Z- as in ZZZZZZ-Your commentary as usually is totally biased, boring,and to the left of Lennon. (It's no wonder the Sunpaper is losing readership!!!) Were you really paying attention to the debate-or was your mind on "Dancing with the Stars?"
On the issue of the debacle on Wall Street, she accused big government libs for much of the problems that caused the issue at hand." She was articulate and to the point.

Your man, Biden ("Hey, Chuck, stand-up Chuck. Oops, I forgot you were in that wheelchair! Oh God.") consistently skirted the issue on why he was opposed to 'Bama and then for him. Did he get coached by Bubba?

Hi Clinton: I have held back all day. But with someone like you, I think we have to go out of our way to take advantage of what some folks call a teaching moment. Have you learned from some of the other writers the difference between Lennon and Lenin today? If you did, then it was all worth it, wasn't it? I hope you weren't bored. Thanks. ZZZZZZZ

Biden won, hands down.

How anyone could watch this woman last night and say they want her to be our VP is beyond me. I'm sorry, but she is a joke.

Biden all facts? He had at least 10 separate statements that were factually untrue. So despite your best smearing efforts, America knows who came out on top last night.

I don't know how you have a job. Oh wait, yes I do, you work for a blatantly liberal newspaper. Now it all makes sense.

Biden all facts? He had at least 10 separate statements that were factually untrue. So despite your best smearing efforts, America knows who came out on top last night.

I don't know how you have a job. Oh wait, yes I do, you work for a blatantly liberal newspaper. Now it all makes sense.

It is now clear why, when they were first greeting one another before the debate ensued, S. Palin asked J. Biden whether she could call him Joe. She was laying the ground work for her rehearsed spontaneous "zinger", "Say it ain't so, Joe..." Come to think of it, was she spontaneous at any point during the proceedings?

keep writing this stuff....your creating a McCain-Palin landslide.

I think you need to stick to talking about "Grey's Anatomy" or "Chuck". Our country is at a monumental crossroad and its citizens need more than biased reporting and opinions - they need to understand that Palin and Biden both made mistakes and avoided questions. Your politics are poorly disguised and would look right at home on a Democratic web site. Then again, I guess it is...

Joe Biden's knowledge, passion and statesmanship owned the debate last night. He made the country proud---he is a GLOBAL CITIZEN and sees and acts to make the world better.

Palin memorized talking points. It is hard to understand why that rates approval. If those questions were on a written test, she would have made a D grade at best. Since when do we give praise to being adequate and to spouting memorized lines?

Biden is extraordinary, as is Obama. Why does NO ONE expect Palin to be extraordinary???? Not even her fans...... Biden gets the job!!

I think the presidency, or vice presidency is not an office for trial and error. If this trend of Palin continues, we might as well vote for other celebrities too.

Her comfort with her ignorance of certain things is disturbing. As at now, I do not know what it take to be a president or vice. Maybe, these are signs of the beginning of the end of democracy.

"Palin all attitude and image to Biden's facts and focus" The only problem is a large part of Biden's "facts" were just wrong.

This was as good as it gets for Miss Palin
and it was not much. She still sounded like an airhead to me. Every question was answered with a mini speech and sarcasm. I do not think sarcasm is a substitute for knowledge.

It remains to be seen if the American public is fooled by her. It is very very scary to think of her as VP with McCain being 72.

Biden was professional all the way thru. The whole 'Joe' vs 'Gov' was off-putting to me. Even though she asked. Manipulative

I think you summed it up very well. Her giggly, coquettish manner was inappropriate; I kept expecting her to burst into a school fight song. Of course, the base will declare that she was equal to the challenge, but no honest citizen could claim she did anything but flirt and insult for most of the evening.

Your opinion is that of most logical people you are greedy and don't see the lies behind what they (government) say is the truth. Biden may have had facts but with the mess this country is in I would rather have a outsider who will not miss manage the money this government spends. So, "Z" your opinion sucks and was a waste of time to read.

