Having seen Sen. Biden drop all kinds of gaffes, I was looking a narrative like this after the debate.

Sarah Palin showed she is a hockey mom and Sen. Biden didn't respect a regular person and was talking down to her. Blah, Blah, Blah.

I expected Sarah Palin to do well and repeat her talking points from her memory with a smile. She did that and did anyone really think she can't repeat talking points?

After hearing her response to a specific question from Couric on supreme court decisions, no one should think she has a problem with speaking. She goes on with her answer not caring about the fact that she is not answering the question or her answer is not making sense.

Expectations for Biden is he will screw this up. No one thought he doesn't know the poilcy details. So for me if the debate didn't include any gaffes from Sen. Biden, its a huge victory for Democrats.

PS : I'm not big fan of winking unlike Rich Lowry

For those of you who voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004 because you felt like you could have a beer with him, how do you feel now?

Still want to have a beer with him? Let us see what the top 3 disasters in the last 8 years were.

-Iraq war
-Response to Katrina
-Worst economy

Hopefully there are some lessons learned and in 2008, there won't be a vote for a hockey mom because you can identify with Gov. Palin.

ENOUGH!

Its clear McCain doesn't have good judgement when it comes to policy decisions or selecting VP candidate.

I have heard a lot from media that Sen. McCain has foreign policy experience. Anyone knows where exactly he got this experience? Is media confusing foreign policy with defense policy? He is not(as far as I know has not been) member of foreign relations committee in the Senate.

What is McCain's policy toward turmoil in Sri Lanka or economic policy toward BRIC? Should India/Japan be included in UN security council as permanent members?

Next time when someone says Palin is going to learn from the MASTER" of foreign policy John McCain, someone needs to ask what is his experience exactly in foreign policy?

http://www.thatminoritything.com/?p=53193

Every presidential election seems to be about personalities. Who can I have a beer with? Who do I feel comfortable with? Who do I think I can relate to? Who speaks with a southern accent? Are we really ready for a black president? Can a woman be president? These are the questions media wants to focus on and they think Americans want to vote on as well. If people actually looked at the tax cuts under Obama and McCain's plans and if they are voting based on tax policies, majority of American should be voting for Sen.Obama. But media goes with the line that republicans are for tax cuts and Democrats are for tax hikes. If people are voting based foreign policy, (Iraq war, not funding the war in Afghanistan, taking action in Pakistan etc), Sen. Obama should be winning. But media takes a position that McCain is an "expert" in foreign policy and that's been told many many times with no facts behind it, how do you discuss the fact that McCain's policies aren't good? Sen. Obama's positions are far superior to Sen. McCain's. McCain lies about facts and media reports it as there are some people in Democratic party who are calling these a lie. Why can't they just say its a lie? Media doesn't pay attention to the policies and therefore its not covered like it should be. What is covered is noise, who said what, how to control the news cycle, cheapshots, lies, sexim, racism. This is the same MSM that usually obsessed with scandals. They are covering presidential elections like covering another scandal. Shallow analysis at best on policies and in-depth analysis on side shows and noise.

Every presidential election seems to be about personalities. Who can I have a beer with? Who do I feel comfortable with? Who do I think I can relate to? Who speaks with a southern accent? Are we really ready for a black president? Can a woman be president? These are the questions media wants to focus on and they think Americans want to vote on as well. If people actually looked at the tax cuts under Obama and McCain's plans and if they are voting based on tax policies, majority of American should be voting for Sen.Obama. But media goes with the line that republicans are for tax cuts and Democrats are for tax hikes. If people are voting based foreign policy, (Iraq war, not funding the war in Afghanistan, taking action in Pakistan etc), Sen. Obama should be winning. But media takes a position that McCain is an "expert" in foreign policy and that's been told many many times with no facts behind it, how do you discuss the fact that McCain's policies aren't good? Sen. Obama's positions are far superior to Sen. McCain's. McCain lies about facts and media reports it as there are some people in Democratic party who are calling these a lie. Why can't they just say its a lie? Media doesn't pay attention to the policies and therefore its not covered like it should be. What is covered is noise, who said what, how to control the news cycle, cheapshots, lies, sexim, racism. This is the same MSM that usually obsessed with scandals. They are covering presidential elections like covering another scandal. Shallow analysis at best on policies and in-depth analysis on side shows and noise.

