that. McCain needs to tie all of those idiots around Obama’s neck and sink him like a stone. He’s sat stupidly for three weeks while the Dems and the press have blamed the GOP and no regulation for this mess. Hell, even Bill Clinton seems to agree with McCain and disagree with Dems on this.
Channel that anger now.
BuckeyeSam on October 3, 2008 at 8:39 AM
“Say it ain’t so, Joe” reminded me of “There you go again”
It probably doesn’t matter for voting but the folksy thing usually plays well with regular people.Basically, anything that bugs the elite media usually plays well in real America. Remember, they said how dumb and doltish Reagan was (and Ford and Ike, for that matter).
If she had said like what Biden said about “we’re gonna do the same thing for the American people as you did for your people up there”, she would have been crucified. Aren’t Alaskans Americans too?
Moxie on October 3, 2008 at 8:39 AM
end of the world, cdseven and I post the same at the same time…
right2bright on October 3, 2008 at 8:39 AM
Ditto’s Ed.. Another good take on the debate from Beldar…
Almost without exception, every bit of the analysis and punditry you read or hear from mainstream media sources — including even new media outlets like the major cable news channels — will have missed the most important point about Thursday night’s vice presidential debate. They all think it was close, and they all think that some of the things Slow Joe Biden said actually mattered.
To non-sophisticates (which isn’t an insult, by the way, and most definitely isn’t a synonym for “unsophisticated”) — to ordinary people of every economic class, occupation, gender, religion, and even political persuasion — from outside the Beltway and the bi-coastal Blue-State media enclaves, the defining moment of the debate was when a young governor from a remote, sparsely populated state strode confidently across the national stage, stuck out her hand for a firm handshake, looked a silver-haired senator of 36 years’ tenure squarely in the eye, and said: “Nice to meet you. Hey, can I call you Joe?”
At that moment, the champagne bubble of the elites popped. For millions of viewers (but almost no national pundits), the juxtaposition telegraphed a clear message: “She’s not one of them, she’s one of us. But she isn’t awed by him. She’s not afraid.”
By five minutes into the debate, the notion that this young hockey-mom turned governor is an airhead, unable to string two coherent sentences together without a teleprompter, had been completely exploded. The deception and outright malice of those who’ve been peddling that lie became obvious. Of course the issues were being addressed, substantively and in detail, by both the Democratic and GOP Veep nominees, but in her case, in a voice — literally in an accent — of unpretentious, ordinary Americans, and with a disdain for the kind of double-talk which lets a politician pretend that he was really against a war he voted to authorize.
Gov. Sarah Palin is electrically fresh. And she is the real deal, an authentic three-dimensional person rather than a blank screen upon which to project our hopes. And the important point confirmed by Thursday night’s debate is very simply this: Sarah Palin is nothing less than the instrument through which ordinary, non-mystical Americans may reclaim their national government.
That’s why McCain’s announcement of her candidacy suddenly changed the entire course of this election. That’s why her acceptance speech at the Republican National Commission dropped millions of jaws. That’s why millions of voters — including undecideds and independents and swing voters, disappointed Hillary voters, disappointed movement conservatives, even non-voters — who watched this debate are saying to themselves: “Well! Now that was different!”
Over the course of the next month, as the impressions she made tonight are reconfirmed, the seed of affinity that Sarah Palin has planted will continue to germinate. We millions of voters who’d previously imagined ourselves with, at best, a sour taste in our mouths after voting this year suddenly realize that, actually, we can cast a vote for Sarah Palin that makes us feel good about the whole process. Through her, we can be connected again with our national government. Her voice is our voice, and in her we have a new champion who actually isn’t just slumming or pretending to be one of us. She doesn’t need a focus group to interpret, because she actually is one of us. She doesn’t need to write a memoir of her journey of self-discovery because she’s always known she’s Chuck and Sally Heath’s daughter, she’s Todd Palin’s wife, she’s “Mom” to Track and Bristol and Willow and Piper and Trig — and she’s the one of us who stepped forward to prove that she has the heart of a genuine servant of the public.
Anyone who’s focused on scoring this debate on points is counting raindrops in a hurricane. Here’s a grumpy paragraph from the New York Times that is cluelessness personified:
Short of a complete bravura performance that would have been tough for even the most experienced national politician to turn in — or a devastating error by the mistake-prone Mr. Biden, who instead turned in an impressively sharp performance — there might have been little Ms. Palin could have done to help Mr. McCain.
That’s spoken by a mainstream media giant who’s just had its pants yanked down to its ankles from behind, and who’s then been sprayed with molasses and coated in feathers. It’s standing there continuing to preach at you and me without any comprehension of what a laughing-stock it’s become. Actually, it doesn’t know you or me, except as vague shadows “somewhere out there in flyover country.” It can’t hear our laughter. It can’t even remotely comprehend why you or I want to pump our fists in the air and shout “Sarah! Sarah!”
