“[John McCain] in an interview on CNN, insisted that ‘the overwhelming majority of the people that come to my rallies are good and decent and patriotic Americans’ who are worried about the country’s future.
And to somehow intimate that the overwhelming majority of those people, with rare exception, are somehow not good Americans or are motivated by anything but the most patriotic motives is insulting. And I won’t accept that insult,’ Mr. McCain added.”
Fair enough. Let’s allow the supporters of the Republican McCain-Palin ticket speak for themselves:
Hm… In all this talk of Obama’s connection with Bill Ayers, I wonder if Republican supporters are aware that McCain sat on a board that the Anti-Defamation League called ”a gathering place for racists and anti-semites, with links to Nazi collaberators and right-wing death squads.”
Sarah Palin made her much hyped debut on Saturday Night Live, taking her jabs with a consistent smile. Good thing she can take criticism well, ’cause with an extremist right-wing platform such as hers, it ain’t gonna stop here.
Later on in the show she showed up on Weekend Update.
Previous sketches:
Tina Fey as Sarah Palin:
Tina Fey as Sarah Palin for the Katie Couric Interview:
MSNBC reports that retired General and former Secretary of State Colin Powell has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama on Meet the Press today, “because of his ability to inspire and lead.” Colin Powell is a
Noting that the Republican party is moving much farther to the right, and that McCain’s focus has become much narrower, Powell criticized McCain’s negative ad campaign tactics.
Obama displayed the depth of judgment needed, said Powell.
Speaking to the press afterwards, Powell said that Obama brings ”a fresh set of ideas to the table.” He continued, “Senator Obama has shown the calm, patient, intellectual approach to solving problems that we need in this country.”
Speaking of the Iraq war, Powell said that things are beginning to turn around, and that the Iraqis are going to have to be responsible for their own future.
Returning to talk of the campaign, he said that the presidential election should not be about “who’s a Muslim and who’s not a Muslim; those types of images going out on al Jazeera are killing us right now.”
Powell invoked this image of a fallen soldier’s mother and gravestone.
Powell also discussed current events of politcial discourse, saying “We need to stop this kind of nonsense”, speaking of the recent comments by Minnesota’s GOP Representative Michelle Bachmann, who has called for aMcCarthy-like witch hunt into the patriotism of congress members.
Concerning taxes, Powell said that “taxes are always a redistribution of money…and taxes are necessary for the common good.” As for the notion that Obama’s ideas are ’socialist’, as asserted by the McCain campaign, Powell described them as “an unfortunate characterization that is not accurate.”
“This is the gold standard in terms of endorsements”, said the Obama campaign.
Powell says he does not have plans to campaign for Obama.
Gen. Colin Powell was the 65th United States Secretary of State under President George W. Bush (2001-2005), Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989-1993), and National Security Advisor (1987-1989).
Reflections on Oliver Stone’s ‘W.’. Includes spoilers.
Sad and surprisingly accurate, ‘W.’ by Oliver Stone explores the internal struggle of George W. Bush Jr.’s random quest to find importance, his place in the world, and earn the respect of his father.
The film begins with W. standing center field in an empty Texas Rangers stadium, staring up at the lights. Donned in a baseball uniform, the crack of a baseball sends him reeling back to the outer wall where he triumphantly reaches out to mitt the ball.
Bookended with a similar shot at the film’s denouement, Stone’s initial allusion shows the limited reasoning and focus of W.’s mind, and his ideas of victory. The center fielder stands in a large swath of space for all to see (yet the stadium is empty in W.’s case)… He wears the uniform of his purpose, understands the rules of the game, and has a simple goal: to catch the ball and throw it back. Like a dog. Fetch and retrieve. Simple. Predictable. Easy to fathom glory and appreciation.
Centered on W.’s decision to invade Iraq, the film is dotted with sometimes awkwardly timed flashbacks to yesteryear, delving into W.’s university days, binge drinking, jobs leveraged by his father, and the looming shadow of his father’s constant disappointment in W.’s lack of achievement; something that haunts W. up to and beyond his decision to run for governor of Texas.
W.’s gubernatorial run irks his family, as his older brother Jeb is simultaneously running for governor of Florida, and who the elder Bush believes is better suited and qualified for a life of significance.
Seemingly born into the wrong family, W. undergoes a conversion of spirit through his embrace of Alcohol Anonymous-style Christianity, replacing his youthful debauchery with religion (a more noxious substance).