Yes. After a while I got tired of listing to her. It was the same dribble programmed in to the femmebot coming out of her, time and time again. Biden on the otherhand, was shockingly coherent. I was actually wowed by his straight forward answers that just made sense. I settled me on Obama and Biden. Remember, Obama asked him to have full input on issues, he doesn't want a yes man. Another reason I like the idea of Obama Biden, they appreciate divergent views.

THIS IS SUCH A DISGRACE. America is a laughing stock. If the party in charge can put up a gal that can wink and b.s. with us during a time of extreme economic disaster, then maybe we dumb rubes deserve all of the disaster that God can throw at us. I am deeply saddened that grown-ups are no longer in vogue with the Republican party. I did not come to the debate to watch a pin-up girl wink and nod at me. Utterly disgusting.

I never heard one straight answer out of Palin. Her entire argument was like one long rhetorical commercial. Almost as if she were selling a product. Or running for high school class president.

Joe Biden was on target the entire way through the debate, was never condescending to Palin, although she was clearly way out of her depth. Biden like Obama, had all the facts a figures on every issue, and delivered them to the country coolly and without rancor or judgments passed on Palin.

Joe Biden absoutely won this debate, hands down.

Biden, full of facts? You have got to be kidding me, right? Straight old Joe Senator parroting the party line. Reality is no senator is qualified to be president which is why Americans tend to elect Governors who actually admininister a budget, supervise a staff of tens of thousands and deal with the state legislature.
As a retired editof of Time and Newsweek I find the current level of ignorance apalling.

Palin did well because she didn't try to actually answer any any questions and instead just gave people her practiced tag lines in her own "folksy" manner. It wasn't a debate with a moderator, it was a speech.

I just love your title, "Palin all attitude and image to Biden's facts and focus". Attitude, image, and I might add 'values' are sometimes much better leadership qualities than facts and focus. This is why Captain Kirk was the leader of the Starship Enterprise and Spock was his number two man. Fact and focus Mr. Spock could rarely lead and make the necessary decisions, which is why Captain Kirk was the better executive.

Agree. She comes across more comfortable "on stage" where she can "control" what she wants to gibberish about. An interview is more difficult in which to display thespian talents while gibberishing nothings.
She knows, with this on stage persona, that she can please some of those people and be affirmed, but, an interview? Like an oral exam, and she can't cut it. Which means, to me, she is not authentic in personality; she is uninformed in knowledge; her "instincts" are dangerous because she has a shallow "knowing". Is it ignorance or is it true and simplistic thought process and is that ignorance?

Even without making big demands on her in terms of substance, it was hard for me to consider voting for the ticket anymore when she kept winking at the camera. There are too many informed, professional GOP women that McCain could have chosen to not feel like Palin is a big insult.

I hope we don't consider this journalism. I belive objectivity is implied in journalism but certainly not here. I hope you have a day job David.

Sarah Palin is becomming more and more like Micheal Palin when she is in front of a camera.

Your article is so one sided and blind to facts that it's preposterous. Biden was a jerk who couldn't defend his "patriot" remark because he knew it was foolish. And YOUR emphasis that Biden had facts...where check record...his "facts" were wrong. Obama did vote against the troops...I read the record.

You vote for change and this is what you are going to get...MORE TAXES...mandated federal health care that strips you of your ability to choooooooose which doctor you want to see...and then more babies killed than in the days of the fall of the Roman empire becaue NO-bama clearly support infanticide...check his record. He should be labeled a presidential candidate...he should be labeled a baby killer...who accuses our troops of killing innocent families...

VOTE nobama ON NOVEMBER 4TH.

Good write up about this highly anticipated debate between vice presidential candidates Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin.

I also think Biden did very, very well - Palin did what was expected of her and that was to not really answer questions, but deliver talking points to her supporters.

Palin's attitude and thoughts about her role as vice president were not encouraging to so many of us who think Dick Cheney belongs behind bars.

For someone who's greatest asset may be an ability to speak simply, humility escapes her. More Bush administration arrogance and ignorance (and the same policies too). Enough.

