Reply To: Political Statements
Three words: better than expected. All she had to do was not implode. And really, she would have been hard-pressed to do worse than the performances she has given over the last few weeks. My main criticism of her is that, especially towards the beginning of the debate, she kept employing variations of, “I’m not gonna answer that question. Let me regurgitate these talking points on a different subject instead. Doggone it! [wink]” And some of those talking points area dead-wrong, though the McCain campaign still won’t let them go. (“Obama still hasn’t admitted that the Surge was a success.” At last week’s debate, MCCain quoted Obama as saying it had succeeded beyond his wildest expectations, but then went on to repeat his own contradictory talking point. Yeesh.) At least Biden used his talking points to address the questions at hand. Towards the end of the debate she fell back on being homey and cute. (Reminded me of the SNL sketch. “Did you just get more adorable?”) I don’t think there was an original thought in her head the entire time, but she did manage not to look like a babbling idiot. It scares me that before a month ago, these are subjects that she probably had no interest in contemplating. The thing is, she appeals to those folks who wanted to have a beer with W. She’s so darn folksy! And she sure showed that Joe Biden what’s what, I tell ya!
I was mostly very happy with Biden. He’s someone that I wasn’t following before he was selected. Before tonight, I had heard about his shoot-from-the-hip reputation and seen some video. Like Palin, he also exceeded expectations, by coming off as very affable and respectful towards her, without being condescending. And he could teach Obama a thing or two about being succinct and decisive in a debate. The only time he disappointed me was on the question about the causes of the economic crisis. Palin bleated out the same old claptrap about predatory lenders and Wall Street greed. And he responded with the party line about deregulation. I think he understands that the issue is more complicated than that, and I would have liked to hear a more nuanced answer.
I think that both sides will count this as a win. Biden, because he actually won, and Pailn, because she wasn’t reduced to spewing out-and-out nonsense.
For Shruti: “Get out of my secret Christmas place Sarah Palin!”