Palin - Biden

Missed opening statement

Key points:

Palin: "Darn right it was the predatory lender." Populist ugh. But popular.
Biden: McCain championed deregulation...Joey Danko can't fill up his tank. Effective +1
Biden: Good riposte on Palin's charge that Obama voted to raise taxes on families making $42,000; McCain voted to raise taxes 477 times. Not sure if true but direct. +1
Palin: Avoiding the moderator's questions - questionable strategy?? -1
Biden: the rich aren't listening to this broadcast?
Palin: Decent riposte on $250k only - affects small business
Palin: tax credit doesn't cost anything? budget neutral. Biden doesn't pounce
Biden: got a laugh but long, verbose response to McCain health plan

[Biden has nice smile - grin, even. Palin looks great]

Palin: Barack voted for in 05 the big tax break for Exxon Mobil and I TOLD IT BACK IN ALASKA +2
Biden: Oil companies have made 600 billion since 2001. DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT AT ALL!?!?! [Palin doesn't attack - probably doesn't have the data]
Palin: nice push on energy independence but definitely does not answer as directly as Biden
Palin: Alaska sees climate change anyone else. Not sure what the causes are but I don't want to argue about it. I want to fix it. First governor to appoint climate change subcommittee. +1
Biden: We know the causes. [really] China is building 3 new dirty coal mines a week. We should export technology to fix that. Yeah, sure.
Palin: you've opposed all drilling - "raping the Continental shelf" - nice. +1
Biden: Constitution supports homosexual rights? Doesn't enumerate that.
Palin: Marriage is between one man and one woman! +1
Biden: Obama-Biden doesn't support gay marriage - I couldn't quite make out the mumble!!!! Wow. The gays gonna hate this??? -1

[Palin seems to be getting more comfortable.]

Palin: I admire you Senator Biden for calling Obama out on not funding troops +1
Biden: We are spending 10 billion a month and Iraq have an 80 billion surplus +1
Palin: White flag of surrender...you said "you'd be honored to run on McCain's ticket. +1
Biden: John McCain voted the same way. +1

Good question - nuclear Iran or unstable Pakistan - which is more dangerous?

Biden: both very dangerous- Mac says Iraq is the central front on terror. But attack with come from al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Build schools to win their hearts and minds.
Palin: Both Petraeus and head of al-Qaeda say central front is Iraq - I'll listen to them. +1
Biden: Mac wouldn't sit down with the government of Spain! This sounds like out of context. Palin doesn't answer though
Palin: Strong support of Israel. Israel can create peace. Jordan, Egypt
[I don't believe that Biden/Obama supported putting NATO troops into Lebanon to oppose Hezbollah- maybe I'm wrong but sounds like an odd claim]
Biden: "I haven't heard..." 4x +1
Palin: Obama's reckless comment - nice - but needed to pound it home
Biden: "Our commanding general in Afghanistan said surge principles will not work" - but then "we need more troops" sounds pretty similar
Palin: Good riposte on Biden's claim in Afghanistan

Palin is much more comfortable in her element while Biden clearly very glib after 35 years in the Senate

Palin: values of Main Street Wasilla should be in Washington
Palin: need better standards in education, No Child Left Behind needs more flexibility
Palin: nice moment of levity on Vice President
Biden: Cheney the most dangerous Vice President in history. Overall pretty good though that first comment is too overarching +1
Biden: Nice emotional moment about his family after wife died - almost a little overwrought +1
Palin: We've both taken on our own party.
Biden: Nice rhetoric on "Mac not a maverick" when it counts +1
Biden: Ideology is important on judges. Hates Bork. Not very effective!
Palin: Have had to 'cave' on some budgets to progress. Haven't compromised my principles. Better than Biden's
Biden: Nice comment on Jesse and Dot Helms +1
Palin: I've appointed Democrats and Republicans

Palin closing comment: Gracious. Great finish with Reagan! Freedom is only one generation from extinction +1
Biden closing comment: Reasoned.

Gwen Ifill did fine.

I tried to rate the debate very unscientifically and the ratings just came out even. Thought Biden started out better significantly, Palin picked it up in the middle. Biden finished strong the last comment goes to Palin with invoking Reagan. Overall I'd have to say Biden sounded more experienced and knew issues better which is not a surprise.

Think Palin held against match point but the undecided will break a bit for Biden. Still a battle ahead.