(+5)
Here we are from Washington University in St. Louis, MO. The debate is moderated by Gwen Ifill. I’m watching live on CNN international from Tel Aviv, Israel (All time stamps are in my local time).
The Patriot Missive chat room is open closed.
4:00 am: Nice jacket Gwen. Turquoise looks so much brighter at 4am.
4:03 am: Palin gets the “first name” nonsense out of the way right away during the opening handshake, “Can I call you Joe?”
4:06 am: Opening speeches were smooth and concise for both candidates. What a relief.
4:09: Palin is first to speak directly to the other candidate… “I respect your experience…”
4:11: How many times can Palin say “hockey Mom’s” and “Joe six pack” tonight? I see a drinking game in my future.
4:14 Here comes Palin’s resume. She lists tax cuts she’s spearheaded in Alaska. She’s cut off by Gwen.
4:16: If you close your eyes, Biden sounds a little like Bill Clinton.
4:17: Interesting question” Is it class warfare to selectively raise taxes on some groups?”. Biden doesn’t think it’s very fair to pick on the Middle Class.
4:19: Palin says she doesn’t want the government to be involved in American health care. (Cuz, you know, that would be communism, or something.)
4:21 Biden makes a jab at the “bridge to nowhere” that causes an audible wave of noise in the audience. Isn’t the audience vowed not to make any noise?
4:30 An obvious dodge by Palin to shift the conversation to domestic energy. It literally made me say “grrrr” outloud.
4:31 Palin: “Man’s activities”? Are we still in the 50’s? (When referencing human impact on the environment.) Palin doesn’t believe weather changes are caused by human activity.
4:32 Biden does the same, “The cause is man made”. Apparently it’s the angry feminist that woke up with me this morning. Biden believes weather changes are from human activity.
4:35: Palin says, Please drill in Alaska. It’s my gift to the American people.
4:36: Do you support same sex benefits? Biden: ABSOLUTELY. (Said without an ounce of hesistation.)
4:38: Palin responds to same sex benefits: I am tolerant of gays. She pulls the “I know a gay, but…” card.
4:39: Ouch. Palin got a little confused about the question and repeated the same answer unknowingly. Audience laughs again. Was that a little snub by the moderator?
4:41: 40 minutes in and we shift to foreign policy (Iraq). Not exactly Palin’s strongest topic. This is where we start to watch for the train wreck.
4:45: Iran/Pakistan: A nuclear Iran or an unstable Pakistan? Biden: Pakistan already has nukes and can hit Israel now. If an attack comes to the U.S. again, it’s going to come from there. (His clear answer is refreshing to me.)
4:47: Same question, Palin: Iran can’t be allowed weapons. Israel in jeopardy. (Pronounces Ahmadinejad correctly, WTG.) No mention of Pakistan.
4:49 I just noticed that above the American flag lapel on Sarah Palin is a tiny Israeli flag too.
4:51: Israel/Palestine two state solution? to Palin: Israel is our ally. We won’t allow a 2nd holocaust. U.S. Embassy should be in Jerusalem (not Tel Aviv). We have to work with Israel. No clear answer to the question.
4:53: Same question, Biden: Bush administration policy in Israel sucks. No clear answer to the question.
4:56: Is this a real question about nukes? I’m confused. I think Palin is too. She asks the moderator to talk about Afghanistan instead. Literally.
5:00: Biden seems to be more and more irritated with Palin but still isn’t throwing very many punches.
5:06: Moving on to Iraq. Biden says he didn’t support McCain’s war plan. Palin says McCain knows how to win a war. ok. Not to be a dick or anything, but how does being a POW translate to “winning a war”.
5:08 Bush Doctrine is mentioned by Biden. I wonder if Palin has studied up on it by now?
5:11: “SAY IT AIN’T SO JOE!” Palin literally makes me laugh out loud with that line. Said in regards to education. Mentions Biden’s dead wife who used to be teacher, “Her reward is heaven”.
5:13 Palin; “Saying I didn’t know what a VP did was a lame attempt at a joke that no one got”. She got a great laugh out of the audience on that one. She has momentum now.
5:19: Palin says her family knows what it’s like not to have health care. Really?
5:20: Biden says his achillies heal is his “excessive passion”. barf.
5:21: Biden has a strange half sob/half burp moment when talking about his family.
5:28: Palin end’s with a message of bipartisan unity. Then something about taxes. Now something about energy. I think we’re just rambling now. Feels like both candidates are simply trying to fill the last few minutes.
My final thoughts:
I think Sarah Palin did about as good as she’s ever going to do (regardless of several meandering answers). She obviously studied for this one and was coached well. But on the other hand, I felt Joe Biden didn’t swing back as hard as he could have. If he took the opportunity to strike back, he would have come out ahead. But he didn’t so I’m voting this debate as a draw.
Complete transcript of debate can be found here and full video here.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Sphere: Related Content