Called by God to run for the presidency, W. achieves his objective yet fails to garner his father’s respect that he desperately seeks, as W.’s decisions demonstrate he lacks his father’s wisdom, especially in his decision to invade Iraq. So easily swayed by the self-serving and ideologically-driven advisors surrounding him, W. plays the fool, believing in his position as ‘the decider’, yet too dense to understand the forces at work around him. Or for that matter, the consequences of his own use of force.
Like Lennie of Mice and Men, W. is too obtuse to recognize the extent, implications, and consequences of his power and actions. Just as Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife while trying to stroke her hair, in his choice to invade Iraq, W. becomes Lennie, an obtuse man of grand stature who only wants to do good, but who is too intellectually limited to understand the reality of his actions, the forces that guided his trajectory, and the reasons why he is hated.
Channeling the comedic genius of Tina Fey’s mockery of Sarah Palin by quoting her word for word (Palin’s answer to Katie Couric’s interview question about her asserted foreign policy credentials concerning Alaska’s geographical proximity to Russia), actor Josh Broslin who plays W. nails President Bush’s famed failed answer on what his greatest mistakes have been as president and what he has learned from them.
Being unable to summon even one mistake of his presidency, W. is at his most revealing, as the simple limitations of his intellect and lack of a reflective life come roaring to the surface. While many of the White House inner circle are portrayed as caricatures, W. demonstrates that in many ways he actually is one, a man born into a circumstance that goes against and above his grain, a politically-minded family that he eventually succumbs to and thrives in for all the wrong reasons.
With a notable portrayals of Dick Cheney by Richard Dreyfus and George H. W. Bush by James Cromwell, ’W.’ takes an especially sympathetic look at Gen. Colin Powell’s fall from grace. The caricatures of White House advisors portends a frightening peek into how history will judge the Bush administration, from the weaselly Karl Rove to a smug Condoleezza Rice.
In the end ‘W.’ displays George W. Bush as a limited mind elevated into a position of power through the circumstances of his birth into the Bush family, his failure at finding his own path, and an internal struggle to do good in his father’s eyes.
As the movie closes, W. finds himself back in center field, this time in his presidential suit, staring once again up at the lights, waiting to play out his preconditioned role as ball catcher. As the crack of baseball hit roars in his ears, he stares up at the lights in anticipation, yet the ball never appears and he is left in confusion.
W. finds himself out of his league, ostensibly confused by his own obliviousness to the complicity of the world he has positioned himself in as leader, a world now in havoc by his own hand. Like Lennie, W. not only fails to comprehend the consequences of his actions, he lacks the depth and ability to be truly remorseful.
W. sought his father’s respect through political achievements, and in earning the presidency, W. mimics Lennie, the character with the greatest physical strength in the novel. Yet that strength for Lennie and position of power for W. did not earn either a sense of respect, as both characters’ intellectual handicaps undercut their ideals of goodness, leaving both ironically powerless and disrespected in the end.
While Obama was funny, McCain killed at the charity event, sealing the deal of who America would rather have a beer with. Thank goodness America now realizes that that is the worst criteria for selecting the leader of the free world.
Oh no! I’m not ready for the debates to be over yet.
You might have dozed off a bit during the multitude of Democratic primary debates, but presidential debates are different, and this last of three has everyone on their toes speculating on what Sen. John McCain will say to mount his much needed comeback.
Will he mention Prof. Ayers? (he said he would). Will he go on the attack? (He said he would). Will he bring up Rev. Wright? (God help him if he does).
With an estimated 70 million viewers tuning in tonight, in many ways this is the closing argument for both candidates. Well, except for that 30 minute-long commercial Sen. Obama purchased during the would-be sixth game of the World Series.
With just over twenty days left till the election (say it ain’t so), McCain needs a game-changer, especially with the construction sign newly sprung on the west lawn of the United States Capitol. The end to the wildest election in living history is certainly nigh.
The debate and the race are now Obama’s to lose. It will be interesting to see if he rests on his laurels or go on the attack. Can Obama keep his composure? Will McCain’s left gland burst? Will the moderator be as irritating as in the second debate?
Let’s put this debate in context with a little warmup from an alternative universe of yesteryear:
Without further ado, here are the last, yes last ‘debate firsts’of the 2008 presidential debate cycle.
