Debate

My impressions of the debate:

Sarah Palin outdid herself -- measured by the low bar of expectations we've seen in her interivews with Katie Couric.

She didn't fall on her face; she was never at a loss for words, as she was with Katie; she just kept blathering on.

But she didn't answer questions; twice near the beginning Gwen had to refocus her on the questions she had completely side-stepped.

If you like feisty women who can talk talk talk and string together cliches and memorized talking points, and be folksy and aggressive at the same time -- she's your gal.

But Joe Biden was great.

He was sharp, focused, vastly knowledgeable, passionate, argued straight to the point every time, countered Palin's misstatements forcefully, always kept his focus on John McCain and his policies. He showed he can be tough and also tender. His talking about his loss and being a single Dad, even getting choked up, effectively countered all her Mom talk.

And, in doing all that, he came through as genuine. She sounded canned, spewing out practiced lines.

Focus groups and instant polls showed uncommitted voters favored Biden by good margins, as much as 2:1. But let's also acknowledge: a lot of people like that feisty hockey mom from Alaska (aka Joe Six-pack) and they probably thought she was great. Well, she was great -- at being Sarah Palin. I just think that's not what we need in the Vice President's office.

Ralph