“Can I call you Joe?” Yes, she can, because he’s just another old dude with a line of blah-blah-blah. He doesn’t deserve her, or our, reverence because he’s a fading irrelevancy from the past. And this is a brand new day, a day of new leadership in the shining city on a hill.
Keemo on October 3, 2008 at 8:39 AM
Yup. Just another part of the MSM that has gone down the tubes so far, so fast. I think the MSM needs to be renamed to the PRObamaMedia.
rbj on October 3, 2008 at 8:40 AM
Hey Tom, I’ve got a better “play pretend” scenario… Pretend Biden didn’t get his ass kicked…
CC
CapedConservative on October 3, 2008 at 8:40 AM
I am surprised that I’ve seen no one on the conservative side discuss what I thought was one of the most telling comments in the debate; or the one that most clearly separates the liberal mind from the conservative mind. Discussing kitchen table politics, Biden said that the people sitting around those kitchen tables are looking for help, not more of the same.
Only the liberals see that as true. Conservatives, at least the ones I know, are not sitting around the kitchen table looking for help; especially help from government. What we are looking for are ways to get the government out of our kitchen, away from our table and back in its cage. We don’t see our future as limited by what we can get our government to do for us, but by what we can accomplish if we can get government the hell out of the way.
MikeA on October 3, 2008 at 8:41 AM
Funny quote from Peggy Noonan…Sarah Palin saved John McCain again Thursday night. She is the political equivalent of cardiac paddles: Clear! Zap! We’ve got a beat!
Marsh on October 3, 2008 at 8:42 AM
Preach it, brother!
Wethal on October 3, 2008 at 8:44 AM
MSM is just 24/7 political porn in which fellatio is performed on Obama.
I don’t know how Obama has the strength to move, let alone campaign.
moxie_neanderthal on October 3, 2008 at 8:45 AM
Sarah Rocks! Even Peggy Noonan who was at most luke warm about Gov Palin says she killed Biden! I also heard Biden say “Bosniak” instead of Bosnian.
And talk about a gaffe the media isn’t about to report, when Sen Biden said that NATO chased Hezbollah out of Lebanon, I nearly keeled over laughing in disbelief. I’d like to know when that occurred, as NATO was never in Lebanon (maybe they were there during FDR’s 1929-1932 term, you know when he addressed the nation about the stock market crash on TV), the US military was there during Reagan’s term until the Hezbollah bombing of the barracks at which time Reagan pulled them all out. It would seem Israel must have gone to war for nothing a couple of years ago, as they must have been mistaken that Hezbollah (which was non existent in Lebanon) could not have captured two soldier. Nor could the non existent Hezbollah have fired thousands of missiles into Israel from Lebanon since NATO got rid of the group. Furthermore that must have been a Nasrallah body double claiming to be the head of Hezbollah giving speeches for the past decade as well. And it must be a phony Hezbollah party that was just given veto power in the Lebanon Parliament after an attempted coup recently. But thank God the dems have someone with the experience of Biden to guide US foreign policy.
eaglewingz08 on October 3, 2008 at 8:46 AM
There’s a big difference between saying that “business” is run by “greedy rich people” — which is what Democrats say — and pointing out that the individuals who brought on the bank collapses are immoral rat bastards — which is what Governor Palin said.
The former is a condemnation of our free enterprise system; the latter is a legitimate moral condemnation of individuals who did indeed betray the public trust. They deserve to be called out by name.
Real conservatives believe in personal responsibility. It’s sad to see the crybabies here throwing little hissy fits because Governor Palin called out the rotten individuals who set the bank crisis in motion.
Again, read slowly please: Governor Palin’s comments were not the blanket condemnation of capitalism we’ve come to expect from the Democrat Party. They were an expression of moral indignation. We REAL conservatives believe this is quite a good thing.
jeff_from_mpls on October 3, 2008 at 8:46 AM
Like you guys said.
Spot on.
Over.
1GooDDaDDy on October 3, 2008 at 8:47 AM
Last night Joe Biden said that the global warming climate is 100% man made.
In 1996,the Brown University for environmental studies stated
In which part of the world is he living?
Monas on October 3, 2008 at 8:47 AM
Articulate, inspiring and very eloquent. Well done, Keemo. McCain will lose, of course, but nevertheless, well done.
ManlyRash on October 3, 2008 at 8:47 AM
I think we were missing some important facts in last night’s discussion of the economy. Why didn’t we hear that Franklin Raines, appointed by the the Clinton administration to run Fannie Mae (and retired with $100 million in bonuses) has advised Barack Obama? Why didn’t we hear that Fannie Mae gave millions of dollars to Democrats…and who was in the top two candidates who received donations? Sen. Barack Obama. Why didn’t we hear about the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act “that requires bank and savings and loan associations to offer credit throughout their entire market area” which basically means that for the past 35 years, banks have been required to give loans to people who they knew (from day one) could never repay the loans?
