TPMCafe
« Bailout Redux: The Real Choice Ahead | Home | Lasting Legislation »

Vice Presidential Debate

user-pic

Your thoughts?


688 Comments

| Leave a comment

I'm praying.

user-pic

I'm nervous!

Is it over yet?

user-pic

Yes

It makes me mad, why oh why should we feel this nervous when the opponent is an obvious idiot?

Joe, please...

it's over before it began

I'm hoping for a train wreck. Is that unamerican?

I can't watch. It's too awful.

It's American, we love tabloid blotter

For once I wish I had a TV. Just listening on NPR.

Can I call you Joe?

user-pic

Half a point for Palin.

-- ARG

She's gonna call him Joe...

That's nice...

So it begins

Introduced her as Governor Palin and then just "Joe" Biden. No slight there, am glad it wasn't the other way around.

kiss it Joe

Hey guys, this is my 1st post, I am on here all the time. I feel like I know you guys.

Do you have that twenty bucks you owe me?

Hello. I have been reading a long time too, even if I do not comment much. Anyway, nice to see you, Josh.

Soccer?

user-pic

Joe was ready for the bailout question.

So is Palin -- soccer mom.

-- ARG

Has this been a good time or a bad time in the economy? Good question if you don't know anything.

Ok, before all of this is over, her accent is going to drive me INSANE.

Should we start a "betcha" counter?

"Betcha" count indeed. How about a tally of these as well: "gosh darn," "up there," and "also, too." My beginning speech students know this stuff as garbage and filler. And don't even get me started about NUCULAR.

My first post, by the way. You regulars crack me up!

She already brought up the hockey rink.

Oversight? Seriously?

huh? Off on a tangent at the gates? Oversight from a repug?

She's quivering...and really not comfortable.

Heh, I am too.

:/

They're both wearing flag pins!

user-pic

Don't let 'em hear you sigh, Joe!

-- ARG

Oh god, the soccer mom thing...

she is nervous

suspending his own campaign. . .I thought that was debunked. . .

"SUSPENDED HIS CAMPAIGN"... BIG "PERCEPTION" DROP AT THOSE WORDS.

Is she always going to begin with Biden? Better if Palin is first I think.

Joe's being to techie

the joe line was good....

So far Biden focusing on McCain and Bush - that's good.

Neither of them are looking at the other. Uh oh. Then again, they seem to have never met? How odd.

oh I'm a fundamental!

OMG, she just winked at America.

Is Palin reading off index cards?

She WINKED at ME!

user-pic

I seriously can't deal, and watching the ballgame instead. Please let me know if it's safe to wade in.

She's spouting a script. Oh dear, oh dear.

Is that what it was? I thought maybe they had swapped her with a robot.

user-pic

Not fair to Palin that she has to defend McCain's ridiculous "the fundamentals are the workers" statement.

-- ARG

Why does this remind me of the Winona Ryder trial?

Five minutes in, she's a different person from those interviews.

That's sorta true, but she also sounds to me like the "Disclaimer Voice" at the end of a radio spot, like she's trying to cram in a memorized line before the end of a 30-second cutoff...

Wow! what a sexy answer!

Palin appears to be well-scripted at this point...

She's really showing signs of being quite over-coached. She's already used her worn out cliches and catch-phrases. "soccer game" "you betcha" "darn right" (twice already!)...

You know, this is not good - she is looking directly into the camera and coming off very sincere.

SLOW. MOVING. TRAIN. WRECK!

user-pic

Joe Sixpack count: 1

-- ARG

Ooooh she invokes "Joe Six-Pack"

Am I at the wrong debate....sounds more like a PTA debate

Lila -

did you find any women economists yet?

When the hell was Palin ever exploited by predatory lenders, or wall street for that matter?

Biden needs to loosen up. He seems tense. Don't overthink this thing.

Holy shit...she's loaded for moose with slogans

When will Joe pull out, "I'd like to know what Gov. Palin thinks about that..."

She's been given rhyme and verse on this subject.

Darn right? Heck? Hurtin'? Downhome 6 pack lingo?

How can you have a "team of mavericks"? That's like the Union of Lone Gunmen.

user-pic

I was thinking Clydesdales when she said that.

LOOK AT THE CAMERA, JOE!

Simplistic answers to simplistic problems. Not real world. All make believe.

She's so over-practiced and stiff. Joe is flowing.

Biden's doing a good job contrasting McCain and Obama... I just wish he's relax a bit.

Christ did I choose the wrong drinking game word. Tomorrow will be difficult.