First to smile: Moderator Bob Schieffer
First to walk on stage: Sen. Barack Obama
First to address the other candidate: Sen. Obama
First to take notes with his left hand: Sen. John McCain
First to answer a question: McCain (on why his economic plan is better)
First to mention Nancy Reagan: McCain
First to say Americans are angry: McCain (Yes, at Republicans, you dolt)
First to fold his hands: Obama
First to stutter: Obama
First to look at the camera when answering a question: Obama
First to mention the middle class: Obama
First to mention tax cuts: Obama
First to say he agrees with his opponent on something: Obama
First to say he disagrees with his opponent on something: Obama
First to decline to ask the other candidate a question: McCain
First to mention ‘Joe the plumber’: McCain
First to say his opponent has been watching his opponent’s own ads: Obama
First back and forth of the debate: How their tax cut plans that affect ‘Joe the plumber’
First to laugh at his own joke: McCain
First to say Warren Buffet can afford to pay a bit more in taxes: Obama
First to say nobody likes taxes: Obama
First to interrupt the other candidate: McCain
First to mention Ireland: McCain
First to mention ‘the great society’: McCain
First to say he knows how to save billions in defense spending: McCain (oh really?)
First to say he wasn’t President Bush: McCain
First to hold a pen in his hand while answering a question: Obama
First to say “even Fox News disputes” what McCain says: Obama
First to blame his negative ads on the fact that ‘this is a tough campaign’: McCain
First to mention the deaths of children: McCain
First to say he’ll run a truthful campaign: McCain
First to say the other candidate didn’t keep his word: McCain
First interesting fact from McCain: Obama has spent more on negative ads than any other candidate in history (interesting! He probably spent more positive ads than any other candidate as well)
First to say the reason why the campaign is so negative is the fact that Obama didn’t agree to ten town hall debates: McCain
First to mention the Dallas Cowboys: McCain
First to laugh at his own joke for the second time: McCain
First major topic of interaction between the candidates: Negative ads
First candidate not to look at the other candidate: McCain
First candidate to interrupt the other candidate six times in a row: McCain
First to say that his supporters are the most dedicated people in America: McCain
First to bring up Bill Ayers: McCain (and with that, McCain loses)
Best question of the debate: Why would the country be better off if your running mate became president?
First candidate to correct the moderator: McCain
First to say ‘cockimany’: McCain
First to mention every single alternative power source in a single sentence: McCain
First to mention the United States invented the auto industry: Obama
First to say he admires the other candidate’s eloquence: McCain
First to look entirely pleased with himself and his answer: McCain (on Columbia)
First to mention Detroit: Obama (313!)
First time McCain looked at Obama while Obama answered a question: During his explaination of his health care plan
First to continually bring up ‘Joe the plumber’: McCain
What the first interview with ‘Joe the plumber’ after this debate will be worth: Priceless
First to call the other candidate ‘Senator Government’: McCain
First interesting debate: This one! They both are engaging each other and brought their game.
First to consistently smile at the other candidate’s answers: Obama
First to raise his eyebrows halfway up his forehead: McCain (when Obama contradicted a point McCain made about Obama’s voting record in Illinios)
First to say we have common ground: Obama
First to take a sip of water: Obama
First to say education is the civil rights issue of the 21st century: McCain
First to mention the other candidate’s spouse: McCain
First to say military veterens should be able to teach without a teaching certificate: McCain (wow, what an amazingly idiotic plan for fixing our education woes)
First candidate to consistently interrupt the other candidate: McCain
First to scratch his eye: McCain
First to laugh at his own joke for the third time: McCain
First to mention a webpage: Schieffer (mydebates.org)
First to congratulate the other candidate: McCain
First to take a drink after the debate: Obama
First to kiss his wife: Obama
First to greet the other candidate’s spouse: Obama
End debate
Analysis: McCain was firey and on the attack, but focused WAY too much on ‘Joe the plumber’. McCain lost it halfway through, getting exasperated and angry-looking. Obama played it cool once again, perhaps too cool and a little flat. But Obama made no mistakes, he’s ahead, and Obama harnessed the zeitgeist of America with his blunt assessment of America’s troubles, and then offered solutions to fix it.
With Joe the Plumber entering the American political lexicon, this was certainly the most fun debate to watch with vicissitudes and parries. In the end, McCain still seemed grumpy and Obama remained cool.