Sen. Biden was remarkable. He's the reason I will vote in November.

this is silly, if the worlds best scientists can't agree on the causes or degree of global warming how can Palin and Biden draw firm conclusions. Her answer was right on -- especially for a executive that needs to make decisions on the ground -- not in a detached world like the senate. That's the difference between governing and talking about governing. David, if you've never had a position of authority you might not understand that.

Does it matter to you that Joe's "facts" were wrong?

When an electorate imposes no standards upon itself with regard to knowledge and uses ignorance as a weapon, then democracy ceases to function as a positive force. The Athenians, remember, voted the hemlock to Socrates. Ours, sadly, has become a truly stupid republic, enamoured with the facile and silly.

Biden's "facts"? Six of his "facts" were out and out lies and nine other were debatable facts! He sounded good because he just says stuff that sounds factual. On another point, Biden says he actually believes that there is no such thing as climate change not caused by humans...what an ass? The ice ages and warm periods back in the day were caused by the cavemen and dinosuars. Does he know anything about sunspots and their effect on weather. Bidens says anything...for clean coal now and telling the activist on the ropeline the COMPLETE OPPOSITE and he has the nads to say it was taken out of context...Anybody knows he was pandering to the activitist, and not knowing he was being taped and people in PA would hear it....

Didn't MSNBC do a tally of answers vs. facts and find Palin outscoring Biden?

Mr. Zurawik,
Your political leanings in favor of Obama/Biden are a bit too evident in your writing. You wrote,"...it is hard to imagine any rational human being not thinking Joe Biden delivered one of the most solid and winning debate performances in recent presidential history." A more balanced view would have admitted that Joe and Sarah both delivered pretty solid presentations, but Joe's numbers lacked clarity and he missed a few beats. Possibly next time you can try to put your political biases aside and focus on the issues.

Oh my God, did Palin even answer a single question in that debate, geeze! She acted more like a manipulative brat than a president! It's back to Alaska for you Sarah!!!

Both canidates erred citing facts. Not only that but Biden twisted facts around. He was all politician - out to improve image regardless of the truth. I am so sick of politicians and their only goal - to win the race. Give me a person who knows what it is like to be in my shoes, not a 30+ year politician who twists the facts when he thinks it will get him somewhere.

I only hope that most of the media doesn't show the same opinion dominated style of reporting as David Zurawik does with this article

Maybe Biden spoke to you as one Democrat to another, but Palin spoke to all of us "Joe six-packs".
She clearly won this debate, we do not know what causes weather changes and "global warming" is a concept not a fact. She was clear in her answers and told us what she will do going forward. Biden told us about mistakes made by Bush and McCane and not much else.

Evasive! Evasive!Evasive!Evasive!Evasive

You should use fact check on Biden before you write articles.

Folksy, that's the best description I can give to Palin's performance. Aren't we fed up with 'folksiness''? Isn't Bush a 'folksy' guy and we see where he put this country? Folksy doesn't replace intelligence and experience and Palin might be intelligent but she has absolutely no experience and is unqualified to lead this country or be its vice president. Considering the vice president is 'one heartbeat' away from being president, doesn't it scare anyone? McCain is 72 and . . .

so what i'm reading in this article, is something equivalent to:

on an exam, Biden gave real answers, and so gets an A on his paper.

Palin didn't answer much, but she wrote in clear bold print, so she gets a B?

are you joking?

if the American public doesn't see this woman as the paper doll that she is after this debate, then we really are too stupid as a nation to wipe our own butts.

I believe this debate was a little to safe. the moderator for one did not throw hard ball questions, nor did she correct or get the candidates to answer the questions directly. Her questions alone, we not strong to give any hard hitting answers. As for Palin, I was so tired of her grinning I had to look away on several occassions. This is not a game show. By the way, you talk about experience, McCain has experience because he was in the military. My uncle Bob was in the same war so why should he run for president of the USA.

What makes you think Gov. Palin didn't understand the causes of global warming? Did she say I don't understand or did she REFUSE to get pulled into another LIBERAL straw man argument? She is right....it doesn't matter how, it is what we do going forward. Shame on Biden for intimating that a governor of a state that is clearly impacted by the warming of our climate doesn't understand. Arrogance.