Keemo on October 3, 2008 at 8:47 AM
McCain or the RNC should at least one creepy ad with those singing kids and Acorn voting fraud and the Missouri Truth Squads. Dems always whine about the culture wars, but Obama creeps me out. In addition to the Fannie and Freddie torpedoes, people need to be reminded about what Obama believes and what he’s really all about. The middle 20% needs to be taken back to the questions of “who is this guy, how could he surround himself with all these un-American losers, and what’s with all these un-American things he’s doing?”
BuckeyeSam on October 3, 2008 at 8:48 AM
It’s Friday.
Sarah kicked butt last night.
My Dodgers won and are one game away from playing the Phillies in the NLCS.
And Tom_Shipley is frantically trying to convince us that what happened last night didn’t really happen.
Yes, life’s good (at least for today!)
Religious_Zealot on October 3, 2008 at 8:48 AM
They’ll have a “who won” poll though
lodge on October 3, 2008 at 8:49 AM
Did everybody catch what Biden said last night in the
debate,Biden will be at every meeting,press conference!
What Biden basically admitted, was he will be near
Obama at all times!
WHY!
HopeLess/ChangeLess has zero,(0),zip,no experience,thats
why Biden will be Obama’s Shadow!!!!!!!!!!!!
canopfor on October 3, 2008 at 8:49 AM
Franklin Raines, Jim Johnson, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and others–the Willie Hortons of 2008.
BuckeyeSam on October 3, 2008 at 8:49 AM
Good point. Then I guess we’ll find out an hour from now.
ManlyRash on October 3, 2008 at 8:51 AM
And just how did Joe Biden vote in that test vote on Kyoto, the one that Pres. Clinton didn’t send to the Senate, the one that was defeated 95-0. Did Joe vote against or just not vote?
rbj on October 3, 2008 at 8:51 AM
Fixed it for you, chump. Your boy blew his nose all over the podium, and you know it.
fossten on October 3, 2008 at 8:54 AM
Okay…
Keemo validates what I WANT to think I think
ManlyRash and Allahpundit bring me back down to Earth
What’s a poor PA girl to do? They say PA is going to stay very Blue and I guess they’re right, but out here on the Mainline, I see so many more McCain/Palin signs. Even the blue blood mainliners seem to like her folksiness.
Moxie on October 3, 2008 at 8:56 AM
HopeLess/ChangeLess has zero,(0),zip,no experience,thats
why Biden will be Obama’s Shadow!!!!!!!!!!!!
Biden’s purpose would be to take blame for whatever mistakes are made; Obaco will never suffer criticism himself, it would perpetually be someone else’s fault.
Bishop on October 3, 2008 at 8:58 AM
The donks dream of adding another “S” to the USA….if it comes to that we’ll rally in Texas.
sven10077 on October 3, 2008 at 8:59 AM
That being said, I’m having a good morning, drinking tea and zipping around the tv as I watch the Obarfo Whore Media stuttering their spin as they try to shake off the shell shock.
Everyone and their sister thought Palin would bomb last night and the media jackwads were ready to pounce. Didn’t happen and now they don’t know what to do.
Bishop on October 3, 2008 at 9:01 AM
Here in northern Delaware (Wilmington), where Joe Biden lives, there are not alot of presidential campaign signs for either side.
BigD on October 3, 2008 at 9:01 AM
That can only be encouraging. Hope the display out there is a good indicator of the vote.
Over.
1GooDDaDDy on October 3, 2008 at 9:01 AM
Significant points:
1) Palin could have lost the election for McCain last night if she’d imploded. She didn’t. We can all exhale.
2) Vice Presidential debates don’t win elections, but if the optimists here are correct, this one might. I’m skeptical but hopeful.
3) I’m frustrated to the point of exploding at the utter failure of the McCain campaign to keep Obama from inflating his resume. They’re making Obama into a great statesman when he doesn’t even belong in the race.
Example: Biden goes on for a bit about how the first thing Obama did in the Senate was reach across the aisle to Lugar and talk nuclear proliferation control. Palin’s response should have been this:
“That was a good move on his part, and if he’d spent the rest of his 143 days in the Senate doing similar things, it would have been a good start toward becoming what John McCain has been for 25 years. But instead, he spent the rest of his tenure running for President.”
A few shots like this and the informational outcome of the debate would have been devastating to Obama.
4) I’m also frustrated by the inability of the McCain campaign to sell their own programs. Both Biden and Obama harped on McCain’s taxing employer benefits, but it’s part of a plan that makes good sense. They sell it in a debate this way:
“John McCain has a plan to free workers from depending on their employers for health insurance. By taxing benefits but providing a tax credit for private health insurance, you won’t have to depend on your employer anymore to protect your family’s health, but you can purchase health insurance for yourself.”
It’s radical, and seriously, it would be an enormous relief to lots of families to think, “Wow… I don’t have to keep my lousy job anymore just to maintain my health insurance? I can choose a job by what I want to do instead?”
But they’re not selling their proposals well.
Palin did well. Now the McCain campaign needs to fix the message, and start turning the spotlight on the real Obama.
philwynk on October 3, 2008 at 9:02 AM
Might I add this little fact about our history my fellow Republican & Conservative friends.
