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Biden Draws First Blood From McCain
One big question hovering over tonight's debate was how each Veep candidate would focus the discussion on the opposing presidential candidate.
Joe Biden trains fire on McCain first, hitting him on his number one economy gaffe, the "fundamentals" line:
Until two weeks ago, it was two Mondays ago, John McCain said at 9 o'clock in the morning that the fundamentals of the economy were strong. Two weeks before that he said we'd made great economic progress under George Bush's policies. Nine o'clock the economy was strong, 11 o'clock that same day two Monday ago, John McCain said that we had an economic crisis. That doesn't make john McCain a bad guy, but it does point out he's out of touch.
Palin was clearly primed to respond to this one with the "fundamentals equals work force" hooey, and said:
John McCain in referring to the fundamental (sic) of our economy being strong, he was referring to and he was talking about the American work force, and the American work force is the greatest in this world.
And Palin followed up with an attack on Obama:
Now Barack Obama, of course, he's pretty much only voted along his party lines. In fact 96% of his votes have been solely along party line. Not having that proof for the American people to know that his commitment to is, you know put the partisanship, put the special interests aside, and get down to getting' business done for the people of America.
So in the first round, the exchange is: McCain has been supporting deregulation for decades and only became a populist when the economic crisis knocked his campaign off the rails...versus...Obama hasn't spewed the same platitudes about bipartisanship that McCain has.
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Biden knocked it out of the park on the Pakistan and Iraq question.
October 2, 2008 9:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hates her, precious. I hates her.
October 2, 2008 9:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
COSIGNED. Period.
October 2, 2008 10:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Joe is right on with diplomacy, very authoritative. go Spain!
October 2, 2008 9:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Biden is awesome tonight.
Israel - 50 times. We get it, honey.
October 2, 2008 9:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
What were the lines when she said "white flag of truce" in Iraq?
October 2, 2008 9:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ahh, the "passion for diplomacy" vibrating in this comment:
"Secretary Rice, having recently met with one side or another there.."
October 2, 2008 9:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
To be honest, so far, Gov Plain is doing what she has too. But there is no doubt that Biden is the superior debater so far.
PS.
Greg, traffic to this site must have spiked, because the page is taking forever to load. I take it the servers havent been upgraded? This is very annoying.
October 2, 2008 9:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
"We won't allow another Holocaust" - setting the bar high, I see. "Hey, we won't let several million of you die within the course of a few years."
October 2, 2008 9:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
...."The Castro Brothers"?
I think I have that album somewhere here...what? oh the Cuban dictator(s)...never heard of them referred to that way...
October 2, 2008 9:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perfect - Bush hasn't been a failure -
October 2, 2008 9:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
She just isn't answering the questions. And, if I hear the work "maverick" one more time...
October 2, 2008 9:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
...word, too. Sigh.
October 2, 2008 9:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
She hasn't answered one.
'Except Bush isn't a failure.
Please tell me this isn't going over - please?
October 2, 2008 9:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Boy, she sure is PERKY while talking about foreign affairs.
October 2, 2008 9:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't Perkia Latin for Diplomacy
October 2, 2008 9:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
She's tanking trying to avoid attacking Bush.
October 2, 2008 9:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you! I need a lifeline here -
October 2, 2008 9:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
What the fuck? The "blame game"? "Oh, we could sit here and argue about who led us into a fraudulent, costly war and tanked our economy...let's just say we're BOTH wrong!"
October 2, 2008 9:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Nook-u-lar"...Holy crap, that's my pet peeve.
October 2, 2008 9:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Also Also Also
October 2, 2008 9:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Palin's Tell: When she says "of course", she has no idea about what she's talking about. When you hear her say it, hold on to your seats, and wait for her to change the topic.
October 2, 2008 9:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Absolutely none. None.
October 2, 2008 9:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
She's just full of mottoes and slogans. Biden totally called her out on her lack of answers. Thank God for that.
October 2, 2008 9:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
He needs to keep repeating that over and over.
October 2, 2008 10:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
My notes tell me to bring up Afghan to differentiate us from Bush.
October 2, 2008 9:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm tellin ya - she's so into what she's got there that she is pretty good at more or less repeating the question and then talking about what she wants to - I hope people are getting this -
And why won't Biden bring up all the car bombings in Baghdad? There have been quite a few recently.
October 2, 2008 10:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Joe looked like he was about to blow a gasket when she gave him that "I'm so glad we both like Israel" bullshit.
(To my ears she may as well have said, "I'm so glad we both like Duran Duran".)
October 2, 2008 10:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
I got it, I know who Palin reminds me of! She's that dumb mom who likes to lecture the kids on the block -- clucking her tongue in that weird combination of scolding and flirting, loving the power and attention.