What makes you think Gov. Palin didn't understand the causes of global warming? Did she say I don't understand or did she REFUSE to get pulled into another LIBERAL straw man argument? She is right....it doesn't matter how, it is what we do going forward. Shame on Biden for intimating that a governor of a state that is clearly impacted by the warming of our climate doesn't understand. Arrogance.

It's amazing what's happened to this Country. Because someone winks, scrunches her nose, and can memorize talking points, she's capable of being the President of the United States??
We have 2 wars, a financial meltdown, 2 of our enemies on the cusp of developing nuclear weapons, etc, and people want someone like them, to be President?
Ummm, haven't we lowered the bar a little, folks?
You betcha!

Palin did not only say, "I don't want to argue about the causes." She first stated that she believed that it was partly man-made and partly cyclical (I thought that was generous considering that it's more than just partly cyclical). So if you are going to criticize someone about getting their facts wrong on numbers of occasions at least try to present yours in a truthful (in context) fashion. I think you liberals are just mad that she did not fall flat on her face. She is real and actually cares about the American people and willing to take all the shots critics are giving her. She's not the same stuffy politician who believes he/she knows what is best for the people even when they do not like a patronizing parent. I hope McCain wins and she learns and gets all the "experience" that her critics want her to have (I guess a couple of years in the senate voting present would have done it) and she takes President after McCain.

Z, I agree with you 100% here. Palin did not suffer any major gaffes, but with all the exposure she has been having, the 'you betcha" act was wearing thin, at least for me. Biden has been virtually shut out of the media, so last night was a kind of debut for him. Anyone seeing him for the first time would have to be impressed with his performance.

hmmm, no bias in this article. It must be hard to admit that she came out strong and swinging. She noted many, many differences between the two teams. She challenged Biden's voting record (accurately I might add), and used HIS OWN WORDS against Obama, she caught him in an out and out lie about clean coal (anyone who actually saw the rope-line exchange between Senator Biden and that women knows it had NOTHING to do with China).

Simple truth is, Biden didn't make any huge gaffes. Palin didn't make any huge gaffes.

I will agree that she didn't answer a couple of questions. I actually kinda wish she had. It was the one area where I think she was kinda weak. But she was dead on in many of the things she said.

Look, this is an opinion article, so you can say what you think (that's the purpose, right?). But your writing reveals a bias that has been cemented in stone.

How does one define a 'winner' in a debate like this. IMHO, it is by polling those whom are undecided and determine what their take was. If it's just an opinion poll of those who have already made up their minds, then it's kinda irrelevant, isn't it?

And just for the record, I have nothing against Joey B. I disagree with him on several issues, but by and large, I like the guy and appreciate his service to our country. Wow, how about that. A McCain/Palin supporter who can actually compliment an opponent!

Maybe that can catch on. It would do our country well to re-introduce civility to our society.

PEACE

This biased, inaccurate portrayal is quite typical of the incompetent mainstream media. Actually, Palin was authentic while Biden remained the bloviating, exaggerating Senator. Biden's problem is that he must defend Obama, the least qualified person to ever run for President.

Biden was calm, cool, and intelligently collected, while Palin acted like a barefoot hillbilly. She has absolutely no class at all. Not sure what she's doing on the ticket in the first place. It's like the republicans are trying to loose.

No bias here..... Yet another free plug for the Obama campaign from the unbiased media. We are sick of our government not listening to the people, and we are sick of listening to the agenda driven media, you have both failed us.

Beyond a class war, we are in the midst of an intellect war. The GOP is hoping that Palin can appeal to the masses of really dumb, impressionable, clueless uneducated rednecks who will then carry the day for the status quo rich ideologues in GOP power structure.

Palin was ok, but we need more than just ok this time around.

I hear that some like her cutesy style, but I can't imagine her trying that technique in Washington. They'd laugh her right out onto the street.