Why does the MSM feel so powerful while staying on message and shaping the news to fit their agenda?
Just look at this board and read the comments! Might just as well stay home folks, the media has convinced you with phony polls and a consistent 24/7 barrage of stories telling all of you that Obama is now so far out in front that it’s over!
As long as this bullshit continues to work so well for these idiots, why should anything change their old playbook? Republicans and Conservatives are so easily controlled; just throw an endless bunch of phony polls at them and they will lose confidence, get frustrated, and throw in the towel. 100% negative works on them silly Republicans 100% of the time. We own them!
Everybody here complains about the MSM and it’s biased coverage of the news, but yet far too many of you tune into their channels to see what they are saying. Jeez folks, if you don’t like them and consider them biased, then don’t reward them by turning them on and giving them the ratings they so desperately desire!
We all sit back and shake our heads as our government and our media sticks the knife in our backs and twist. Only when we band together and fight back with the energy & will of a “Rocky”, will we bring the type of change we so desire.
Keemo on October 3, 2008 at 9:02 AM
Oh…they’ll think of something in a few minutes ma brotha’, no doubt about it.
Over.
1GooDDaDDy on October 3, 2008 at 9:04 AM
Easy solution. Just pull your ‘e’e and ‘h’ keys off of your keyboard and swith their positions. Problem solved.
Shh eow it works… :-)
Yoop on October 3, 2008 at 9:04 AM
I have to agree with Dick Morris, I have not seen a politician speak this way to the American people since Ronald Reagan. From my young age of six, I remember Reagan in the debates with Mondale. When I got older, I got to read what he said and look and hear how he said it. That was a man who was grand in all sense of the word. Over the years, politicians went on stage in debate after debate trying to prove themselves worthy of the label, “The Next Reagan.” Yesterday, Palin has become worthy of being known as “The Next Reagan.”
Brilliant, eloquent, assertive, witty, and smart.
jencab on October 3, 2008 at 9:05 AM
Eight years ago, if Hot Air had been around, Tom would have been on the post-debate threads trying to convince us Gore defeated Bush in their first debate due to his mastery of repeatedly shouting “Dingle-Norwood” and audibly sighing into the microphone every time he disagreed with Bush’s remarks.
Oh, and there would have been multiple uses of the word “gravitas”.
jon1979 on October 3, 2008 at 9:06 AM
Keemo on October 3, 2008 at 9:02 AM
I thought conservative don’t like to play the victim?
Tom_Shipley on October 3, 2008 at 9:07 AM
I especially loved CNN’s focus group(of undecided voters), not one of them is going to vote for Mcain/Palin. They actually beleive people can’t see through that stuff. The minute any of the focus group people spoke you could tell they were all libs
kangjie on October 3, 2008 at 9:07 AM
Who won? I thought Palin was great, but I don’t think anybody “won.”
My major complaint(s): no book disclosure from Ifill (weak), and yet another citing of “conventional wisdom” (also known as, what we’ve been trying to tell you in the MSM) that Palin is the one who lacks experience.
Where’s Barack? Stand up, Barack! Let ‘em see ya! And then tell us about your vast executive experience.
This ain’t the primaries anymore. We have our candidates, and their differences are pretty stark (well, between Obama and Palin, anyway). Now it’s just a matter of rounding up the homeless and bussing them to as many polling places as possible.
saint kansas on October 3, 2008 at 9:08 AM
Not guilty. I haven’t watch any of those “alphabet” news shows since the mid ’80’s.
I get my news elsewhere. Here for example.
I’m optimistic by nature.
The Pythons say: ”Always look on the bright side of life”.
Over.
1GooDDaDDy on October 3, 2008 at 9:12 AM
Is the whole ACORN thing really not going to matter?
Moxie on October 3, 2008 at 9:15 AM
Tom_Shipley on October 3, 2008 at 9:07 AM
I wouldn’t expect a Liberal to understand a word of what I write Tom.
Keemo on October 3, 2008 at 9:15 AM
Oh…they’ll think of something in a few minutes ma brotha’, no doubt about it.
Over.
1GooDDaDDy on October 3, 2008 at 9:04 AM
God’s honest truth. As we speak there are probably fifty extra reporters being HALO’ed into Wasilla, bringing with them shovels, boots and whatever else they need to dig-up whatever crap they can find against Sarah.
If not, they will find some “anonymous former CIA” dude who will swear that Palin’s earrings were actually the Mark V model spy-transmitter and Rove was giving her talking points.
Bishop on October 3, 2008 at 9:15 AM
Journalistic liberal B.O. mouthpiece Mary Mitchell wrote a rather dry and somewhat demeaning article in the Chicago Sun Times today about her “thoughts” on how Sarah Palin did in the debate last night. Mitchell did make the mistake of including a Comments section at the end of her piece, and I was nice enough to throw in my two cents as to what I thought about what she said. Perhaps others here would like to go to http://www.suntimes.com/news/mitchell/1200214,CST-NWS-mitch03.article and “share the love” with Ms Mitchell as I did earlier.
pilamaye on October 3, 2008 at 9:16 AM
It is true that Allahpundit has brought me over to the Dark Side, a forlorn place where the glass is not only half empty, but it’s also cracked.
