Freedom's Just Another Word for Nothing Left to Lose

[krisomniac]

At least, that's what I was expecting Sarah Palin to say when she started to quote Reagan. I watched the debate first, Supernatural second (boys, it's not that i love you any less, I just thought you'd be better material for dreaming to).

The debate. Joe Biden did not just win the debate and win me (I have always loved Barack, but was dubious about his running mate), he knocked it so far out of the park, I think it has yet to land. In fact, I think Biden would hands-down win a debate between himself, Obama, and McCain. He made sense, he had facts, he could think on his feet, he managed to come off as intellectual, experienced, and human. And he never had to say 'gosh darn it' once.

Palin did not do quite as humiliating a job as I had expected. She was more or less ready to talk about four things (energy, taxes, Iraq and education) and she answered every question with one of those four. I thought it was a little frightening to see the ambitious glow in her eyes when she talked about her presidency if anything happened to John McCain. And she, like our illustrious president Dubya, thinks it's okay to mispronounce the word 'nuclear' when you are asking to be one of the few people in the world with the power to launch one.

The moderator, Gwen Ifill, I thought was brilliant. She was in control, not that these two were really anything but cordial, except the few times Biden took the stage. Her questions were interesting and tailored to the speaker, and despite the questions about her political leanings, I thought she was equally challenging to both.

Overall; good debate, though not quite the gaffe-fest I was expecting.

Comments

[scowling-hermit.livejournal.com]

I was rather disappointed that Palin wasn't as idiotic as I expected -- only because I enjoy ridiculing her. I really wanted to reach into the screen and shake her when she kept saying 'nucular', though.

[krisomniac.livejournal.com]

I know. Wonder what Tina Fey is going to use for material from this one. I mean, Sarah didn't do well but she wasn't a train wreck either.

[onehundredmoons.livejournal.com]

Biden definitely took it on content, but I worry that Palin won it in the "style" department, and I'm not just talking about her looks. That down-home dagnabit business probably appealed to a lot of people (though not you or me, east coast snobs that we are). Gwen Ifell did a fantastic job!

[krisomniac.livejournal.com]

I've never understood why we live in a country where speaking like an uneducated person is suddenly an important qualification in a leader...

*sigh*

(Biden's choking up over his sons though? I'm not sure she can take that from him in any way.)

[thistlerose.livejournal.com]

I love Obama, but I think he could take some debating tips from Biden. When he went off on her for the maverick claim - I think I might have swooned a little. *fans self* He was intelligent, fierce, respectful, and he didn't dither. I had my doubts when Obama picked him, but they're gone now.

[krisomniac.livejournal.com]

He definitely could. Biden manages to be angry without being huffy and to be intelligent while still being human (if not as 'folksy' as his rival this time around).

[immoralilly.livejournal.com]

I thought Ifill was great. Biden I'm not sure about - he did very well, but sometimes he got bogged down in the huge amounts he knows about EVERYTHING, which made him come off as a bit rambly. And his voice was a tad colourless. However, he is totally the kind of person I want to run the country. Screw friendly personae, he knows his shit and I like what I heard of his policies.

I swear, I almost reached through the TV screen and choked Palin every time she said MAVERICK. BAHHHH.

[krisomniac.livejournal.com]

Heheheee. exactly. I'm totally confused as to when "guy next door" and "folksy, down home" personality became prerequisites for the presidency. Because personally? I would not want any of the guys next door to me to ever in their wildest dreams try to run this country.

And yes! Thank god he quashed that nickname of McCain's!!