October 2, 2008 10:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
score for Biden
October 2, 2008 10:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's getting tougher and she's getting perkier. God, I HATE perky!
October 2, 2008 10:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not perky - adorable.
October 2, 2008 10:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
You hit that one one the head.
A friend of mine just texted me, "and please tell me not all women in Alaska sound like she does. She is soooo adorable."
October 2, 2008 10:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
3 months spending in Iraq to 6 and 1/2 years in Afghan - great stat.
October 2, 2008 10:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is anyone watching on CNN HD? They have little meters on the side where their stable of hacks 'n' hairdos can score the debate like its a damn talent contest. That's the idea. In practice, all they're doing is offering a measure of how seriously they are willing to whore out their integrity for McPowlin. Ed Rollins and Castallanos are hilariously high for Palin. John King is clearly scoring a bitch slap as a point even when its a lie or patent nonsense.
October 2, 2008 10:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Bosniacs? Nice one Joe! LOL...
October 2, 2008 10:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
If she drops one more fucking G, I'm going to pop a cap - never mind.
October 2, 2008 10:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you remember the character 'Judy Miller' on the recent sitcom 'Still Standing'? The part played by actress, Jamie Gertz was a nasally, low class suburban mom whose husband sold toilet bowls for a living. She has the look, the voice, and the accent of Palin.
October 2, 2008 10:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Has she dropped a 'ya' instead of 'you' into her speech like she did in the Couric interview?
October 2, 2008 10:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
"I'm a political outsider!" I threw my slipper again!
October 2, 2008 10:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hate the way she gets that coy little smile and tilts her head when she tries to hit him on something. I find it incredibly patronizing. It's like "I know I'm just a cute little girl, but...."
October 2, 2008 10:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just hates her.
October 2, 2008 10:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
She's floundering.
October 2, 2008 10:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
"im dumb but the pundits will figger it all out tomorrow moring..."
October 2, 2008 10:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is there such a thing as Barracuda repellent? I'm waiting for her to spit at Joe or fling an empty Molson bottle at him.
October 2, 2008 10:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
OH. My. Gawd. SHe winked at the camera. WTF?
October 2, 2008 10:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's not the first time, she's done it a few times. It's really annoying and I'm sure scripted.
October 2, 2008 10:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
It blows my mind that she can talk about a team of mavericks. That label never really applied to McCain but it is completely fake when it comes to S Palin!
October 2, 2008 10:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
What'dya expect from a couple of mavericks? GOD MAKE THIS WOMAN GO AWAY!
October 2, 2008 10:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's nothing but platitudes. She can deliver them but it's all completely Empty!
October 2, 2008 10:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's like a horror movie or a nightmare where you are stuffed with empty calories until you explode!
It's like eating the styrofoam popcorn that comes in packages.
Help me jebus!
October 2, 2008 10:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
She makes me want to throw up, such saccharine bullshit. Oh God, please help us send this woman back to Alaska!
October 2, 2008 10:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Okay we're in the final stretch here and she's feeling like she aced it so she's getting all personal and hockey-momish. But she looks like she's sweating like a pig WITH LIPSTICK!
October 2, 2008 10:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Palin's non-answer about Cheney and the VP's place in the executive/ legislative branch. WTF? She knew it was coming!
October 2, 2008 10:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
If the voters are voting on personalities, as McCains advisors have said, then Sarah has not done herself a bit of good tonight. This is one serious smart *ss.
Joe had that irish glare in his eyes a few times, which is good. He's only on when he's pissed.
October 2, 2008 10:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
You can like her without wanting to see her as President. I haven't understood the zeal for her to be made into a fool. She isn't a fool. She just isn't the kind of President we need with 2 wars and a depression. Not that we have any candidates ready to handle the mess we're in!
October 2, 2008 10:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Biden choking up! What a curve ball!
October 2, 2008 10:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
David Gregory thinks he actually knows what "people" think.
David, this "people" thinks you should point out that 95% of what Palin said didn't even make any sense. It was like trying to interpret what my 4-year-old says. I'm sure there's a point in there somewhere, but until I point to the cookie I don't really understand.
But I'm guessing David will stick with "she's foksy, and the people love that."
October 2, 2008 10:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Palin and her "Me N John McCain ae a couple of Mavericks, makes me want to puke. jehn McCain is a pandering old fool who wants to be President so badly, he has sold his soul.
October 2, 2008 11:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Palin clearly knows that they are going down, and is setting herself up to be the Presidential Nomination in 2012. She is so dumb, dhe thinks she has a clue
October 8, 2008 8:05 PM | Reply | Permalink