Notes on the Biden-Palin Vice Presidential Debate:
In the hour beforehand, we warmed-up by watching Hole in the Wall, otherwise known as So You Think You Can Fit Through This Hole? or American Hole (A-Hole, to its fans). It occurred to me later that I, like most of America, watched this game-show for the same reason as the debate: to see someone make an ass of herself on national television.
- Which I don’t think happened, necessarily. (In the debate, at least. There was plenty of Fail during Hole in the Wall. Also, a catfight.) In the sense that Palin clearly had been sent to Debate Boot Camp, sharpened her memorization skills and came armed with a bandolier of 100 4x6 college-ruled index cards full of comebacks and sound bites.
- Biden said “fundamental” (in various forms) eleven times.
- Biden shouldn’t refer to himself in the third person. Bob Dole knows where that got Bob Dole: hawking Viagra.
- Palin catchphrases: “surge,” “maverick,” “energy,” “Alaska” and “family.”
- Both oversaid: “troops.” Also “Wall Street”—everyone loves an easy villain.
- Both love: Jews (of voting age). And, via Palin, “...we both love Israel.”
- What wasn’t mentioned that surprised me: terrorism (within America) or religion (although God was invoked to thank, give blessing and forbid).
- Palin’s so cute, the way she drops the g’s from her present participle verbs (“bringin’,” “cravin’,” etc.) She’s America’s li’l dumplin’.
- We also appreciated her potential double-entendres, including but not limited to “surge,” “early withdrawal,” “drill,” “hungry,” “raping,” “cravin’” and “Bush administration.”
- I bet Vincent $5 that Palin wouldn’t say “hockey mom.” She did, within the first 15 minutes of the debate. As well as “soccer game” and “Joe Six-Pack.”
- I liked this Palin commentary from two ladies among our viewing group:
Megan: She’s, like, coming on to America.
Kelly: [faux girlish glee] She got highlights! - We played Palin Bingo. Andie won, but I challenge the first of her two bingos. Suggested by my notes and confirmed by the transcript, Palin never said “job creation.” She did say “so that jobs can be created here,” “create jobs” and “fewer jobs being created.”
Who do I think “won” the debate? Although still weak in substance and (at times) coherence, Palin came off as charming, folksy and more prepared than during her interviews with Katie Couric, which will appeal to certain voters (hockey moms and Joe Six-Packs?). Everyone loves a comeback. (I don’t know if it was chance or Rovian machinations to have an ill-prepared Palin agree to those interviews, but because of them, the media’s been ignoring Biden to deluge Palin with coverage and commentary.)
Biden came off as polished and presented more facts about what his party’s presidency would bring to the table.
And both candidates left unanswered questions or shoehorned in points they wanted to make no matter what was asked of them. These debates are about soundbites and image; by those criteria, it was a tie.