It would seem she also believes the VP slot is like a mini-presidential position where she gets to run part of the country and even suggested that the constitution allowed McCain to redefine the role to give her more power. We all said, "What? What did she say?" LOL

Funny how you should say Biden's "facts". Shows how brilliant a jounalist you are. Biden had 10-14 mistakes (or perhaps lies). Google it. Doesn't it make you look so silly? As this is par for the course for Biden in his long government career, you should have known that you should have done some good journalistic fact-checking yourself. But I believe these days "journalist" and "fact-checking" are as much of an oxymoron as "Biden" and "facts". Sad are these times.

The debate was Bidens to loose. If she had totally out shined him. He would deserve the Dumbo award. The fact that she held her own with him really makes her the winner. It shows she is a quick study. She demonstrated she is truly middle America. We all see what upper class America has done for us. Especially the last 2 years. She has my vote. Finally someone on the national ticket that is one of us.

The candidates' performance wasn't really a debate. However, the two offered an adequate contrast between the two campaigns. Choose one.

In the only question that matters, "Do you think this person is capable of being Vice President of the United States," she failed miserably. Global warming: She doesn't believe man caused this. If you believe that then it doesn't matter how much we pollute. She agrees with Cheney and wants more power over the senate than the Constitution allows. That is scary. She avoided answering question after question, even to the point of saying so. And most important, she didn't appear presidential at all.

People want politicians to ANSWER questions right now. They are tired of the dodging and lying. That is all we got from Palin. Likeable? Maybe. But this election isn't about who is likable, it is about who can fix this mess.

Spoken like a true liberal. You don't understand what is important in this election. If Obama and the Dems take over completely you won't recognize this country in 8 years. They will open the borders to every idiot that wants to come in a destroy this country. They will completely devastate our military by doing away with it. they will take everyones guns away from them so people won't be able to defend themselves which will invite the islamic extremeists into this country and you will soon see the types of attacks on this country that you see in all the Muslim countries. Car bombings, suicide bombings.
You just don't get it do you?
You can kiss your job goodbye when they take over because the kind of society they will build will kill anyone who has any kind of opinion other than theirs.
So smart ass, if you elect the Islamic terrorist Obama, which is what Momar Khodafi calls him (he calls him one of us) you can kiss you stupid liberal ass goodbye.

I really do not like Sarah Palin, but I thought she did a good job. I think it is important to distinguish polish from passion. She seemed passionate and Biden seemed polished.

Interesting, indeed.

David

Spoken like a true liberal. You don't understand what is important in this election. If Obama and the Dems take over completely you won't recognize this country in 8 years. They will open the borders to every idiot that wants to come in a destroy this country. They will completely devastate our military by doing away with it. they will take everyones guns away from them so people won't be able to defend themselves which will invite the islamic extremeists into this country and you will soon see the types of attacks on this country that you see in all the Muslim countries. Car bombings, suicide bombings.
You just don't get it do you?
You can kiss your job goodbye when they take over because the kind of society they will build will kill anyone who has any kind of opinion other than theirs.
So smart ass, if you elect the Islamic terrorist Obama, which is what Momar Khodafi calls him (he calls him one of us) you can kiss you stupid liberal ass goodbye.

Last night the only thing Sarah Palin "won" was the post of first chair in the Titanic orchestra. (John McCain, conducting.)

Anyone who says that Palin's performance changed their mind in a positive way obviously doesn't have one.

Regurgitating talking points winsomely is not statesmanship.

Joe Biden was absolutely right: "Facts matter."

You betcha! (Wink, wink)

Spoken like a true liberal. You don't understand what is important in this election. If Obama and the Dems take over completely you won't recognize this country in 8 years. They will open the borders to every idiot that wants to come in a destroy this country. They will completely devastate our military by doing away with it. they will take everyones guns away from them so people won't be able to defend themselves which will invite the islamic extremeists into this country and you will soon see the types of attacks on this country that you see in all the Muslim countries. Car bombings, suicide bombings.
You just don't get it do you?
You can kiss your job goodbye when they take over because the kind of society they will build will kill anyone who has any kind of opinion other than theirs.
So smart ass, if you elect the Islamic terrorist Obama, which is what Momar Khodafi calls him (he calls him one of us) you can kiss you stupid liberal ass goodbye.