I think Biden's affect is intentional. Non-threatening, not letting himself get worked up.

Pop Quiz: Who wins in a fight, Joey Danko or Joe Six-Pack?

She seems a little nervous; she's speaking quickly, maybe a little too quickly.

Biden is a little slower in response, which I think is good.

So far Biden seems a little more specific.

Palin doing better than the Couric interview.

She's already won the debate. I'm just saying.

She's getting sarcastic and nasty already. It's only been 15 minutes!

She's got a real nasty attitude. That face she makes as she's talking scares me worse than Chucky.

Unfortunately, I don't think it matters. Her sarcasm isn't as cutting as McCain's and doesn't come across as particularly nasty. Her folksy manner wears well too. She comes off as completely reasonable and not at all dumb.

I'm drinking every time I see the Irish smile. Yeaaah, baby.

Why drink then? I find it totally intoxicating all on its own.....

Nice switch from regulation to tax relief

user-pic

She's not screwing up. So she's exceeding expectations. Joe needs to counter-punch these "facts" she's spewing.

-- ARG

She has no clue what goes on in Washington and her resolutions are childish.

Now, she's lying. Damn, why do they keep repeating this lie!

Ooooh, someone called her out!

that's right Joey - call her out!

Thank you Joe!

Awesome gas tank anecdote...

user-pic

THAT's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

477 times! Woo-hoo!

-- ARG

Hit her on her track record...troopergate

Obama and Biden voted for the highest tax increase in US history!!!!

I think I've officially drifted into La La Land.

They told her it doesn't matter if you answer the question.

Exactly.

She is supposed to answer next about taxing health benefits. What are the odds on that?

I'm not going to answer the questions like you want!

Gwen throws herself in front of the firehose, YES!

The Ifill defense rears its head! It's a vast left wing conspiracy.

SHE DIDN'T ANSWER - THIS WILL BE HER TACTIC (OR IS THAT A STRATEGY?)!!!

She's gettin' a bit fiesty. Interesting to watch the meter on CNN.

Ifill: Why is that not "class warfare"?

WTF?

user-pic

Yeah, the question now is can she play for 4 quarters? She may run out of cliche's before too long.

-- ARG

She's not really working with cliches. She's working with prepared answers. I think she'll manage.

user-pic


Agreed.

-- ARG

Here it comes. The wheels are about to come off. Biden showing compassion, Palin starting to show signs of nervousness and defensiveness...

Argh, I'm still trembling.

She's reading index cards

It doesn't matter if she's using index cards. It's working. She's coming off as credible.

We have a different value set" -- also nice.

Ok his tax answer is good. He's very sincere on it.

Here it comes. The wheels are about to come off. Biden showing compassion, Palin starting to show signs of nervousness and defensiveness...

i may be biased, but Biden doing well...

Joe pulls out Ronnie Reagan. Nice.

Wait, did SP just say that "redistribution of wealth" is bad?

The American People are not Patriotic!

This is how it was in Alaska during the governor debate. She says whatever she wants, no matter the question.

She's calling him out now - isn't that against the rules???

Yeah, Palin, because Trickle-Down has worked soooo well.

Who is she to define patriotism?

Sometimes, I speak to my government, too... I say "Government, what the fuck?"

Inchoate....Rage...RISING!! How can the governor of the #1 pork-per-person state say that GOVERNMENT IS THE PROBLEM??? :-X

Men are rating her higher, and women giving higher points to Biden?!?

It's because she's SOOOOO gorgeous... just ask the President of Pakistan...

What the hell is 5K going to buy ANYONE!!! A co-pay?

McCain' $5,000 health credit is half what it will cost.

user-pic

She has ready answers.

Agree with you upthread. She's won, based on the expectations coming in.

Biden's doing fine. But that was already expected.

-- ARG

On the contrary, she is clearly quoting her coached lines. That's not a win, that's regurgitating. And she is not winning on content and using her "down-home" talk.

user-pic

Dude (or dudette), all I'm saying is that the bar was set so low for McPalin that if she doesn't come out and drool all over herself tonight, she'll be declared the winner. (She's not convincing me, BTW.)

-- ARG

Am I mistaken that Obama's health plan DOES NOT include a large nationalized plan?

OK I just logged on, but did anyone else notice SP responding to something while Joe was talking about Obama's tax plan...as though somebody else had spoken to her? Watching the split screen on CSPAN

isn't a debate where you have to answer or debate the questions? why does she get to use this as an infomercial?! WTF?

user-pic

Hit 'em HARD on that tax on healthcare bennies, Joe!!