Read previous Debate Firsts here Images:http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/15/presidential.debate/index.html, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/15/greene-a-sign-of-things-to-come/, http://www.politicalticker.cnn.com, http://www.huffingtonpost.com
Hockey fan: “It’s such a terrible start to the season.”
Sarah Palin, Republican vice presidential nominee and self-titled ‘hockey mom’, was roundly booed at the first hockey game she attended since joining the McCain campaign.
It’s hard to find sympathy for Gov. Palin, given her myopic views on just about everything, but I do feel bad for her daughter, Piper, who shouldn’t have to witness her mother contemptuously booed and hissed by thousands of people.
Funny enough, Palin saw this coming and used her daughter as a prop to mitigate the disapproval of the audience:
E&P Pub notes that ”The GOP Vice-Presidential nominee said at an earlier fundraiser that she would stop some of the booing from the rowdy Philadelphia fans by putting her seven year old daughter, Piper in a Flyers jersey. She said, ‘How dare they boo Piper!’” So much for that theory.”
“You never know where you are gonna find a political scoop, but Lynn Zinser at her NYT hockey ‘Slapshot’ blog just posted that Sarah Palin, in her much-ballyhooed appearance dropping the puck at the Philly Flyers’ opener, was greeted by “resounding (almost deafening) boos from the Flyers crowd.”
“The biggest problem: when Palin came out to onto the Wachovia Center ice Saturday night — greeted by resounding (almost deafening) boos from the Flyers crowd — the the two hockey players who had no choice but to appear with her in that photo op were turned into props in a political campaign. If Rangers center Scott Gomez or Flyers center Mike Richards wanted to make some sort of political statement, that would be fine, but in this case, they were thrust into a situation not of their choosing. Snider put them there with his ill-advised mixing of politics and sports.”
“The level of discomfort has been palpable for the Rangers’ two Alaska natives, Gomez and Brandon Dubinsky, as they have been asked questions about Palin and the election in recent weeks. Dubinsky, a 22-year-old who has shied away from nothing since he broke in with the Rangers last year, looks petrified when the topic gets brought up. I think both would rather play goalie in a shootout than weigh in on the presidential election. ”
More than their wrong-headed stance on most issues, the McCain-Palin ticket is also losing in the polls because they wrap themselves in false colors, claiming symbols others don’t attribute to them. Military families are shunning McCain for Obama and hockey fans are booing the Republican ‘hockey mom’ because these people have thought about the impact of Repubican policies.
The booing of Sarah Palin at a hockey game is indicative of the great flaws in the Republican ticket: They do not inspire, present realistic solutions, or act presidential. And hell, who wants their sport used as a political tool. Puck you, Palin.
Does America really want a vice president that is liable for abuse of power?
According to MSNBC, “A legislative committee investigating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has found she unlawfully abused her authority in firing the state’s public safety commissioner.”
You read that right. Republican vice presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin has been found guilty of abusing her power as governer.
The McCain campaign can’t outtalk the facts on this one. McCain’s running mate not only appears to be an ignorant idiot, she also abuses the great power of her office. What a sad train wreck.
The article continues: “The investigative report concludes that a family grudge wasn’t the sole reason for firing Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan but says it likely was a contributing factor.
The Republican vice presidential nominee has been accused of firing a commissioner to settle a family dispute. Palin supporters have called the investigation politically motivated.
Monegan says he was dismissed as retribution for resisting pressure to fire a state trooper involved in a bitter divorce with the governor’s sister. Palin says Monegan was fired as part of a legitimate budget dispute.
The legislative panel met for six hours before making a unanimous decision to release the so-called “Troopergate” report. The vote was 12-0 to release the report, except for certain parts they consider confidential.
Alaska lawmakers on Friday began reviewing the lengthy and politically sensitive investigative report focusing on whether Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin abused her authority as governor.
The first-term Alaska governor has been accused of firing a state commissioner to settle a family dispute. But the report is also expected to touch on whether Palin’s husband meddled in state affairs and whether her administration inappropriately accessed employee medical records.”
Much has changed since the last debate, making this one the most important ever (aren’t they all, though?).
With Obama riding a growing lead over his Republican counterpart in key battleground states, the McCain campaign has shifted its focus from the economy (what a blunder the economy-savior McCain was) to personal attacks and character assassination on Sen. Obama.
