The Moose That Roared

Bless her heart, Sarah "drill, baby, drill" Palin strove mightily to hit a gusher tonight against Joe Biden, but came up empty. No, her performance was not the disaster that some in the GOP have been fearing. She'll probably get extra credit, to use a term she employed, for just showing up. But cliche was piled upon cliche as Palin sought to paint Barack Obama, or "Barack," as she referred to him constantly in an attempt to diminish him, as a goofy radical, paired with a more sensible Lieberman, who would end up running America off the rails. As though it hasn't already run off them? The albatross around the neck of the McCain camp, doggone it, is the most unpopular president in American history, George W. Bush. Biden had it right: "past is prologue."

The great weakness that Palin could not overcome is a "reality-based" problem: the economy is tanking. On the one hand, Palin said she wants to get government out of daily life. On the other hand, we need more regulation to combat "greed" and "corruption." Excuse me, but something doesn't add up here.

Ditto for foreign policy. Palin wheeled out the boo words that the Bush administration has proliferated in the past eight years. They -- whoever "they" are -- "hate America." Obama's rush to coddle foreign despots is symptomatic of liberal squishiness --"that is beyond bad judgment, that is dangerous." North Korea's Kim Jong Il may be ill, but Palin sees threats everywhere. Freedom is one generation from extinction, but the polar bears aren't?

Even more than Obama on Friday night, Biden was crisp and -- dare one say it? -- articulate. In scant evidence was his famed verbosity. It was Palin who was chirpy and if the country's mood is gloomy, you'd never know it from Palin's tone.

Biden calmly countered Palin. Tonight, the Barracuda was at sea and McCain's electoral chances may be melting as fast as the polar ice cap. Palin was nothing more than the moose that roared into the wilderness. But was anyone really listening to her?

Read more reactions to the Biden-Palin Vice Presidential debate from HuffPost bloggers

Comments

[SenatorGleek]

White Flag of defeat.

Spot on.

[LightUpAmerica]

Did anyone notice right after the debate finished she was thanking everyone very loudly she was so relieved the thing was over. LIke an Olympic gymnast she made it through her routine without falling off the beam. BUT So Out Of Her League. I was relieved when she would finally stop talking and the world went back to sanity with the voices of Gwen and Joe. They are trying to con us but only the faithful are buying. She is as dishonest as W in her refusal to admit she can't answer a question. Even the conservative radio hosts in my town are wondering why she can't be more honest and think it would not hurt her. The reality show atmosphere reference is on the mark.

[3fingerbrown]

No, it wasn't a disaster for Palin. The problem for McCain is, "not a disaster" is the outcome you hope for when you're ahead and running out the clock; it does no good when you're slipping behind. Biden displayed intelligence, humanity, and most importantly for Obama, discipline. He didn't stick his foot in it, which was the GOP's only real hope of "winning" this debate. It's gotten to the point of the game where Obama/Biden can make gains by plodding forward very slowly and carefully while McCain/Palin are stuck in neutral.

[CC2008]

Palin sure knew her script. Talking fast in the folksy style of a con artist. Yep Yep just like just like a guy trying to get into your bank account. Except this con wants to run the country.

That "white flag of defeat" remark really frosted me. And the glowing stuff of building schools in Afganistan is true, but the Taliban is blowing them up much faster than they can be built.

McCain/Palin four more years of lies and deceptions!

[Iluvdarin]

"GEE WHIZ, GOSH-DARN-IT, I BETCHA" IT"D BE REALLY SWELL IF THE MAVERICK AND THE HOCKEY MOM ARE GONNA" KINDA" BE TAKIN" OVER WASHINGTON." Next speech by Palin.

[jadeba]

And, when will they stop saying how popular she is as gov? She used to be the most popular - it seems Alaskans like her less than they did, she's now third in that category. She did well...but, then again, I expected her to fall over or puke or something. Interesting debate strategy - if you don't know the answer, ignore the question and change the topic to what you've been taught and spit it out.

[jennyjen]

Not fair to compare Alaska to any other state. Where else in the US do every man woman and child receive a yearly check from the oil companies?

What I have noticed is that the national spotlight on their governor has caused many to change their minds about her.

[Toonadude]

She may end showing the rest of America what a welfare state Alaska really is.

[knighthowl]

What was bold about her approach was that she openly said she would do that. Previous candidates simply did it and hoped that no one would notice. Realistically assessed, she simply admitted that she did not know enough to answer some questions and, istead, would give prepracticed speeches on a subject of her choosing. Pathetic.

I have also begun to be appalled at her use of her baby. At the end of every major apperance, the poor child is rushed to the stage to be passed around like a puppet to every member of the family. The only family member who seems to truly care about him is his seven year old sister. Sarah ostentatiously patted his back when there was no apparent reason to do so, but then quickly passed him on. I believe Sarah is the most ambitious, unqualified politician in our country.

I am a parent. I would never have used my baby as a prop. Palin has done it repeatedly.

[Herrington]

Maybe its moving too fast or didn't read down far enough in comments, but did anyone notice that Palin seems to believe "in the effects of global warming" but that she then refused to consider a cause of it? But more mortifying to her should be that she then seemed to propose that cutting carbon would fix global warming.

What an utter load of deception. We can have a problem with out a cause. And, we can fix a problem without acknowledging the cause. Brilliant.

Fits perfectly with the newly minted meme of Democrats dwelling on the past to assign blame for the realities of the present. It is an inversion, a reciprocal, of the argument for change. The Republicans have somehow morphed into the party that does not blame, is divorced from the past, soley because the history of their political dominance has led entirely to catastrophe. Therefore, since they have renounced their sins, they should be trusted with power. In a pigs eye.

