Jonathan's Debate Thread
by Jonathan Singer, Thu Oct 02, 2008 at 06:22:49 PM EDT
Here's my debate thread...
- We just had the moment of the debate, Biden defending his fatherhood, chocking up when recalling when he was a single father who wasn't certain that one of his children would survive.
- MAJOR Palin gaffe moment: Embracing Dick Cheney as her model for Vice President. Cheney's numbers are terrible. Poorly played.
- Marc Ambinder is completely right: "Palin is running out of TPs; she's repeating them"
- Palin gaffe alert: Mistakenly calls General McKiernan, the head of the effort in Afghanistan, General "McClellan." Whoops. Says Ben Smith, "McClellan was a Civil War general, McKiernan is the current one."
- Palin was able to muddle through the domestic policy half of this debate without too much trouble or damage, but when it comes to the international policy half she and her empty talking points are just no match for Biden.
- Not a good showing here. Palin doesn't understand the question from moderator Gwen Ifill about the use of nuclear weapons, confusing the implementation of such arms with the proliferation of them. Whoops.
By the by, the timing of the Associated Press article running under the headline "Judge refuses to block Alaska Troopergate probe" -- coinciding with the Vice Presidential debate, hitting papers at the same time as the write ups of the first meeting of Sarah Palin and Joe Biden -- isn't great for the Republican ticket.
Prior updates below the fold...
- What is Palin talking about on "change coming"? Rattling of meaningless rhetoric may sound good, but where's the beef?
- A terrible contrast for Palin. Biden says, "We will end the war, they won't", and Palin hesitates for a couple of seconds before feebly trying to claim that Biden is raising the white flag. Ouch.
- Wow. Very interesting. Biden comes out strongly in favor of rights for same sex couples... and Palin seems to agree with him (or at least doesn't attack him for his position). Rove and 2004 this isn't.
- "Drill, baby, drill"? Really? Not the most presidential sounding statement...
- In case you missed it... Palin: "I've Been at This For Like Five Weeks"
- One thing is clear so far: Tonight's debate is significantly feistier than Friday night's presidential debate.
- Biden is DESTROYING the McCain healthcare plan, noting that it raises taxes by over $3 trillion to replace $12,000/year healthcare plans with $5,000/year healthcare plans.
- Biden is certainly not taking it easy on Palin: "The Governor did not answer the question on de-regulation."
- Palin is certainly sounding smoother than she has in earlier interviews... But is there any gravitas there? I'm not so certain.
- Good. Biden isn't keeping the gloves off in the wake of Palin going negative from the get-go.
Tags: Debate, Vice President, White House 2008 (all tags)
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