Thursday, October 02, 2008

Veep Show: Live Blog


8:20
40 minutes to showtime. I'm deliberately not watching too much pre-debate spin. I don't want to hear one side's opinion about Gwen Ifill being biased or the other side talking expectations up or down, depending on the moment. Just give me the show.

8:35
Speaking of expectations personally I don't think Palin is going to have as much trouble tonight as she had in the sit down interviews the past couple of weeks. Debates are a different animal than 1-on-1's. There are fewer opportunities to dig deeper on issues so she'll be able to play an attack dog role on Obama (as Biden will on McCain). Palin is an experienced debater from her time running for governor.

In other words I don't think there will be a repeat of Sarah's Greatest Hits collection.

8:40
Some Veep debate drinking games.

Palin:

When she leaves the g off progressive verbs or gerunds, e.g., "takin’," "leavin’," "changin’"

Every time she says "mustn’t," "maverick," "hockey mom," "Putin’s head," "pitbull," "lipstick," "thanks but no thanks" or "I’ll have to get back to you on that."

Biden:
When he mentions taking the train.

When he refers to Senator McCain as "John."

Every time he says, "Scranton" "Wall Street," "main street," "malarkey" or "Geraldine Ferraro," or refers to himself in the third person, or anyone else as his "good friend."

I don't have the liver anymore.


9:02
Gwen calls them to order. Here we go...


9:05

Biden: Bush = bad. Took him about 5 seconds to mention "middle class."
Palin: Fear that soccer moms & dads are feeling over economics.


9:10
Both seem very practiced. Palin attacks with a smile.


9:13
11 minutes, 2 "Darn right"s from Palin.

I hope Biden hammers the point home about which candidate would actually lower middle class taxes more.


9:18
Taxes:
Biden obviously feels comfortable talking taxes and impact on the middle class.
Palin's response takes issue with how to redistribute wealth.
Again, as with the first Obama/McCain debate, just depends on what your worldview is.


9:24
Neither candidate wants to take anything off the table after the $700B is committed. Obama & McCain didn't want to touch this one either when Lehrer asked the question.

9:26
Ok, we're one-third of the way through. Palin is clearly much more prepared for this than a 1:1 with Katie C.

As for JoeBi, he knows his s**t.


9:32
Palin obviously feels comfortable talking about energy.....I would argue regardless of what question Ifill asks her.

Global warming -- manmade (Biden) vs. cyclical temperature changes (Palin).


9:37
Debate shifts from taxes and energy to social issues: First up, same sex benefits. Palin gracious and tolerant in her response but clear that she does not support gay marriage.


9:47
Jumping to foreign policy to Iraq, Iran & Pakistan. I was hoping we'd get one more domestic policy question for Palin -- either her opposition of abortion even in the case of rape or incest or her thoughts on teaching creationism in public schools.

Palin calling Obama "naive." Um, that seems a bit of a stretch.


9:55
I disagree that "every administration makes blunders" quite like the last eight years.


10:00
Homestretch...2/3 of the way through.

Biden says 3 times that we spend more in 3 weeks on combat operations in Iraq than what we've spent in 7 years in Afghanistan. That's a pretty simple fact for Joe Sixpack to get his head around.


10:04
Amy's done. Disappointed in Ifill's questions. There does seem to be too much of a format where Ifill throws out a topic and lets each one ramble on to the camera. I'm an Ifill fan (even wanted her considered for Russert's replacement on MTP), but I have to agree w/ the wife.


10:15
Palin tries to rehash Reagan's successful "There you go again" line he used against Jimmy Carter in 1980.


10:17
Biden: "Dick Cheney has been the most dangerous Vice President in the history of America."


10:18
What is your Achilles' heel?
Palin talking about energy independence again.


10:24
Final question: Single issue where you had to change a long held view to accomodate circumstances....

Yawner.


10:29
Closing statements...

Palin: "I like to answer these questions without the filter of the mainstream media." Huh? She & McCain will fight for freedom so we dont' have to tell kids & grandkids about the good old days of freedom. Cold war-ish.

Biden: "Most important election you've voted for in your entire life."


