Thanks again to everyone who participated in our liveblogging of the debate last night. It was our first run with Cover It Live so the road was a bit bumpy (the system seemed to be glitchy for everyone, as evidenced at Pandagon). We’ll try to get some of the problems ironed out before we cover the next event. 

I wanted to write a debate summation post for those who don’t want to read the chat transcript. I also missed some points due to multitasking that I caught on a second viewing. Starting from the end, the polls out thus far show that while Joe Biden won, Sarah Palin exceeded expectations. But the bar was set pretty low for her. Showing up and making complete sentences was the most anyone expected and she at least hit that goal marker. 

Talking to some family members after the debate ended, they confirmed suspicions I (and Matt) had in the chat: that Palin’s folksy manner was going to appeal to those who weren’t really interested in paying attention to what was actually being said. Biden was wonky- which pleased us- and he used a lot of specific figures and facts. Palin sounded like she was the talkative waitress at a rib restaurant. That “down home” vibe carried Bush through a lot of evil. 

The most glaring flaw in Palin’s debate performance was what we started calling the pancake tactic in the chat room based on a comment Acallidryas made. When Palin blatantly avoided answering the question asked of her for the first time of what would be many, Acallidryas said: 

I like this strategy of just ignoring the question.   “Gov. Palin, what is your view of No Child Left Behind.”   “Pancakes, Gwen.   It’s all about Pancakes.”

It became obvious through the course of the debate that Palin had a checklist of points she was supposed to hit and she was uncomfortable- or flat out unable- to change their order or improvise. She managed to say a lot of words without actually saying anything.

There were some gaffes. She got the name of the Army commander in Afghanistan wrong (it is McKiernan not McClellan) and was incorrect about what he said about the surge. She said that the economy is “a toxic mess on Main Street that’s affecting Wall Street“. While the latter is a grand Freudian slip and the former shows her lack of knowledge, I doubt either will get much traction in the media. They’ll be waved away as slips of the tongue, easily ignored from a woman who keeps insisting that geographic proximity to Russia is some sort of qualifier. 

One point that her own party might force her to qualify/apologize for is her stated support of civil rights for gay couples. It would be fantastic if that was what she actually believes, but that’s doubtful from someone who makes “tolerant” sound like a curse word. It seems like she was trying to toe a line and fell over it (note how terrified she looks when Biden makes it clear what she’s just agreed to):