It's actually really difficult to identify Sarah Palin's absolute worst moment from the debate last night. There were so many. Folksily asking Joe Biden if she could call him "Joe" only to use it against him in her little "Say it ain't so, Joe" catchphrase of the night. Or calling the Obama/Biden plan for Iraq "waving the white flag of surrender" and railing against "early withdrawal." Then there was her ridiculous closing statement during which she fear-mongered about the fragile nature of our freedoms.

It was Ronald Reagan who said that freedom is always just one generation away from extinction. We don't pass it to our children in the bloodstream; we have to fight for it and protect it, and then hand it to them so that they shall do the same, or we're going to find ourselves spending our sunset years telling our children and our children's children about a time in America, back in the day, when men and women were free.

For an ideology whose rhetoric speaks mighty highly of America as "exceptional" conservatives sure do act as though the freedoms we enjoy are easily undone. Of course, that's not how they see it. For conservatives, this little speech of Palin's was a dogwhistle way of communicating a distorted syllogism: "Big government's gonna take your freedoms away. Obama/Biden is the ticket of big government. Therefore Obama/Biden are going to take your freedoms away."

What's amusing (and pathetic) about the Reagan quote that Palin referenced is its original context. From Krugman:

When did he say this? It was on a recording he made for Operation Coffeecup -- a campaign organized by the American Medical Association to block the passage of Medicare. Doctors' wives were supposed to organize coffee klatches for patients, where they would play the Reagan recording, which declared that Medicare would lead us to totalitarianism.

Umm, yeah, how's that worked out?

The irony of course is that it's been conservative governance (if that's not an oxymoron) that's done the most to infringe on Americans' freedoms under George Bush and a compliant conservative working majority in congress.

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We went to a debate party at the home of our colleague from Hagerstown Community College Sean Maher. It was a younger crowd than we usually hang around with (20s to 30s - My son Bud's age group... he was with us, too) and decidedly pro-Obama. I say that so as not to artificially color my views as a 62-year-old Obama supporter who fears the loss of investment retirement income, Social Security, home values, etc.

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DEBATE THEORY

Who was that Republican VP candidate last night?  Where was the bewildered, stumbling Sara Palin who was interviewed by Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric?

My theory is that the person who did those interviews was not the real Sarah Palin but actually was Tina Fey.

Whoever it was in the debate, she did well. She was direct, informed, assertive, and engaging. She spoke directly to the TV audience and clearly went a long way toward erasing the image of the clueless interviewee.  Certainly, she did not have the command of facts as Joe Biden and often was not responding to the question asked, but she far exceeded expectations and recaptured much of her initial appeal.

For his part, Joe Biden was properly respectful and avoided gaffes, condescension, and interminable answers. He showed that he was obviously more qualified to serve as vice president, or even president. and to that extent "won" the debate. However, Sarah Palin survived to fight another day.

But do I miss the Alaskan valley girl? You betcha.

homer  www.altara.blogspot.com

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OK, I'm watching FoxNews and the "text your vote" poll says that 86% felt Sarah Palin won and 12% felt Joe Biden won. If that doesn't say everything you need to know about how out of the mainstream conservatives are I don't know what does.

What else you got?

Update [2008-10-2 23:48:29 by Todd Beeton]:Wow. Joe Lieberman on Fox News, selling his soul:

She hit it out of the ballpark. She proved that she is ready to be John McCain's Vice President. She was strong, she was competent, she was informed, she was very genuine. She was humorous.

Wow. That's the former Democratic Vice Presidential nominee ladies and gentlemen. Oh, here's more:

"There was a magic moment tonight when she said "Say it ain't so, Joe."..She and John McCain are the ticket for the future and Obama and Biden are looking back."

Update [2008-10-3 0:1:9 by Todd Beeton]:Joe Biden: on message:

Update [2008-10-3 0:4:11 by Todd Beeton]:Howard Fineman just likened Sarah Palin to a "wolverine chewing through plywood."

Update [2008-10-3 0:7:38 by Todd Beeton]:A tidbit from the CBS snap poll: Among their pool of uncommitted voters, after the debate 18% switched to Obama, just 10% switched to McCain. 71% remain uncommitted.

Update [2008-10-3 0:10:29 by Todd Beeton]:Chris Matthews: "Did we learn anything about Sarah Palin than her ability to recite?"

Update [2008-10-3 0:15:5 by Todd Beeton]:Roger Simon is seriously raving about Palin's performance tonight. It's really pathetic. Chris Matthews is trying to bring him back to earth but he's not having it.

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What did you think?

Update [2008-10-2 22:37:5 by Todd Beeton]:Dare you to keep your eyes dry watching this.

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