Unlike my Dark Master, however, I believe in God and hence miracles. It is entirely possible that the Lord, in his mercy, will inspire people of good will to cast their votes for McCain and Palin – if only to prevent the U.S. from tottering entirely into Gomorrah.
On the other hand, the Darkness compels me to observe that, unfortunately, the ACLU has outlawed miracles. Sorry.
ManlyRash on October 3, 2008 at 9:17 AM
the lib/media spin this morning is astonding. They are scared again
jp on October 3, 2008 at 9:18 AM
You did not have to watch the debate to know that Sarah Palin won. Just scan the editorial pages of the MSM today and you will see the P.D.S. in the newsrooms, editorial offices, etc. has been revived.
It must suck to work for the NY Times, LA Times, Washington Post, AP, CBS, and NBC this morning. Someone better keep “Little Georgie Stephanopolis” away from sharp objects.
somedays on October 3, 2008 at 9:20 AM
One point I haven’t seen up here yet, though I haven’t read through all the comments, Biden’s comment regarding Gay Marriage. What will Andrew Sullivan do now that the Dhimmicrats have thrown “Gay Marriage” under the bus. Recognizing legal rights is only half the pie, they want legitimacy through a recognized marriage.
Sparky on October 3, 2008 at 9:22 AM
I saw the same thing, that is a God given gift.
If they lose, somehow they have to figure out a way to keep her name out there some and let her bone up on Foreign Policy experience. I suppose as Gov. of Alaska she can go to Afghanistan and Iraq some.
Who would she pick as VP in 2012? I’m guessing a seasoned Conservative Senator? Coburn, Fred if he’s healthy…maybe someone more moderate depending on where electorate is after Obama
jp on October 3, 2008 at 9:22 AM
Here is the analysis from myself and my Obama-supporting husband. This was the first debate we have watched together in years and years.
I was borderline terrified at the beginning and honestly expected to see a train wreck. I expected Gwen Ifill to attack Gov. Palin and be rather blatant about it. Thank goodness I was wrong about both. After the first couple of excahnges I exhaled and enjoyed it. I thought it was one of the best debates we’ve seen in years and by far the best VP debate ever.
After the first 10 minutes, my husband turned to me and said, “she came here to kick butt and chew bubble gum, and she’s all out of bubble gum.” He is a lawyer and nearly fell out of his chair when Biden said the VP’s role is defined in Article 1. But he did not like Palin’s answer on the VP role because he hates Dick Cheney.
When it was over, he said “who is that woman and what has she done with Sarah Palin?” (meaning the Sarah Palin that talked to Katie Couric)
As for me, I was thrilled. Any talk of Dan Quayle or Tom Eagleton is dead as a doornail. Sarah Palin can win this election for John McCain if he will let her. And I was a serious skeptic about her selection.
That Luntz focus group was incredible. People out there are MAD and they believe their government has utterly failed. They are working their asses off and they see the politicians taking vacations and going on book tours. I don’t think they blame George Bush personally for this, they blame a broken system that has forgotten them. These people saw a candidate who has not forgotten them, a candidate who IS them. Democrats can talk the talk, but Sarah Palin walks the walk, and even used phrases like that which totally connected with these average Americans. She is the real deal.
The Obama campaign and their media pals have done a good job the last 3 weeks painting a caricature of Sarah Palin as unintelligent, un-thoughtful, and un-cool. She demolished all of it last night.
“They’re gona need a bigger boat.”
rockmom on October 3, 2008 at 9:23 AM
We all sit back and shake our heads…
Keemo on Oct 3,2008 at 9:02AM
Keemo:I must say,your on fire!
I missed the debate,I watched the full debate last night,
then went to the news sites!
The Liberal MSM are Launching a “Mother Of All Spinning
Media War” on destroying last nights Smashing Success of
Palins win,
at all costs!!!:):)
canopfor on October 3, 2008 at 9:25 AM
“the folly of the McCain campaign’s press bubble for the last four weeks. Palin was confident, assertive to the point of aggressive, knowledgeable, and open.”
Perhaps Governor Palin seemed so knowledgable last night BECAUSE of the bubble, and the studying she did while she was in it.
smagar on October 3, 2008 at 9:26 AM
You are of course correct Sir.
I should have asked him how to pronounce ‘United Socialist States of “Northern” North America.”
The South would never lay down for that.
hawkdriver on October 3, 2008 at 9:27 AM
Wow, you’re on a roll this morning. I agree with not watching the Alphabet networks, in principle, but there is some value in knowing the enemy strategy.
Also good for a few laughs as well…I randomly flipped to CBS just as the debate ended, and Katie Couric interviewed Joe Lieberman first.
Liebs essentially B*tch slapped Katie by stating that Gov. Palin had far exceeded expectations based upon an interview with a certain person. Slow as she is, even Katie ended up laughing at that one.