Karl Rove has once again divided the country effectively for making McCain pick Sarah Palin and let her go on a "Lying" tour around the battleground states.

People are upset on both sides now.

Republicans think media is  giving her a hard time even though they are asking legit questions and exposing her lies. This energizes their base and give them the votes.

Obama supporters think she is not ready, corrupt, Bush-like etc.

This is what republicans know. Divide the country based on some wedge issue and excite your base and not focus on issues or past failures.

I'm hoping Sen. Obama forgets Palin and focus 100% on issues only.

He is on the right side of issues. He needs to get Joe Biden do the attacking and also get outside org do the attacking.

Some rough excerpts from Terry Gross's interview with Thomas Friedman.

Terry Gross : What is your take on  candidates's position on energy?

Tom F: I'm very disappointed at John McCain. There is a bill pending before senate for the the last 1 year that  gives tax credits for production and investment of wind energies.
It failed 8 times and all 8 times McCain didn't show up and one time it failed  by 1 vote.

.....

McCain supported lifting the federal gas tax which is such a absurd giveaway

McCain is really misleading the American peole and making them stupid that if we drill, drill,drill, the gas prices will come down today and if  Sen.Obama doesn't say drill, drill, drill, he is for increasing the gas price.
Its bloody dishonest, making people stupid and I  find it disgusting

Listen to it here.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94385403#94381412

Some rough excerpts from Terry Gross's interview with Thomas Friedman.

Terry Gross : What is your take on  candidates's position on energy?

Tom F: I'm very disappointed at John McCain. There is a bill pending before senate for the the last 1 year that  gives tax credits for production and investment of wind energies.
It failed 8 times and all 8 times McCain didn't show up and one time it failed  by 1 vote.

.....

McCain supported lifting the federal gas tax which is such a absurd giveaway

McCain is really misleading the American peole and making them stupid that if we drill, drill,drill, the gas prices will come down today and if  Sen.Obama doesn't say drill, drill, drill, he is for increasing the gas price.
Its bloody dishonest, making people stupid and I  find it disgusting

Listen to it here.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94385403#94381412

Here is a "transcript" of Gov. Palin's interview.

Thank you Gov for sitting down with us for this interview. I'll get right to it.

Q : What is your experience on foreign policy?
A : I think this question has been addressed several times by the campaign. But just for the record, I live next door to Russia and that is something no other candidate can say.

Q: Same question on National security
A : I was the commander of Alaska National guard for the last 20 months, making several decisions related to being the commander.

Q: What is your position on Iraq?
A: I fully support the surge and its working.

Q: Do you fully support Israel?
A: Yes and to prove it I have an Israeli flag in my office and that says it all.

Q. What is your Education policy and do you support "No Child Left Behind"?
A : Of course I support education and I don't want any child left behind in the US. Also I would strongly support teaching creationism and also no-sex ed at schools.

Q: What is your position on executive power?
A: Before I answer the question, I want to point out that no other candidate in the race has the executive experience and therefore not fully prepared for the job.  I have been an executive and (ab)used the  power to make executive decisions.

Q: What is your position on taxes?
A: I support making BUSH's tax cuts permanent and I'm for tax cuts and  not for tax hikes.

Q: What is your position on healthcare?
A: We need to leave it to the free market to provide the best healthcare and also there is emergency rooms for those who are uninsured.

Q : What is your energy policy and please address global warming as well.

A: I would say drill drill and drill. We  have enough oil for everyone here in the US.  Global warming is not man made and we don't need address it by reducing green house gases.

Thank you Gov for your time.

We are now joined by our analyst to analyze the interview.

Q: We have only 30 secs left before we have to go to commercial. But what did you think about the interview?

A: She hit it out of the park. She answered all the questions. She explained the answers in simple terms like George W. Bush.

