It dawned on me during my commute home this evening that I’d never live-blogged an event, so tonight’s contest between the vice presidential nominees seems like a good place to start. I have no idea how often I will actually post, but will try to offer some useful insights as the evening unfolds.
Dick Morris just said something to O’Reilly that pretty much sums up my own view – this shouldn’t be Palin’s college graduation exam, but rather her opportunity to make Washington and its incumbency protecting corruption the central issue. That is precisely why I said earlier today that having the debate the night before the House is supposed to take another crack at passing a Wall Street bailout.
And in just a few minutes, we will see what we will see!
The debate set tonight looks very much like the one last week for the first McCain-Obama contest. Moderator Gwen Ifill can literally say she has broken a leg for tonight, having fallen and broken her ankle a day or so ago.
Palin looks exuberant, over-confident maybe?
Biden is nervous. But a nice opening statement. he’s going to bang on Bush no matter what the question is. I doubt he pays all that much attention to Palin.
She looks calm, confident. Nice touch opening with empathetic statement about fear. This could be a long night for Biden. Get the job done, Obama votes with his party 96 percent of the time. Yes!
Palin: Darn right it was the predatory lending. Yes on corruption on Wall Street, we need to take responsibility for ourselves. Never again will we be taken advantage of.
Biden is trying valiantly to be level, reasonable, unthreatening. Good answer on “John” calling for more deregulation. Deregulation was the promise. Joey Danko. I wonder if Joey is a campaign volunteer.
Palin: Government is going to have to be more efficient. Barack voted 94 times against the people Increasing taxes is the way to kill jobs.
Biden: Where I come from its called fairness. When you do well, Middle America, all America does well. Good line, delivered effectively.
Palin: Blam on small businesses being taxed as the rich. HYou said paying taxes is “patriotic.” Patriotic is saying government get out of the way, let our families and the private sector grow and prosper. She nailed Biden on that one.
Palin: Getting detailed on health care. Good stuff.
Biden: Very strong on health care comeback. I call that the ultimate bridge to nowhere. Might be the best line of the night.
Biden: Expected the question on what of your proposals will you not be able to afford because the foreign assistance slowdown was a throwaway line, used to set up attack on McCain tax cuts.
Palin: Your running mate voted for those tax breaks for Exxon. I had to take on the energy companies, I had to break up a monopoly and make sure the people come first. Slick response, delivered well.
Biden: I agree with the Governor, she applied a windfall profits tax, that’s an Obama idea, but John McCain won’t support a windfall profits tax, he wants to give them another $4 billion. Does Biden realize she is going toe-to-toe with him while looking into the camera and talking to the people?
Palin: Nonsensical position when we have all this energy and a government that won’t let energy producing states like Alaska to produce it. Energy independence is the key to America’s future.
Palin: We know climate change is real. Let’s argue about how we are going to get there, to clean up this planet, to encourage other nations to come with us. First governor to form a climate change sub-cabinet group.
Biden: I think it is man-made. If you don’t understand the cause, it’s virtually impossible to come up with a solution. McCain has voted 20 times against alternative energy.
Palin: I support capping carbon emissions.
Biden: Do I support benefits for same-sex couples as they do in Alaska. Sounds like another set-up question from Ifill for Biden.
Palin: Not if it goes closer to redefining traditional marriage, I would not. No one in a McCain-Palin administration would oppose things like visitation, contracts. But I am against redefining marriage.
Nice response by Palin on the Biden challenge regarding gay marriage.
Palin: Sounds nervous on Iraq answer.
Biden: Obama has a plan for Iraq. The only odd man out here is McCain. We will end this war. There is no end in sight with John McCain.
Palin: Hesitation on response on Iraq, but recovering. You even said you would be honored to run with John McCain.
Biden: John McCain, I love him as my mother would say, but he’s been wrong on the facts about Iraq.
Nuke Iran or unstable Pakistan?