It was like a mastercard commercial “Priceless”
Marine_Bio on October 3, 2008 at 9:32 AM
From Michelle Malkin:
First, I would like to see all the Sarah doubters and detractors in the Beltway/Manhattan corridor eat their words.
Eat them.
Sarah Palin is the real deal. Five weeks on the campaign trail, thrust onto the national stage, she rocked tonight’s debate.
She was warm, fresh, funny, confident, energetic, personable, relentless, and on message. She roasted Obama’s flip-flops on the surge and tea-with-dictators declarations, dinged Biden’s bash-Bush rhetoric, challenged the blame-America defeatism of the Left, and exuded the sunny optimism that energized the base in the first place.
McCain has not done many things right. But Sarah Palin proved tonight that the VP risk he took was worth it.
Her performance also underscored the underhandedness of the hatchet job editors at ABC News and CBS News, which failed to capture her solid competence on the whole array of foreign and domestic policy issues on the debate table tonight. (I didn’t care for all the “greed” rhetoric, but I understand they are trying to appeal to independents and Dems. They’re trying to win the election.)
Pause to reflect on this: She matched — and trumped several times — a man who has spent his entire adult life on the political stage, run for president twice, and as he mentioned several times, chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Sarah Palin looked presidential.
Joe Biden looked tired.
Sarah made history.
Biden is history.
Prediction: Watch for a whole new, severe strain of Palin Derangement Syndrome to begin tonight.
They hated her before tonight. They are going to pour on more unfathomable hate at a level we have never seen before.
Sarah, we’re praying for you.
Keemo on October 3, 2008 at 9:34 AM
I was not sure that Sarah would do as well as she did, but I was hoping.
From now on, Sarah does DEBATE PREP for John McCain. Not on issues, but on toughness.
kflynn on October 3, 2008 at 9:34 AM
Not at all! Look, you can come in here trying to short-circuit conservative enthusiasm for Palin, but it just doesn’t work.
In case no one else has said it, Palin is like the 2nd coming of Reagan. The same down-to-earth honesty that people are craving. It’s there, in an attractive, articulate, knowledgeable package.
Face it, you’re scared.
dominigan on October 3, 2008 at 9:35 AM
You’re getting paid for this? I hope you have some other more marketable skills after 11/4. Strike that; they should be firing your ass as of today.
kuhio on October 3, 2008 at 9:36 AM
***That Luntz focus group was incredible. People out there are MAD and they believe their government has utterly failed. They are working their asses off and they see the politicians taking vacations and going on book tours. I don’t think they blame George Bush personally for this, they blame a broken system that has forgotten them.
***
rockmom on October 3, 2008 at 9:23 AM
McCain needs to get off the bipartisan bandwagon and make this campaign about the opposition of Americans to the louts in Congress–regardless of party. And he needs to contrast Obama, who will do nothing but ram home a Democratic agenda. Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and some GOPers as well have been undermining Americans for years.
Screw the ticky-tacky policy distinction. Frank and Dodd and Franklin Raines need to be put on mugshots and paraded around as Willie Horton ads, and to the extent possible, McCain should promise that Fannie and Freddie are going to be cut off from the federal government once and for all.
BuckeyeSam on October 3, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Oops, wrong function. Sorry.
McCain needs to get off the bipartisan bandwagon and make this campaign about the opposition of Americans to the louts in Congress–regardless of party. And he needs to contrast Obama, who will do nothing but ram home a Democratic agenda. Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and some GOPers as well have been undermining Americans for years.
Screw the ticky-tacky policy distinction. Frank and Dodd and Franklin Raines need to be put on mugshots and paraded around as Willie Horton ads, and to the extent possible, McCain should promise that Fannie and Freddie are going to be cut off from the federal government once and for all.
BuckeyeSam on October 3, 2008 at 9:38 AM
Nice piece, Ed. She did great, and I was excited.
Spirit of 1776 on October 3, 2008 at 9:38 AM
We have to shoot down the meme that the MSM is developing that Sarah was stylistically great but Joe Biden was strong on substance which is pure bunk because Joe Biden made more than 14 errors.
promachus on October 3, 2008 at 9:40 AM
According to the transcript Biden said:
If somebody can help me out here, a) is the transcript wrong and b) if not is it still a gaff?
I thought him being on the Judicial committee for decades and not knowing it’s article II that outlines the executive branch, instead claiming it was article I was a pretty big gaff.
RW_theoriginal on October 3, 2008 at 9:41 AM
I don’t normally keep much of an eye on drudge, just an occasional check throughout the day, but have been checking his simple poll since finding it first thing this morning.
Essentially, that simple poll places Gov Palin ahead by about 2.5 to 1.
That is why Tom and several others may be scared, but most are just simply excited.
Marine_Bio on October 3, 2008 at 9:42 AM
I’m betting Kathleen Parker is still in her robe and slippers this morning, with a hangover.
BigD on October 3, 2008 at 9:42 AM
Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
Thank you.