Summary
I think both candidates where strong in presenting their views and their candidate's positions. In short, I think this Veep debate had a lot of pregame hype but in the end won't change anyone's positions one way or the other. It simply reinforced support for both sides.

60 comments:

Roamin' said...

Don't forget the "geographic social" That is if Palin says "Russia" or biden says Delaware, everyone takes a drink.
-Roman

Derek said...

Nice!

BTW, this has your name all over it Roman.

Homer Simpson for Barack Obama

Roamin' said...

Palin' obviously nervous

Roamin' said...

Darn right predator lenders...ONLY-I don't think so!!!

Derek said...

No doubt. Predatory lenders are only a small part of the problem. You better believe where a profit is to made there will be people to figure out how to make it.

Those Americans that went in over their heads have to be accountable as well.

Roamin' said...

don't forget the daytraders who "read the barometer" of how well a CEO is doing by how quickly their profits would rise without REALLY working. In other words, they, in some respects, pushed the CEO's into making risky decisions in the short-term while neglecting the business' profitability in the long-term.

Roamin' said...

minutes ago, Palin gets cutoff by Ifil- rookie mistake

Roamin' said...

"Scranton"-Drink

Derek said...

"I call that the ultimate Bridge to Nowhere."

Anonymous said...

Interesting that Palin makes a quip over recent federal (in)efficiency and her disdain for obama's new healthcare plan... Exactly whom or what political party has been responsible for the last 8 years of good, efficient, responsible, government?

Roamin' said...

"Ultimate bridge to nowhere" who's the Barracuda?

Derek said...

I'm surprised she's doing more Rah-Rah of McCain than attacking Obama.

Roamin' said...

Did Biden just throw Obama under the bus "cup half empty"????

Roamin' said...

Palin's doin' (oops-drink)pretty good so far, as far as the expectations were concerned

Derek said...

How much oil is there in Alaska? Palin acts like it's Saudi Arabia up there.

Palin is talking energy....regardless of the question.

Roamin' said...

However, it's all been relative to here forte (NRG)

Derek said...

(Ask her about dinosaurs)

Roamin' said...

In Ak, Icebergs the size of Delaware break off regularly
Interesting...
and AK should be the first state to begin implementing sub cabinets (or whatever) to deal with GW

Derek said...

Here we go with some social questions...

Same sex benefits.

Roamin' said...

Moose hunters, piioneers, and gold diggers are not considered a diverse group of people

Derek said...

Ugh, here we go with who supports the troops w/ funding votes.

Who loves the troops more. Spare us. Both candidates support the military.

Anonymous said...

"I am very tolerant, I have a very diverse group of friends...." Yes, i'm sure that her group of 4th generation german, english and irish immigrants up there in the great white north counts as a veritable united nations of diversity...

Anonymous said...

It's great that she is willing to tolerate gays. Mighty big of her.

Derek said...

Palin to Biden: "White flag of surrender in Iraq"

Anonymous said...

Pakistan wants to bomb israel? I agree that Obama and Biden need to shore up the jewish florida vote but there may be better ways of doing it?

Roamin' said...

Palin just said NucUlar 3X
Social-everyone drink

Derek said...

Nuke-yoo-lur. Haven't we had 8 years of bad grammar? ;-)

Palin actually mentions support for "women's rights." Interesting to see if Ifill comes back to that juicy issue.

Roamin' said...

Palin is tapping into her grocery cart of canned goods (i.e. responses)

Derek said...

Biden slams home the point about how McCain policies are no different than Bush's on whole host of issues.

Scores big point at La Casa de Rutl.

Anonymous said...

Biden really hammering home his points much more effectively than Palin's list of canned responses. Though he does like using the 3rd person... ...getting drunk, quickly...

Roamin' said...

I did'nt know they were called "Bosniacs"?

Anonymous said...

I think the ones who like the carolina hurricanes prefer to be call bosniacs

Roamin' said...

She watched the debates, but didn't read any papers. Ahem, I'm sorry she read all of them

Roamin' said...

Couric: What kind of newspapers or Mags did you read..."
Palin: 60 minutes, 20/20 and CSI

Derek said...

