Debate Blogging (With Update)

6:15: Palin sounds pretty good and forceful, but she doesn't seem to want to answer any questions. In fact, she just said that she won't necessarily answer the questions that the moderator wants her to answer (a slam on the "East Coast Media Elite," perhaps?).

6:20: Biden did a great job in his rebuttal to Palin's comments on taxation issues. Nice reference to the Bridge to Nowhere -- canned but effective.

6:25: Palin did a good job talking about how Obama voted for Big Oil tax breaks and how she dealt with oil issues in Alaska, but she didn't answer the question and Biden did a good job responding.

6:30: Biden's not as strong as he should be on the mortgage crisis, but there goes Palin changing the subject again. Geesus.

6:34: Biden's response to Palin's global warming skepticism: "If you don't understand what the cause is, it's virtually impossible to come up with a solution."

6:39: Palin probably answered as well as she could on the same-sex couples issue, but Biden trapped her on the issue right at the end of his comments. Pretty good maneuver on his part.

6:43: Biden had great answers on the Iraq question, both with his opening remarks and his reply to Palin's remarks. The wheels are coming off for Sarah a bit here, but foreign policy isn't really her strong suit.

6:52: Biden mocks McCain for his refusal to talk to Spain. Kick-ass. Palin really doesn't have much to say on foreign policy.

7:00: Great response from Biden on how the commanding general in Afghanistan doesn't want a Surge there while Sarah Palin and McCain want a Surge there. But he needs to stop purposefully repeating himself for emphasis. Once or twice with that tactic is enough.

7:06: Palin did a good job going after Biden for his initial support of the Iraq War, but Biden correctly responded by putting the focus back on McCain. Palin was good on her answers here though, unlike a lot of her answers on the other foreign policy questions.

7:11: Palin lays on the folksy shit a bit much for my tastes, but I betcha the base loves it.

7:12: Palin's response on what a VP does started out pretty well, but she just blew off the question regarding Dick Cheney -- especially Cheney's contention that the VP is both executive and legislative -- and she instead decides to start spewing talking points. Biden was strong on this issue, and his attack on Cheney was spot on.

7:22: Biden's comments concerning single parents and his experiences in that regard were excellent. Not much Palin could say in response, except that McCain is a maverick, but Biden came storming back to challenge that.

7:26: Biden brings up Supreme Court justices, which is refreshing because no one is talking about this important issue, but he didn't finish the thought like he should have. A missed opportunity.

7:30: Palin takes a swipe at the "Mainstream Media" -- the Right Wingers in the crowd go wild!!

7:32: Nice close by Biden.

I thought the debate went fine. Biden did a good job, and, as predicted, Palin had no major "deer-in-the-headlights" moment and did not fall on her face. Not sure who won -- I thought Biden was better, but expectations for Palin were so low that I'm certain she'll be declared the winner.

UPDATE: Well, the polls are showing that Biden won. Here's CBS's results:

46% of uncommitted voters who watched the debate tonight thought Joe Biden was the winner. 21% thought Sarah Palin won, 33% thought it was a draw… 98% after the debate saw [Biden] as knowledgeable (79% before the debate).

A CNN poll of debate watchers shows 51% of those polled thought Biden won, and only 36% thought Palin won.