/Zookeeper
ex-Democrat on October 3, 2008 at 9:44 AM
“They’re gona need a bigger boat”
rockmom on Oct 3,2008 at 9:23AM.
rockmom: Your take is accurate,Sarah was in full command!
To save Hopey/Changey,the MSM have to reverse this,
and outright lie, as their doing now!!:)
canopfor on October 3, 2008 at 9:44 AM
Oh and by the way, the druge poll is up over 350k respondents.
Simple but impressive.
Marine_Bio on October 3, 2008 at 9:47 AM
Lets be fair to Palin, she isn’t the second coming of Reagan, she’s the growing incarnation of Palin. There are certain things, speaking with fluidity, beginning a response talking to her opponent then turning to the camera and drawing it in, that she does better than Reagan did. She may turn out to be a Greater Communicator.
She doesn’t have the depth of knowledge he had going into his first term, be she’s, what, 25 years younger than he was then. Once she is out from under the McCain umbrella–hopefully, four years from now–she will really stretch her libertarian/conservative legs and be a timeless figure in American politics.
I do not think I am overstating things.
pugwriter on October 3, 2008 at 9:49 AM
In case no one else has said it, Palin is like the 2nd coming of Reagan.
Oh yes, others have said it. I’m mean, OK. If you think that, I can’t argue with your opinion, but…
Sarah Palin the second coming of the “Great Communicator?”
Sarah Palin doesn’t scare me. People who compare her to Reagan do.
Tom_Shipley on October 3, 2008 at 9:51 AM
The only one I saw trying to appear to be crying was Biden….
CC
CapedConservative on October 3, 2008 at 9:55 AM
It’s not PDS, it’s PMS: Palin Madness Syndrome
NoFanofLibs on October 3, 2008 at 9:56 AM
Mike Gallagher’s column today at Townhall about Parker.
1GooDDaDDy on October 3, 2008 at 9:58 AM
I just heard Byron York on Laura, the spin from the opposition is the wink. These folks are so trifling.
Cindy Munford on October 3, 2008 at 9:58 AM
There is a difference between playing the victim, like the moonbat liberals do, and being victimized by the MSM. EVERY single poll proves that the MSM, your favs by the way, are in the tank for Oslime-a and do everything they can to misrepresent McCain and Palin. They have become so embolden that they don’t even try to hide it now.
Well, I’ll tell you this, your buddy Couric looks like a complete hack this morning. Everyone will realize that Couric ambushed Palin and conversely will realize that she gave Greasy Joe a total pass on his ignorance of facts.
csdeven on October 3, 2008 at 9:59 AM
Now that there is funny, I don’t care who you are….LOL.
ex-Democrat on October 3, 2008 at 10:01 AM
pugwriter on October 3, 2008 at 9:49 AM
There is an upcoming article from York on Gov. Palin’s accomplishments as Alaska’s chief executive. Apparently she hasn’t gotten the deserved credit for her work there.
Cindy Munford on October 3, 2008 at 10:01 AM
Cindy, do you mean that they’re trying to spin the wink she gave the american public when she said she would work on John McCain’s ANWR position?
Marine_Bio on October 3, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Palin has accomplished more than ALL of them put together: McCain, Osama, and Bribem.
They are all used car salesmen next to her.
McCain(cough)/Palin ‘08
ex-Democrat on October 3, 2008 at 10:03 AM
Two Big Things:
1) Sarah couldn’t possibly have won the election last night no matter what she did, but she certainly could have lost it. The biggest danger that the conservative base who had been so electrified by her since 8/29 was starting to think maybe they didn’t know her as well as they thought they did and she really wasn’t ready for prime time. A bad performance would have been simply demoralizing. That danger has passed, and we will be able to count on an energized base for turnout on election day.
2) At the very worst, hope is still alive for 2012. Last night she faced the very real possibility of falling off the political cliff forever. A performance like the Couric interviews would have led to history writing her off as another Quayle or Eagleton, the punch line of future election jokes for years to come. And yet after only 5 weeks of running on a national ticket, she proved that she can get up there and trade blows with a 35 year Senator who has been debating these issues for years. Just think how much better she will be as a 2nd term governor that goes through the long primary process talking about these issues every day. Reagan had to lose to Ford in 1976 in the primaries, and have the country go through four years of the Carter Presidency to come roaring back in 1980. After four years of an Obama Presidency that is going to be starting in a recession and likely go downhill from there, there will be a Barracuda waiting for him in 2012 (if he survives the Ted Kennedyesque primary challenge from Hillary).
No matter what happens a month from now, last night Sarah Palin secured the future of the Republican Party going forward.
Dudley Smith on October 3, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Heh, that’s funny, but true.
Marine_Bio on October 3, 2008 at 10:04 AM
WOW! Jazz Shaws says:
Point to Palin for the race from me. The pundits will tear the individual statements apart for weeks, but Governor Palin not only beat expectations, but beat Biden fair and square.
I know Ed posted it up there, but I just like seeing it again.