[MiaCane]

Ive actually done a few research papers on global warming, and in antarctic ice core studies, the beginning of real saturation of the atmosphere with man-made carbon dioxide ,triggering a rise in temperature, matches the beginning of the industrial revolution. Coincidence? i think not.

look it up people.

[SteveMDFP]

Yep, there's been a 50% increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels since the start of the industrial revolution. Most of it in the last few decades. We KNOW this is from human activity--there have been no super-volcanoes to account for it otherwise. We KNOW that CO2 is a greenhouse gas.

We also KNOW that virtually every glacier in the world is shrinking, rapidly. We KNOW that the polar ice caps are shrinking in size and thickness.

We KNOW that Exxon and others have been funding disinformation campaigns about the issue.

Only the Rush Limbaugh crowd can't connect the dots.

Of course, there's good reason to think the changes are irreversible and represent a tipping point to inevitable global warming. There may not be much effect to stopping CO2 emissions any more. Shoulda done that in 1950. There are powerful "positive feedback loops" that make changes in climate self-reinforcing, like melting ice pack causing more absorption of sunlight, causing more melting....It may make no difference whatsoever now to halt CO2 production.

What's desperately needed is global efforts to raise food productivity of the world's oceans. That's actually quite feasible. Warm, unproductive ocean water can be "fertilized" with small amounts of iron....which would also be a "carbon sink," for those who want to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere. Win/win, can't lose strategy there. Organizing and funding it is the only challenge.

[sammiroxx]

well if you go to a kid's soccer game and ask the parents about the state of the economy....oh wait they will say it is a huge mess...and wait....we need gov. oversight. but mccain suspended his campaign so he must be the bipartison maverick patriot he claims. palin is not only unfit, it is terryfying to think of her as the president let alone vice. i am pretty sure mccain wouldn't use the "aww shucks" method when dealing in foreign policy. this is both excellent theater and potential disaster. truly scary

[sed68]

Okay Huffpost blog-commenters:

Were my husband and I the only two people in America who caught the Freudian slip when Palin said "McCain will not have early withdrawal...(in Iraq)"

Or are we just hopelessly potty-minded?

[PatRiley]

Or did you notice when she said "He [John McCain] is the man that we need to leave....lead."?

[mbh78213]

I noticed it too.

Speaking of Freudian slips, how about the one when she said, "McCain is the man we need to leave... lead." As in, "Go away already, old man!" Also, when Gwen Ifill asked what they would do if they had to take over the presidency, she was still all cheery and winky. Johnny Mac better watch his back.

[piggybackmom]

She has numerous times put herself before him.

[karronna]

Fox News poll currently shows Biden won 61% to 39% for Palin.

[hexham]

faux news? hm.. maybe they see the writing on the wall and don't want to be totally on the outs.

[stayinsouth1981]

That's funny, our local FOX station had Palin at 70%, Biden at 20 and the undecided at 10%. Do these folks make up the numbers?

[lucite]

I loved the Budweiser logo in neon lights on the wall in the room with the undecided panel guests. Compliments of Cindy and Faux news

[SurrealPumpkin]

One thing Palin forgot to mention on the subject of taxes. She lowered property taxes and then had to increase sales taxes on everything including food to make up the difference.

[dkerrice2861]

It's called selective memory! She only remembers the so-called good things she claims to have accomplished!

[karronna]

I actually thought she may have something insightful to share with us on energy....I was completely wrong....That was really the only thing I thought she may have brought to the table...


DISMISSED. :)

[lucite]

She did have something insightful to share Drill baby Drill

[MiaCane]

Did anyone else notice that palin said she trusted the leader of al'qaeda? i was shocked she said such a thing.

Her entire debate what full of rhetoric, she refuses to answer questions and went right back to the pre-prepared material she was drilled on(no pun intended) .

i was mortified at the thought that she may be president someday. Biden was presidential tonight. I was really impressed with his stature in this debate. Mind you, Palin did better than the stammering, know-nothing she was in the Kouric interviews, but not much better. Biden owned tonight in a big way.

[piggybackmom]

Biden was right on, stuck to the facts, and was presidential tonight.

No matter how much prep, she just isn't the material for VP or President and never will be.

[BBDisk]

Actually - you're spot on about that. Biden would probably have made a better President than Obama, but Obama makes a better candidate.

[sed68]

Palin's nonsensical string of talking points ending with prepositions sounded slightly better than expected tonight because Gwen Ifill, unlike Katie Couric, fell down on the job - she asked very simple questions with no follow-up and let Palin get away with everything.

[MiaCane]

Thats what really got me. i think Ifill didnt want to come off as partisan due to the recent complaints of McCain. Palin dodged the questions on more than one occasion and i would have like to have seen the moderator call her on it and ask her to answer the question like Couric did. Katie Couric usually plays softball, but im glad she stuck to her guns in those interviews.

[jaxhead]

Was it just me or did she never refer to Senator Obama as senator but Barack? I found that lacking on her part. Show some respect.

[piggybackmom]

I wonder if she thought that asking Senator Biden at the beginning of the debate if it would be okay to call him Joe(which he said yes) that it also gave her the okay to call Obama by his first name.

[bobhobard]

Shrill, baby, shrill.

[LetsGetDumbAmerica]

"Freedom is one generation from extinction, but the polar bears aren't?"

Brilliant sentence.... You captured EVERYTHING in that thought.

[drec1500Madrid]

Had Biden said that in his closing remarks it would have been over for her..