Any doubts people had that she is not ready is now put to rest. I think she is ready to be president on day 1 if needed.

That's all the time we have. Thank you everyone.

End of "Transcript"

Here is a "transcript" of Gov. Palin's interview.

Thank you Gov for sitting down with us for this interview. I'll get right to it.

Q : What is your experience on foreign policy?
A : I think this question has been addressed several times by the campaign. But just for the record, I live next door to Russia and that is something no other candidate can say.

Q: Same question on National security
A : I was the commander of Alaska National guard for the last 20 months, making several decisions related to being the commander.

Q: What is your position on Iraq?
A: I fully support the surge and its working.

Q: Do you fully support Israel?
A: Yes and to prove it I have an Israeli flag in my office and that says it all.

Q. What is your Education policy and do you support "No Child Left Behind"?
A : Of course I support education and I don't want any child left behind in the US. Also I would strongly support teaching creationism and also no-sex ed at schools.

Q: What is your position on executive power?
A: Before I answer the question, I want to point out that no other candidate in the race has the executive experience and therefore not fully prepared for the job.  I have been an executive and (ab)used the  power to make executive decisions.

Q: What is your position on taxes?
A: I support making BUSH's tax cuts permanent and I'm for tax cuts and  not for tax hikes.

Q: What is your position on healthcare?
A: We need to leave it to the free market to provide the best healthcare and also there is emergency rooms for those who are uninsured.

Q : What is your energy policy and please address global warming as well.

A: I would say drill drill and drill. We  have enough oil for everyone here in the US.  Global warming is not man made and we don't need address it by reducing green house gases.

Thank you Gov for your time.

We are now joined by our analyst to analyze the interview.

Q: We have only 30 secs left before we have to go to commercial. But what did you think about the interview?

A: She hit it out of the park. She answered all the questions. She explained the answers in simple terms like George W. Bush.

Any doubts people had that she is not ready is now put to rest. I think she is ready to be president on day 1 if needed.

That's all the time we have. Thank you everyone.

End of "Transcript"

Here is a "transcript" of Gov. Palin's interview.

Thank you Gov for sitting down with us for this interview. I'll get right to it.

Q : What is your experience on foreign policy?
A : I think this question has been addressed several times by the campaign. But just for the record, I live next door to Russia and that is something no other candidate can say.

Q: Same question on National security
A : I was the commander of Alaska National guard for the last 20 months, making several decisions related to being the commander.

Q: What is your position on Iraq?
A: I fully support the surge and its working.

Q: Do you fully support Israel?
A: Yes and to prove it I have an Israeli flag in my office and that says it all.

Q. What is your Education policy and do you support "No Child Left Behind"?
A : Of course I support education and I don't want any child left behind in the US. Also I would strongly support teaching creationism and also no-sex ed at schools.

Q: What is your position on executive power?
A: Before I answer the question, I want to point out that no other candidate in the race has the executive experience and therefore not fully prepared for the job.  I have been an executive and (ab)used the  power to make executive decisions.

Q: What is your position on taxes?
A: I support making BUSH's tax cuts permanent and I'm for tax cuts and  not for tax hikes.

Q: What is your position on healthcare?
A: We need to leave it to the free market to provide the best healthcare and also there is emergency rooms for those who are uninsured.

Q : What is your energy policy and please address global warming as well.

A: I would say drill drill and drill. We  have enough oil for everyone here in the US.  Global warming is not man made and we don't need address it by reducing green house gases.

Thank you Gov for your time.

We are now joined by our analyst to analyze the interview.

Q: We have only 30 secs left before we have to go to commercial. But what did you think about the interview?

A: She hit it out of the park. She answered all the questions. She explained the answers in simple terms like George W. Bush.

Any doubts people had that she is not ready is now put to rest. I think she is ready to be president on day 1 if needed.

That's all the time we have. Thank you everyone.

End of "Transcript"

Here is a "transcript" of Gov. Palin's interview.

Thank you Gov for sitting down with us for this interview. I'll get right to it.