-- ARG

Palin is a one-woman misinformation campaign.

Damn, he's good.

BRIDGE TO NOWHERE!

OW! ULTIMATE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE!

Boo ya, "straight to the insurance company," you tell 'em Joe! He is so good with the facts and figures, very Kitchen Table-y...

"Ultimate Bridge to Nowhere," sweet!!

ultimate bridge to nowhere!!!

Bridge to Nowhere! POW!!!!!!

bitchslapped!

"Ultimate bridge to nowhere..." good one!

'the ultimate bridge to nowhere'
audible laughter

nice.

Hahaha! The crowd couldn't keep the laughter inside.

user-pic

He killed her on the health plan response. Great job!

Ultimate bridge to nowhere..now we see why McCain fought to limit the back and forth...

This is sooo much more engaging than the Presidential debates. Gotta say it.

Ok, Biden is relaxing now and he's getting much better.

I hope Palin falls apart when they get to foreign policy.

So far, everything Palin has said is general without specifics or details

CSPAN is the best way because of the split screen. She seems snarky, not confidant. He is stepping on his tongue a bit.

but the sound on cspan has reverb bouncing around all over the place...

She did not just say some runnin' with John McCain. Hick.

She's "running with John McCain"? Is she like Natalie Wood in "Rebel Without A Cause"?

user-pic

Canned responses from Palin. The vegetables are mushy.

wtf....?

Arrrrgh (sorry, can't help shouting)

She's reading off index cards...look at her!

She's goin' off track and as an Alaskan, I can tell you she's lying about what she's done here.

Palin struggles to not say "thanks, but no thanks" to that Oil Company tax break.

Seriously... why does the moose hunter get to just talk about whatever she wants?

I'm not one of your FAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNSSSSS

Is she not answering the questions? Going on to what ever she wants to say. Hope someone notices this in the MSM.

ExxonMobil...bless their hearts..."

Gee, that'll win over the dude who can't fill his gas tank...

Interesting ... neither sex cares for her sarcastic bits.

He's trying to blind her with his teeth. Awkward times to smile, however.

my wife sez palin's just campaigning to keep her job as governor of alaska. ha.

user-pic

True, her whole political career is in danger now.

She started out good, but she's going downhill fast.

She's Rah Ra'ing - Gwen has to cap that

Palin says she's been at this for 5 weeks - not exactly the best way to answer the question.

PALIN-BOT, Kill it with fire!

user-pic

She just called for "massive oversight"! Is she for big government or against it?

Put government back on the side of people? I thought she earlier said to get government off the back of the people?

is anyone else sort of confused by the Biden grin?

"bless Exxon..." ??!!!

Hairplugs N Lipstick ...sound like a 80's hair metal band

Good Joe... call them on the facts But no!! Don't say "Agree with..." We DO NOT !

user-pic

Joe's good on the windfall profits tax -- says that's what Palin did up in Alaska. Strong.

-- ARG

Nice hit on the windfall tax lie...nice to call her out on supporting it in AK, why not convince McCain to do so...

Palin's flag pin is freaking huge.

Is she really reading off index cards?

Does she know how to answer any questions?

Um, no

user-pic

Head rearin' count: 1

-- ARG

Uh-oh....bleep bleep bleep!! Does not compute!! The talking points endless loop is stuck on repeat!

I liked Biden's emphatic "SIX...HUNDRED...BILLION... DOLLARS"

John McCain is a one-man leader in the Senate.

Oooh, she just got caught out with the bankruptcy bill question. Ha! She won't really answer problem.

AND MAIN ST. IS KILLING WALL ST? Reeeally?

"crisis on main st. affecting wall st." better send them the $700B quick.

All of her friends call her Alaska........Lou Reed ...anyone?

Except when people ask what's in her mind, they're not laughing.

talk about a toxic mess...this woman is a giant oil spill...joe IS speaking more slowly, I like his style tonight...

did she just say the mess on main st hurting wall st...??!!!

Barack saw the glass as half full was not a good line.

LOL.

She cannot answer questions.

She's crashing, more and more going off topic.

I don't think she's crashing, though she is occasionally losing focus in her eyes.

OMG. Energy. crackwhore.

user-pic

Joe's playing the game well.

Getting his best shots in when he goes last, just before the change of topic.

-- ARG

Barack saw the glass as half full was not a good line.

What is this a free for all? Is no one going to make her answer the question asked?