The great irony is how predictable this is. When hasn’t the Republican party thrown the first real mud in an election? And the craziest bit is that Cindy McCain is saying the Obama campaign is “running the ‘dirtiest campaign’ ever. Can you believe the gall of these people? ‘Hypocrisy’ and ‘Republican’ are almost indestinguishable these days.
With the first debate over, this second of three is ripe for the picking for more ‘debate firsts’. And who knows, perhaps McCain will pull a rabbit out of his hat by apologizing for his misdeeds, and the American people will actually consider trusting him again.
Without further ado, here are the McCain-Obama Debate-Firsts (2nd of 3):
First person to have those old facial spots: Moderator Tom Brokaw
First to wave to the crowd: Sen. John McCain
First to show his teeth while smiling: Sen. Barack Obama
First to answer a question: Obama (on the economy; go figure)
First to mention sky diving equipment: Obama
First to stand up when he wasn’t even asked a question: McCain
First to mention his opponent: McCain
First to say Americans are afraid: McCain
First to wear tie that appears to waver on screen: McCain (weird red stripes)
First to get a chuckle from the audience: McCain (saying Brokaw won’t be appointed as Treasury Secretary)
First to mention the Middle Class: Obama
First to say something the other candidate said was right: Obama
First to correct something the other candidate said: Obama
First to appear to be on the attack: Obama (somewhat surprisingly)
First to mention health care and energy: Obama
First to mention ‘cronyism’ in three answers in a row: McCain
First to say American workers are innocent and the best: McCain
First audience member with a southern accent: Teresa Finch
First to mention President Bush: Obama
First to say ‘I understand how you feel’: Obama
First to say that he’s a reformer: McCain (did he have to go there so quickly?)
First to lean on a handrail: McCain
First to hit a handrail repeatedly with his hand: McCain
First to pace when not being asked a question: McCain
First to ask for a question to be repeated: McCain
First to address the moderator by his first name: McCain
First to mention Ronald Reagan: McCain
First to say we have to ‘build a whole bunch’ of nuclear power plants: McCain
First to say exactly how much gas costs in Nashville: Obama
First to mention Iran: Obama
First to receive an internet question: McCain
First to mention overhead projectors: McCain
First to mention the ‘middle of the night’: McCain
First to say that ‘we are Americans’: McCain
First to lick his lips: McCain
First to mention 9/11: Obama
First to say President Bush ‘did some smart things from the outset’ of the 9/11 aftermath: Obama
First to mention people getting drunk: Brokaw
First to mention teachers: Obama
First to say ‘high on the hog’: Obama
First to mention hatchets and scalpels: Obama
First to mention Jello: McCain
First to suggest the other candidate has a secret: McCain
First to be denied the ability to respond to the other candidate: Obama
First to chastise the candidates for breaking the rules and then change the rules in the very next sentence: Brokaw (lame, lame, lame moderator)
First to appear to be dominating the debate: Obama (on the attack)
First to interrupt the moderator: McCain
First to laugh and wheeze at himself: McCain
First to say he’s not too popular sometimes with his own party: McCain
First to say the answer to Medicare is ‘a commission’: McCain
First to stutter: McCain
First to mention computers: Obama
First to say he and the other candidate agree on something: McCain
First to mention the Manhattan Project: Brokaw
First person to really drag the debate down: Brokaw (SHUT UP ABOUT THE TIME LIMIT AND THE LIGHTS)
First to repeat himself: McCain
First to say we have to drill offshore now: McCain
First to make the moderator, and only the moderator, laugh: McCain
First to wander around behind the other candidate he is answering a question: McCain
First to mention mammograms: Obama
First to suggest putting health records online: McCain
First to say it’s ‘okay to cross state lines’: McCain
First to make a joke and no one laughs: McCain (saying he might need hair transplants)
First to say American health care is a ‘responsibility’: McCain
First to say American health care is a ‘right’: Obama
First to mention the other candidate’s home state: Obama
First to say Americans are ‘peacemakers and peacekeepers’: McCain
First to say the other candidate was wrong about Iraq: McCain
First candidate to consistently receive high approval ratings on the concurrent CNN uncommitted Ohio voter scale: Obama
First to mention morality: Obama
First to mention the halocaust: Obama
First to say we have a moral obligation to stop genocide: Obama
First to put his hand in his pocket while answering a question: McCain
First to say a general disagrees with the other candidate: McCain
First to say the other candidate would lead to defeat: McCain
First to say using American military power requires a ‘cool hand’: McCain (oh the irony)
First to say ‘coddle’: Obama
First to mention Osama bin Laden: Obama
First to mention his hero: McCain
First to say the moderator is doing a great job: Obama
First candidate to change the debate rules by responding with a follow up response: Obama
First candidate to interrupt another candidate’s answer: McCain
Debate First: McCain says he agrees with something Obama said
First to mention the name of a month: Obama (April)
First to answer a Yes-or-No question without saying yes or no: Obama
First to say ‘maybe’ to the same question: McCain (Is Russia under Putin an evil empire?)
