Da Dubious Debate

Watched the debate with Cindy. Actually enjoyed it more than the main event from last week. I think both sides provided a better show than I thought I was going to see. Palin was faaaaaar sharper than in any of her limited interviews as of late. Biden was less venomous and even kiltered than during the primaries. Turned out more civil than I ever imagined.

On Palin:

• Liked that she was gracious, slightly informal, neighborly, and subtly took the Ross Perot-like stance of a Washington outsider. 
• Liked that she was very knowledgeable about energy from her experiences in AK, as well as knowledge about what it takes to raise a MIDDLE CLASS FAMILY, because she and her husband and kids are still in the middle class. (Big points for that last item!)
• Liked that she correctly pointed out that McCain and Company tried to put more restrictions on Fannie & Freddy earlier this decade without blaming Clinton. 
• Liked that she was willing to talk about Iraq / A'stan as much as she talked about the economy.
• Didn't like that she was dry and predictable on the "War On Terror," giving little of her own opinion and only towing the party line. (I think she has an opinion and she isn't sharing it.) 
• Didn't like that she would not address lowering taxes on the Middle Class, or bankruptcy reform, or the plan to tax employers for health care benefits they provide to employees. 
• Didn't like the waffling on Global Warming. (One sentence she says AK feels it more than other states, other sentence she is saying it is a natural cycle.) 

On Biden:

• Liked that he was also gracious and unusually polite. He took fewer blatant shots  at McCain than I thought he would .And he was very complimentary of Palin and McCain on a few topics.
• Liked that he had more detailed numbers and statistics than Palin seemed to have. 
• Liked that he talked about his small town roots and his family's history in industries which are fleeing American soil.
• Didn't like how he would not answer about his offer to join McCain on the ticket as VP.
• Didn't like how he would not answer about how he thought Obama was not qualified to be Command & Chief
• Didn't like how he seemed to have more verbal stumbles and simplistic mistakes. Certainly expected his performance to be perfect. But he seemed to be rushed and gassed at times.

 I don't think there was a clear winner. Republicans who were worried about Palin likely feel better about her. Undecided voters are likely still undecided. And Democrats are still hoping they aren't watching the rise of an African American Jimmy Carter.

I'm still lamenting the lack of Ron Paul on the final ticket. But I'm a computer dork, what do I know?