Tie Goes to the Senator

I'll synthesize my initial thoughts on the VP debate, here and now.

Everyone's expectations for Sarah Palin (and I mean everyone, from Joe Schmo to Joe Scarborough) were exceeded. Though she was talked up by both campaigns and the MSM beforehand, we all expected (hoped for? feared? planned our evenings around?) some verbal abomination. It didn't come, and overall, I think she held her own. Her "folksy charm" (Charm? Is that what I'm feeling?) actually carries some weight in some parts, and when she has a simple point to express, she expresses it effectively. But boy do those longer sentences get confusing.

Joe Biden, for his part, excelled. He did a very good job of speaking to John McCain, and avoided getting caught up in petty bickering with Palin. He got a little too wordy and senatorial at points, but when it really mattered-- especially on Iraq-- he brought his points home, and he brought them home hard. And how does he get his teeth so white?!

I'll give Biden the edge, just because, for the vast majority of Americans, Obama & Biden are on the right side of the issues, and Biden did a great job communicating the big points. Palin succeeded by virtue of not failing, but that's not going to win anybody any elections.