First to mention Israel: McCain
First to say everything he learned about leadership was from a petty officer: McCain
First to say the word ‘quest’: McCain
First to mention diplomacy: Obama
First to say the word ’squeeze’: Obama
First to mention Zen: Brokaw
First to point out his wife in the audience: Obama
First to say ’scrimping’: Obama
First to call our planet by its name: Obama
First to suggest Americans will be talking about countries some Americans can’t find on a map: McCain
First to say the word ’tiller’: McCain
First candidate to be in the way of Brokaw’s view of his script at the end of the debate: McCain
End Debate
Closing thoughts: Obama clearly won the debate with cool attacks on McCain and by thoroughly answering the questions. Obama also consistently rated extremely high on the CNN response meter in comparison to McCain. With the town hall style format supposedly being McCain’s forte, the elder senator failed to provoke a real emotional connection with the audience. This debate didn’t hurt Obama one bit and certainly didn’t help McCain.
The roller coaster ride that is Sarah Palin reaches its apex tonight, as Sen. Joe Biden and the governer square off in their only debate of the ‘08 campaign.
The pre-analysis on this debate is overwhelming, with pundits generally agreeing that Biden should ignore Palin, focusing on pro-Obama/anti-McCain rhetoric, and try not to make any news; whereas Palin simply needs to show up to beat expectations.
It is clear that this debate–similar to Sen. Clinton’s speech amongst all the speeches at the DNC convention–is the highlight of the debate schedule.
This is surely the quirkiest debate in memory (save Adm. Stockdale in ‘92), and everyone is on their seat in anticipation. So without further ado–and with past debate firsts laying the foundation, I present you with the first incidents that occur during the vice presidential debate, the Biden-Palin debate firsts:
First to wear a teal jacket: Moderator Gwen Ifill
First to come on stage: Gov. Sarah Palin
First to ask the other candidate of she could call him by his first name: Palin
First to cough: Sen. Joe Biden
First to smile behind the podium: Biden
First question is about the bailout
First to mention Wall Street: Biden
First to mention his running mate: Biden
First candidate to reach the top of CNN’s voter meter in approval: Biden
First to mention soccer games: Palin
First to mention fear: Palin
First to address the moderator by her first name: Biden
First to mention Bosnia: Biden
First to say he has just as many friends on both sides of the aisle: Biden
First to ask the moderator if he has to stay on topic: Biden
First to attack the other candidate’s running mate: Biden
First to call McCain a maverick: Palin
First to wear a gigantic American flag pin: Palin
First to say ‘darn right’: Palin
First to say ‘joe six-pack’: Palin
First to say we shouldn’t live outside our means: Palin
First to say ‘hurtin’ and ‘hack of a lot’ in the same sentence: Palin
First to talk about his local gas station: Biden
First to say the Middle Class needs tax relief: Biden
First to stutter (slightly): Biden
First to parry the other candidate’s arguments: Palin
First to say she didn’t intend on answering the questions the way the moderator wants her to: Palin
First candidate to get cut off by the moderator: Palin
First to mention Ronald Reagan: Biden
First to talk exceedingly fast: Palin (she’s obviously nervous)
First to obviously talk off the cuff: Biden
First to mention the bridge to nowhere: Biden
First to get a laugh from the audience: Biden
First to lay out what he won’t give up, and what he’ll fight for: Biden
First to mention his time limit light is blinking: Biden
First to address the other candidate directly: Palin
First to mention corporate oil CEOs by their first names: Palin
First to say her area of expertise is energy: Palin
First to say there isn’t a whole lot she’s promised: Palin
First to ask a rhetorical question: Biden
First to use the words ‘bucks’ and ‘folks’ in the same sentence: Surprise! It’s Biden
First to say the word ‘greed’ in three answers in a row: Palin
First to say ‘toxic mess’: Palin
First to call herself a ‘main-streeter’: Palin (which of her three homes is on Main Street?)