Jazz thought expectations were so low, as long as Sarah didn’t DROOL on herself, she’d win. Well, Sarah had most of US DROOLING as the soccer mom scored
GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL! after
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!
I’m Original Pechanga and I approved this message
originalpechanga on October 3, 2008 at 10:05 AM
One of the Oslime-a clowns mentioned the “Say it ain’t so Joe” statement that Sarah used. He thinks she used it incorrectly.
Sarah knows that Biden was correct on the war and now he’s linked up with a traitorous dem who used American lives to further his political ambitions.
“Say it ain’t so Joe!”
csdeven on October 3, 2008 at 10:07 AM
Marine_Bio on October 3, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Yes, apparently. American’s need more than “a wink and a smile”. Apparently the wink offended Ms. Maddow. Byron said that several different people in their spin room mentioned winks. Can you see them all hovering around the monitor watching and taking notes on what to use later? The wink won.
Cindy Munford on October 3, 2008 at 10:09 AM
What I took away from that debate;
1. Biden all but assured that Obama would be engaging in a long, drawn out war in both Darfur and Afghanistan/Pakistan. This will not sit well with the lefties.
2. Biden lied about his support of clean coal and nuclear. Prior to the 1st presidential debate, McCain’s position was the “Kitchen Sink” approach (all of the above, except ANWR). Obama and Biden took the “All Green Alternatives” route with *no* nuclear, *no* clean coal, and *no* OCS drilling. After the debate, the polls probably showed those as unfavorable positions on energy and they changed course, and then last night tried to pull the wool over America’s eyes by saying they’d always been for it…both Palin and Ifill called him on that lie.
3. Palin was nervous, but aggressive. She has a real skill with addressing people and comes across as genuine, which is something that isn’t faked easily and is a real selling point for Americans that are tired of the BS in DC. From my perspective, she had Biden on the defensive most of the night.
4. Biden is an excellent public speaker. While he may not always get his facts right, and will apparently lie if necessary, he seems confident, relaxed, and knowledgeable (you know the old saying, “Fake it ’til you make it”). I was impressed with his performance.
5. Palin separated the McCain ticket from the Bush administration, undoing the primary attack of the Obama campaign (More of the Same(tm), Change We Can Believe In(tm), etc.).
6. Palin defended her stances on issues without appearing “stupid”, “ignorant” or like she was for enforcing her viewpoint (as if she actually could do that).
7. Bosniacs? Is that like a Brainiac with a Bos? Perhaps he meant Bosnians? Or, perhaps Joe thinks Americans should start calling themselves Americacs?
All in all, a better debate than the Presidential version. Palin relates to the audience and the camera better than John McCain does, and she presses the points of the ticket more strongly.
Geministorm on October 3, 2008 at 10:11 AM
If you dare, read Noonan’s article. It begins with “She Killed” and devolves into blushing praise of Tina Fey!
Noonan is convinced that Palin’s folksy manner is calculated, which is typical of beltway insiders who are used to politicians spinning like a top at every waking moment.
In her core, Noonan despises Palin. That makes me smile.
pugwriter on October 3, 2008 at 10:12 AM
Barely keeping up is a home run?
Awesome.
Dave Rywall on October 3, 2008 at 10:18 AM
I was surprised the WSJ let her keep that in. Noonan, Dowd, Parker —- they all have this catty disdain for and, yes, jealousy of, Palin. I find it highly amusing.
BigD on October 3, 2008 at 10:19 AM
It’s “hockey mom”, but she certainly did score. And she totally head faked the MSM Oslime-a shills in the process.
csdeven on October 3, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Regarding McCain’s ‘naming names’ in order to sway the undecided, I don’t think it will work.
Consider this:- About 40% are of the Left. They exist in a dense fog of ignorance, which means that they cannot be reasoned with.
About 40% are of the Right/Centre, and do not need to be told about such things as names – they already know.
The remaining 20%, the undecided, don’t want names – they want solutions. In their mind, that means financial help from whomsoever. In sum, placing the blame for this crash on the guilty will do nothing to solve the problem – only action to fix it will do that.
Unfortunately, because said 20% wants a cocoon of safety wrapped around their delicate psyches, they will be swayed by offers of instant help, rather than a policy to prevent further assaults on their ‘American Dream’.
OldEnglish on October 3, 2008 at 10:22 AM
If this strategy didn’t work against the guy they think is the child of the Antichrist and Hitler, what on earth makes them think this stupid strategy would work against the current Republican ticket?
Get ready for worldwide liberal outrage on November 5. Apparently the loss will blindsind them again, even though the rest of us see it coming….
Texas Rainmaker on October 3, 2008 at 10:24 AM
I agree, naming names will get the other side to say “Partisan politics”. Just point out the failure of the regulatory agencies and the people who care will figure it out.
If he names 10, they will name 15, and on and on. I like Palin’s approach…Not again, not on our watch.
right2bright on October 3, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Well thought out take. Bravo.
Over.
1GooDDaDDy on October 3, 2008 at 10:25 AM
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