Tonight Palin went in with low expectations after some choppy interviews. She stood up to Senator Biden and debated him toe to toe, face to face, Botox to uh.. youthful vigor.
She emphasized a Ronald Reagan conservative connection with our middle class. Some Republicans seem to have forgotten that it is our government that has failed us in Iraq, Katrina, the financial and our other crises.
Republicans in Washington were always skeptical of Ronald Reagan. I notice the same beltway-heartland disconnect in regards to Palin.
Tonight Palin stressed her support for the middle class and her commitment to reform with humor and Western style. This will be a dog whistle for the Beltway crowd. Outside of the Beltway millions of wavering conservatives will remember when Sarah Palin was first picked.
We’ve got to remember that Sarah Palin was picked to accomplish two things:
Today Palin fulfilled both of those duties. It’s McCain’s job to do the rest. He is running for President. He’s got to learn to speak to middle class concerns. He’s got a great opportunity to do that in next week’s debate.
If anything we know that McCain fights best as an underdog. McCain has shown a surprising resilience and ability to shift and change with events. We have every reason to be optimistic in expecting he will meet the new challenges facing his campaign. We can trust McCain to renew his campaign because he has done it so many times before.
Hand wringing and expecting the worse is only a mental service to liberals. It accomplishes no good except at discouraging Republicans from voting. We can win this election and we all need to show up to support McCain/Palin.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:53 pm
here, here!
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I wonder if it is hardwired into Biden’s mind to gaffe no matter what. The whole constitution gaffe was laughable. Come on, I’m in high school and I know the different articles of the Constitution.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:57 pm
I do not think people realize how honest she came off, biden was screwerd!
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:58 pm
*Applause*
GREAT post, Doug. Great post.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:58 pm
amen to this statement.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Here’s what McCain has to do in the next two debates.
He has to actually respond to Barack Obama’s charge that he plans to give a tax cut to 95 percent of Americans.
He has to respond to the charge that McCain will tax health benefits and cause people to lose their health insurance through their employer.
He has to explain that his tax credit is refundable, and explain what that means.
He has to be able to defend his corporate tax cut and tie it to Main Street.
He probably should have proposed a payroll tax cut, but it’s too late for that now.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:08 pm
“It’s McCain’s job to do the rest. He is running for President.”
I suppose, with sadness, that I’ll have to get ready to donate to Romney4Pres2012 then. Even though DaveG is always always pessimistic, he occasionally has a valid point. McCain has looked like an amateur since soon after the VP pick.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:09 pm
I confess that I don’t know how to score this debate so I can’t pick a winner. Both did better than expected and both made some small mistakes. I would give Biden the edge solely because he kept hitting McCain and Palin didn’t respond. One of the things that annoys me in a debate but turns out to work is a repetitive attack. Biden repeatedly tied McCain to Bush – taxes, the wars, healthcare. Her answer was “don’t look back” but Bush is still president so its the present.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:24 pm
#6, DaveG, I agree with you on these points. Does anyone here talk to anyone in the McCain Campaign? Are they getting this feedback about becoming coherent and focused on the economic messages? Do they have plans to get back on track with this part of the campaign?
And I hope we see Palin in CO, PA, OH, NM a lot. She can make a difference in many of these swing states.
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:17 am
Great post! I watched the debate with over 100 other right-leaning students and Palin really fired them up. We really needed it given the chaos with the early voting here in Ohio.
The beltway vs. heartland disconnect is in no way an exaggeration.
October 3rd, 2008 at 4:41 am
Yes, Brent and Billy, the Heartland loves Mrs. Palin. If we were not safe yesterday, we are today.
October 3rd, 2008 at 7:37 am
I think Biden and Palin had two different agendas during the debate. Palin had to reassure the base that she wasn’t the laughing stock she was quickly becoming viewed as and Biden wanted to focus on hitting McCain. They both did that successfully.
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:29 am
I wonder if it is hardwired into Biden’s mind to gaffe no matter what. The whole constitution gaffe was laughable. Come on, I’m in high school and I know the different articles of the Constitution….
…so, if you’re in high school I’m sure you’ll get a kick out of Palin referring to General McKiernan in Afghanistan as General McClellan, who fought (or didn;t fight) during the Civil War…