First to say he’s paraphrasing: Biden
First to call Biden an ‘East Coast Politician’: Palin
First to shake his head: Biden
First to say she doesn’t want to argue about the causes of global warming: Palin
First to look like a deer in headlights: Palin
First to hold a pen while he’s talking: Biden
First to talk about himself in third person: Biden
First to say China is polluting the west coast of the United States: Biden
First to say ‘The chant is: Drill, Baby, Drill’: Palin
First to say the world ‘raping’: Biden
First to laugh: Biden
First to raise his hands above his chin: Biden
First to touch her chin: Ifill
First to raise her eyebrows when the other candidate answers a question: Palin (when Biden was talking about equal rights for homosexual couples)
First to say she was tolerant: Palin
First to say she is being straight up with America: Palin
First to say she has a variety of friends: Palin
First to say we need a timeline for the Iraq war: Biden
The most popular answer according to the CNN voters poll: Biden on ending the war
First to say Biden is waving the ‘white flag of surrender’: Palin
First to mention the other candidate’s family: Palin
First say mention Dick Cheney: Biden
First to say he loves John McCain: Biden
First to suggest the VP should have more power: Palin
First to say you don’t have to believe her or John McCain on Iraq: Palin
First to say Iran’s theorcacy is who truly controls the military in Iran: Biden
First to say the word ‘peace’: Palin
First to say the word ‘holocaust’: Palin
First to say he has been the best friend to Israel in the U.S. Senate: Biden
First to say there have been huge blunders in the war, and huge blunders during the Bush administration: Palin
First to say she respects Biden: Palin
First to compare McCain to Bush over six times in a row: Biden
First to get choked up: Biden
First to point both his index fingers at the camera: Biden
First to say his time is almost up: Biden
First to sigh: Biden
First to say the American people has a stomach for success: Biden
First to mention Chad: Biden
First to say it’s obvious she’s a Washington outsider: Palin
First to say ‘Americans are craving that straight talk’: Palin
First to say she watched the primary debates: Palin
First to say she’s a humanitarian: Palin
First to mention joebiden.com: Guess who
First to suggest a hypothetical situation that Obama would die in office: Ifill
First to mention the Bush Doctrine: Biden
First to say this is the most important election since 1932: Biden
First to say she has different opinions than McCain: Palin
First to say he spends a lot of time in Home Depot: Biden
First to mention his neighborhood: Biden
First to say ’say it ain’t so, Joe’: Palin
First to mention the other candidate’s spouse: Palin
First to mention heaven: Palin
First to give a shout out to third graders: Palin
First to say everyone gets extra credit tonight: Ifill
First to say he’ll be in the room with Obama during every major presidential decision: Biden
First candidate to stratch his face: Biden
First to say Dick Cheney has been the most dangerous VP in American history: Biden
First to say she’s connected with the ‘heartland of America’: Palin
First to say the word ‘tapped’ in three answers in a row: Palin
First to quote President Reagan: Palin
First to say McCain voted against the Violence Against Women Act: Biden
First to say he knows what it’s like to be a single parent: Biden
First to mention Rudy Guiliani and Mitt Romney: Palin
First to say ‘we have not got to allow partisanship’: Palin
First to mention kitchen tables: Biden
First to mention Roe vs. Wade: Biden
First to say the word ‘purse’: Palin
First to mention braces: Biden
First to say she has a diverse family: Palin
First to have a closing statement: Palin
First to say she likes talking to Americans without the filter of the mainstream media: Palin
First to say she’s proud to be an American: Palin
First to mention his father: Biden
First to say ‘may God protect our troops’: Biden
First to shake the moderator’s hand: Palin
First to greet the other candidate’s family: Biden
End Debate.
Analysis: Both candidates gave the best debate performance of their lives. As CNN put it: Biden wins debate, Palin exceeds expectations. Put another way: Biden answers questions, Palin spouts memorized lines. Or to put it another way: Biden sounds presidential, Palin spews random platitudes like a simpleton.
Anyone who seriously thought Palin won the debate didn’t listen to what she said, only how she said it.
With just over twenty days left till the election (say it ain’t so), McCain needs a game-changer, especially with the 