Q : What is your experience on foreign policy?
A : I think this question has been addressed several times by the campaign. But just for the record, I live next door to Russia and that is something no other candidate can say.

Q: Same question on National security
A : I was the commander of Alaska National guard for the last 20 months, making several decisions related to being the commander.

Q: What is your position on Iraq?
A: I fully support the surge and its working.

Q: Do you fully support Israel?
A: Yes and to prove it I have an Israeli flag in my office and that says it all.

Q. What is your Education policy and do you support "No Child Left Behind"?
A : Of course I support education and I don't want any child left behind in the US. Also I would strongly support teaching creationism and also no-sex ed at schools.

Q: What is your position on executive power?
A: Before I answer the question, I want to point out that no other candidate in the race has the executive experience and therefore not fully prepared for the job.  I have been an executive and (ab)used the  power to make executive decisions.

Q: What is your position on taxes?
A: I support making BUSH's tax cuts permanent and I'm for tax cuts and  not for tax hikes.

Q: What is your position on healthcare?
A: We need to leave it to the free market to provide the best healthcare and also there is emergency rooms for those who are uninsured.

Q : What is your energy policy and please address global warming as well.

A: I would say drill drill and drill. We  have enough oil for everyone here in the US.  Global warming is not man made and we don't need address it by reducing green house gases.

Thank you Gov for your time.

We are now joined by our analyst to analyze the interview.

Q: We have only 30 secs left before we have to go to commercial. But what did you think about the interview?

A: She hit it out of the park. She answered all the questions. She explained the answers in simple terms like George W. Bush.

Any doubts people had that she is not ready is now put to rest. I think she is ready to be president on day 1 if needed.

That's all the time we have. Thank you everyone.

End of "Transcript"

Here is a "transcript" of Gov. Palin's interview.

Thank you Gov for sitting down with us for this interview. I'll get right to it.

Q : What is your experience on foreign policy?
A : I think this question has been addressed several times by the campaign. But just for the record, I live next door to Russia and that is something no other candidate can say.

Q: Same question on National security
A : I was the commander of Alaska National guard for the last 20 months, making several decisions related to being the commander.

Q: What is your position on Iraq?
A: I fully support the surge and its working.

Q: Do you fully support Israel?
A: Yes and to prove it I have an Israeli flag in my office and that says it all.

Q. What is your Education policy and do you support "No Child Left Behind"?
A : Of course I support education and I don't want any child left behind in the US. Also I would strongly support teaching creationism and also no-sex ed at schools.

Q: What is your position on executive power?
A: Before I answer the question, I want to point out that no other candidate in the race has the executive experience and therefore not fully prepared for the job.  I have been an executive and (ab)used the  power to make executive decisions.

Q: What is your position on taxes?
A: I support making BUSH's tax cuts permanent and I'm for tax cuts and  not for tax hikes.

Q: What is your position on healthcare?
A: We need to leave it to the free market to provide the best healthcare and also there is emergency rooms for those who are uninsured.

Q : What is your energy policy and please address global warming as well.

A: I would say drill drill and drill. We  have enough oil for everyone here in the US.  Global warming is not man made and we don't need address it by reducing green house gases.

Thank you Gov for your time.

We are now joined by our analyst to analyze the interview.

Q: We have only 30 secs left before we have to go to commercial. But what did you think about the interview?

A: She hit it out of the park. She answered all the questions. She explained the answers in simple terms like George W. Bush.

Any doubts people had that she is not ready is now put to rest. I think she is ready to be president on day 1 if needed.

That's all the time we have. Thank you everyone.

End of "Transcript"

Bush's policy has been no Government regulation but bail out companies that are in
trouble.

What is McCain's position on Government regulation and bailing out companies when they go bankrupt? Is it 100% free market or government intervention?

No talking points. But a thoughtful answer is what we need to demand.

Republicans have been good at painting every issue as black and white

Good vs Evil
San Francisco vs small towns
Arugula vs beef
free market vs centrally planned
for us vs against us

But most issues are not black and white.
I'm all for free market capitalism. But when Govt is willing to rescue the companies with tax payers money, then there has to be conditions.