Heartbeat away question...

Derek said...

I still want a dinosaur question! C'mon Gwen!

Roamin' said...

"Scranton"- Drink

Derek said...

"Say it ain't so, Joe" and "Doggonnit." This folksy crap is grating on my nerves.

Derek said...

"Speaking of Gladys Elementary School, what about dinosaurs and creationism?" There Gwen, there's your question.

Roamin' said...

Love Ifill too-couldn't agree more

Roamin' said...

Vice president does three things:
1 lines the pockets of his buddies
2 Subverts the constitution
3 shoots people in the face

Derek said...

Now Roman, that bird was showing its beak at Dick Vader.

Anonymous said...

"vice president cheney has been the most dangerous VP we've had in american history..." No shit...

Anonymous said...

Oh lord, please don't let us go back to Reagan's vision for America... Double digit unemployment? Crack epidemic? Hair bands?

Roamin' said...

Biden breaking out the family story, is he going too far?
But good finisher

Roamin' said...

There should've been a drink response for "maverick" Oh well I'm outta beer.

Derek-Sweetwater brewing Company (Atlanta, GA) 420 ale

Derek said...

Tasty, I'm going with Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA tonight.

Derek said...

Did anyone else catch the "John McCain tapped me" comment from SP? Oh my.

Roamin' said...

I'm still laughing at "hair bands"

Roamin' said...

I guess they ARE both mavericks

Derek said...

Leg warmers.

Roamin' said...

Oh yeah SP, you fire those who divorce your sister ever hear of troopergate-not if you haven't read it...

Roamin' said...

Porky's
Porky's II
and Porky's III, Porky's revenge

Roamin' said...

R's synopsis:
Biden definitely a better candidate-duh, but Palin may actually have "won" since her "bar" WAS set lower (sorry Derek I know you didn't want the pre debate spin). In other words, Sarah Palin lived up to and exceeded expectations.
Biden however was VERY disciplined, opposite of Ifills Achilles heel analogy

Derek said...

I agree. I think Palin's performance will reinforce her status w/ committed McCain supporters. As an unabashed Obama supporter, I thought JoeBi was disciplined really strong in getting their message to the people.

Cheers amigos & amigas!
DR

Anonymous said...

Had to pause the DVR a few times b/c our littlest one (5 months) is likely a Libertarian and feels unrepresented at tonights debate.

I've just read all the comments, laughed and agreed mostly, and wish I were able to play along.

Thanks for having us,
Mike

Anonymous said...

On the topic of the credit crisis. I invite everyone to do some studying on the Community Reinvestment Act CRA
which was passed by a Democratic Congress, and signed into law by Jimmy Carter. Later enhanced by President Clinton. Essentially, the CRA forces banks to make worthless loans to unqualified buyers. From 1993-1998 these worthless loans increased by 39% compared to 17% for other loans. Folks, this housing bubble/economic crisis has been a very long time coming ;-)

Anonymous said...

It's no secret that I'm no Biden fan, but I have to say I thought he did much better than what the polls are reflecting. He was calm, collected, and gaffe-free tonight. :-) I'm extremely surprised by how heavily the polls are leaning toward Palin, God love her.

frkh2o said...

Over 75% of the bad loans on the books of banks are not related to CRA.

There's a lot of blame to go around on the banking crisis, but blaming the CRA is a specious argument at best and purely partisan political argument at worst.

Anonymous said...

dj sad said: "Over 75% of the bad loans on the books of banks are not related to CRA.

...but blaming the CRA is a specious argument at best and purely partisan political argument at worst."

Care to back that 75% statement up with any references?? And it's hardly a "purely partisan" argument. If it was, we'd be hearing Limbaugh, Hannity, and others talking about it. I made no claim that the CRA is solely responsible for the current crisis. But it was the beginning of the feel good lending, convincing people to borrow more than they could afford, and creating a careless lending environment. And the practice continues to be propagated by the likes of ACORN still pushing these loans as evidenced by their own site. Also see Acorn Housing Loans
And in case anyone is curious, I'm 100% against the bail out. I support a free market society, not socialism.