Biden: I focus on Pakistan, already has nuclear weapons. Iran not close to having nuclear weapons it can deploy. If an attack comes, it will dome from the hills of Pakistan and Afghanistan. That’s a solid point. Can Palin respond effectively?
Palin: Patreus and al Qaeda said the central front is Iraq. Iran cannot be allowed to acquire nukes, Israel is in danger with Imanutjob in Iran, says Israel is in danger. No pre-conditions for meetings with the such leaders is dangerous, naive.
Palin: Had a good conversation with Kissinger recently. These dictators hate America. They can’t be simply sat down with at the presidential allies. Diplomacy is hard work for serious people.
Israel. Is a two-state solution the solution?
Palin: It is. We must assure Israel there will be no second holocaust. Israel has a track record of seeking peace, They did it with Jordan, They did it with Egypt.
Biden: No one in the Senate has been a better friend of Israel.
Palin: Enough is enough with your ticket constantly looking back and playing the blame game. There were mistakes in this administration as there has been in every administration. I can’t wait to hear how the MSM will manipulate and mis-represent what she just said about mistakes.
Biden: I haven’t heard any differences. We will change the policies to restore America as the most respected nation.
Palin: Sounds uneasy on nukes. Don’t ask if you can talk about Afghanistan, just do it! Obama’s comment that we’re only bombing villages was reckless.
Biden: Let me repeat that. Who is he patronizing, Palin or the American people?
Biden: Was that the Gore sigh? Joe seems to be a little impatient;. A gaffe could be in the offing.
Troops in Darfur?
Biden: Americans support success. I admit it, I was the first to recommend policies in Bosnia that saved thousands of lives. Waffling, again, on why he voted for the Iraq war authorization. We can impose a No-Fly zone in Darfur. I’ve seen the suffering, I’ve been in those camps. Stop this genocide.
Palin: It’s so obvious I am a Washington outsider. Americans are craving straight talk. You supported Bush until this race came along. Notes she supported divestment from Sudan in Alaska.
Biden: I would carry out Obama’s policies blah blah blah. Experience in debate showing here in taking advantage of opportunity to turn an awkward question into a statement of why peoploe ought to vote for me and Obama. Smart. Biden is sharp.
Palin: What do you expect with a team of Mavericks. He’s never asked me to check my opinons at the door. A little slow to pick up on the same opportunity as Biden did. bringing common sense of Wasilla to Washington. Just every day working class Americans saying government get out of the way, etc. etc.
Biden: Katy Street Restaurant riff. More blah blah blah.
Palin: Say it ain’t so, Joe, there you go again pointing backwards.
Palin: Nice touch on the lame veep jokes. She is so decent and good, maybe a bit too much sometimes, like with the wink.Oops, doesn’t sound so confident on the do you agree with Cheney query.
Biden: Cheney has been probably the most dangerous vice president in American history.
Palin: Conventional wisdom question. Not just my executove experience is our connection with Middle America. Todd and I had times when we didn’t have health insurance, we understand what that’s like. City on a Hill. Were not perfect, but we’re the only ticket with a record of accomplishment.
Biden: I’ve been in office for 35 years, I’m not going to change. Oops, that could become a very damaging sound bite. Not sure about the gulp at the mention of his lost family, seems a bit Clintonesque, the Ron Brown funeral tear.
Biden: Let’s talk about the Maverick, I love him but he’s not been a maverick on the issues that matter to Americans. He’s not a maverick on the war or on anything that people talk about around the kitchen table.
Biden: Seems again to expect the question on issue on which he had to change his mind due to circumstances. Mention of Judge Bork probably not a good idea.
Closing statements:
Palin: We’re going to fight for Middle America. We are blessed. It was RR who said that freedom is always just one generation away from extinction. We have to fight for it. If we don’t we will find ourselves someday telling our children about a time when people were free. That is rather Reaganesque.
Biden: More blah blah blah. Certitude in our neighborhoods. Champ, when you get koncked down, get up. Akward Strange
Verdict: 50-50, with a slight edge to Biden on Iraq discussion, slight edge to Palin on appeals to the audience.
