Another Debate

Posted Thu, 10/02/08

I still wasn't impressed by Sarah Palin in the vice-presidential debate tonight. It seemed as if she was forcing a false bravado as she stared into the cameras, along with sounding like she was reading from a text book. Of course she wasn't reading from a text book, but her answers were pat and obviously well-rehearsed.

Is it just me or did anyone else hear her utter the word "also" about two hundred times, rushing in between her sentences with almost every answer? One commentator likened her to a wolverine grabbing onto the pant leg of a passerby, inserting Alaska whenever she could and not directly answering the questions put to her by the moderator. One of the last questions of the night was what each candidate considered their "Achilles heel," and Palin proceeded to go on a rant about John McCain as if it came from a speech rather than addressing what was asked of her. She also failed to defend McCain's healthcare plan for middle-class America, probably because he doesn't have one.

Her little folksy act and the "I'm just like you" routine rang a hollow note as well. I just don't buy it.

Joe Biden, on the other hand, was relaxed and self-assured - as he should be. He's been in the Senate for almost thirty years, and he knows for what he speaks. His answers were concise and proven by factual record.

As of one hour after the debate ended, the polls at MSNBC noted the following in a live vote about who won the vice-presidential debate:

  • Joe Biden: 53%

  • Sarah Palin: 37%

  • Tie: 4.4%

  • Not Sure: 5.7%

The poll was based on 348,260 online responses.

Tags: Politics