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MeganMcKenzie
Friday October 3, 2008 10:03 EDT
How Sarah Palin blew it

Joe Biden and Sarah Palin were talking to two different Americas Thursday night. Actually, that's unfair to Joe Biden; he was trying to talk to everyone. I can say for certain, though, that Sarah Palin was talking to -- and winking at -- her own private Idaho, and for long stretches of the debate, it was an unnerving experience.

We could be in for a few days of pro-Palin commentary, since her subjects and verbs corresponded. For at least the first hour, she held her own; she was funny sometimes, occasionally charming. Still, the Obama-Biden ticket will survive it. Biden was stronger on every single substantive point, and that's the impression that will last.

But the pit bull in lipstick was back. After her disarming "Hey, can I call you Joe?" Palin was vicious, with a winning smile. After a passionate Biden plea to "walk with me in my neighborhood," in Delaware and Scranton, where "the middle class has gotten the short end," she ridiculed him: "Say it ain't so, Joe, there you go again! Pointing backwards again!"

There were two key moments for me when Sarah Palin blew it badly. One was substantive, one was symbolic. The substantive was her bizarre statement about being happy that Dick Cheney had expanded the powers of the vice-presidency, and wanting to expand the powers more. I think that's what she said, it was one of many moments I didn't entirely understand her point, but I got her overall meaning. Biden came back with a decisive: "Vice President Cheney has been the most dangerous vice president in American history," and he defended the existing limits on vice-presidential power. Point: Biden. Big time.

The symbolic moment Palin flubbed was subjective, of course. But I instant-messaged a friend that she lost the debate when Biden choked up over losing his wife and child in a car accident in which his sons were critically injured -- and she went straight back into "John McCain is a maverick." I truly expected her to express human sympathy with Biden, and her failure to do so showed me something deeply wrong with her. But maybe that's just me.

She made other mistakes that others have already caught: She called the top commander in Afghanistan "General McClellan"; his name is David McKiernan. She said the troop levels in Iraq are down to pre-surge levels; they're not. She simply didn't answer a lot of the questions. Moderator Gwen Ifill tried to pull her back, but Palin is stubborn; she had her talking points, and she stuck to them.

I thought Biden and Palin tied for the first third of the debate, that Palin actually won the second third on moxie and charisma, not policy (Biden looked visibly angry at a few points, and that's never good), but Biden cleaned her clock in the last third. He quoted his dad telling him, "Champ, when you get knocked down, get up!" -- and he listened to his father. Biden got up, and he won the debate.

We'll see how it plays out in the days to com
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12 comments // How Sarah Palin blew it

  • AveryMoore
    • 0
      AveryMoore  
    • JohnA writes,

      "Salon.com thinks Joe won the debate. Alert the media! I could have told you that before they even had the debate. They thought Obama won all the debates that Hillary kicked his ass in too."

      ALERT THE MEDIA!

      JohnA is a closet PUMA!

    • 4 years ago
  • desertcat
    • 0
      desertcat  
    • Sarah may have won the debate but she did not win the debate. All anyone was talking about was her folksy approach but it wasn't so folksy after Biden almost cried when speaking about raising his sons. Al were saying what a heartless bitch she was. She also came across as charming yet without any clear knowledge of the issues. And I dam ignoring the talking heads from Fox Noise, their views are unimportant.

      The first couple weeks she was a novelty now she is everyone's fear.

    • 4 years ago
  • ChristmasAsen
  • nufsenuf
    • 0
      nufsenuf  
    • Joan Walsh is spot on! Palin revealed her true character when, as the" compassionate conservative", she didn't even blink when Joe Biden let his defenses down, and spoke of the tragedy in his life, the loss of a wife and baby daughter, and the subsequent pain and sorrow that he and his surviving boys endured. This is a telling moment, friends - this is the "Soccer Mom" unveiled. However, I must say that her complete lack of compassion or empathy does not surprise me. This is woman who supports the brutal and inhumane practice of sharp-shooting wolves and other predators, to further the agendas of the NRA, and other powerful hunting lobbies, who use her state like a three-dollar whore. .Her support of such brutality automatically disqualifies her as a "woman" , as far as I am concerned. "Real Women" don't champion death as a form of amusement. "Real Women" stand up for what's right for their children and grandchildren, and don't kiss ass, or suck up , or sell their souls to the "man", for their 15 minutes of fame. The real tragedy here, is that perhaps she really could make a difference , but that she has chosen not to She is a pawn, and a sorry one at that!

    • 4 years ago
  • ChristmasAsen
  • MeganMcKenzie
    • 0
      MeganMcKenzie  
    • In fact her evil attacks on Obama today which "link" him with a terrorist that blew something up when Obama was 8 years old goes beyond slime. I am sickened, ashamed, and damned angry with the hypocrite McCain is using his "war hero" status whenever he can squeeze it into a conversation and then slime Obama with this. Palin calls herself a Christian? More like the antichrist.

      Our son served 3 tours in Iraq in the worst hot spots there were as a Marine. He missed the birth of his daughter, her first two birthdays, and also moved up quickly in rank. He served with distinction and honor and do you know that NEVER ONCE has he alluded to being a hero or that his combat time earned him special consideration. Now he is serving as a police officer in a large urban area which is very dangerous and do you think he brags about himself? NEVER.

      McShame is disgusting.

    • 4 years ago
  • GatorMonkey
  • dkincheloe
    • 0
      dkincheloe  
    • MeganMcKenzie:

      Megan,

      That was a lovely message you left here. I'm so sorry that your son was (and now is again) in harm's way. What a brave, strong son you've reared. And if he's anything like his mother, he would be an asset to any police force. Thanks. You lifted my spirits. David

    • 4 years ago
  • GatorMonkey
    • 0
      GatorMonkey  
    • JohnA you are disillusioned. First of all Salon.com is not the only news resource who has declared Biden the winner. Polls across the board are pointing toward Biden and, what is it, 53% of those who watched?

      Palin speaking in full sentences for the first time since joining the campaign does not equate a win... haha

    • 4 years ago
  • JohnA
    • 0
      JohnA [removed]  
    • Salon.com thinks Joe won the debate. Alert the media! I could have told you that before they even had the debate. They thought Obama won all the debates that Hillary kicked his ass in too.

    • 4 years ago
  • GavinTheMother
  • ChristmasAsen
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