Yet again. Selective news reporting through a liberal filter. You're not reporting ALL the facts, just posting YOUR opinion.

"In any classroom, court of law or town hall meeting, Biden wins hands down. How could he not? Palin didn’t even try to answer?" You say this is response to her answers about global warming? This is untrue. I thought she did great on this point. Specifically, how she tied the global warming issue to her views on energy. Most foreign nations that have large oil reserves care little or not at all about how they drill and how it impacts the environment. Wouldn't it make sense to drill more within our borders where we have much tougher standards/practices for protecting the environment. This was a well thought out point.

Agreed 100% with the article and take on the debate. It amazes me though how many people this morning say that she did so well, I guess image or substance?

Oddly enough, while you offer a detailed parsing of Palin's answers you totally withheld, ignored or simply refused to discuss the 10 to 16 outright lies told by your beloved Joe Biden. Why did you do this? Joe Biden lied about McCain's votes on the troop funding bills, he lied about Obama's vote to cut off funding for the troops, he flat-out lied about Obama saying he will meet with dictators without preconditions (the actual tape was played on network news this morning) and, all told, Biden just plain lied 16 times by actual count. Why no criticism? Why no "correction"? You clearly betray the trust of the readership with your bigoted 'anaysis", and I would sincerely suggest you change your pen name to "Baghdad Bob". I defy you to tell the truth.

Sarah 'Joe Six Pack' Palin?

The Palins' family total income in 2007 included her salary of $125,000; Todd Palin part-time income of $46,790 at BP Alaska plus $230,000 commercial fishing income and $10,500 in Iron Dog snow machine race winnings. These figures do not include $17,000 in per diem payments that Palin received for spending nights in her own home, the $43,490 she received to cover travel costs for her husband and children, the state oil royalties that each family member received, returns from several private investments and the 401(k) retirement account. The Palins' assets include a half-million-dollar home on a lake with a float-plane at the dock, two vacation retreats, and commercial-fishing rights worth an estimated $50,000 or more. With other friends, the Palins own a cabin on a five acre site on the southwest of Wasilla and the Iditarod National Historic Trail. In addition, they posses several snow machines and an airplane. She plans to pen a book after the elections, win or loose.

On Tuesday September 30, 2008 on a conservative radio talk show program while interviewed by Hugh Hewitt, Sarah said, "It's time a Joe Six Pack be finally represented in the position of vice presidency." She then added, "Washington elite do not like the idea of just an everyday working class American running for a high office". But the facts are in 2007 the median family income in America was $50,740 and lower than $ 48,000 in the states of Indiana, New Mexico, Ohio, Florida, West Virgnia, Arkansas and many others. While the middle class was shrinking, the Palin household was one of the top most five (5) percent in the nation that made more than $ 177,000. Joe Six Pack did not have a luxury of being paid to sleep in his or her own home. Furthermore, an everyday working American did not own a plane or two vacation retreats. Fool me once shame on me, fool me twice shame on you Sarah!

Good Heavens, I knew the Sun was biased in favor of Obama, but who would have thought that it's bias would extend to television reviews? I'm taking no sides until November 4, but what debate did you watch? I thought both Candidates presented well. Arguably, Biden will have trouble convincing voters that "Obama is now ready to lead", when during the primaries, his strongest assertions were that "Obama isn't ready to lead". Palin pointed out this fact. Further Biden is on record as stipulating that Hilary Clinton would be a better choice for V.P., so apparently even Joe Biden doesn't think Joe Biden should be V.P.. Palin lacks the breadth of insider knowledge that Bidens decades in the Senate may offer, but for many of us trying to get a handle on the issues, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Both Candidates "twisted some facts" to meet their needs, but Mrs. Palin, I feel came off the more genuine of the two in her presentation. One can hardly ignore the fact that Democrats have been in control of Congress, ergo, in charge of all the finance and regulatory committees and caucuses, and that Congress controls our governments purse strings. Economists have seen these problems coming for years, yet this economic fiasco still happened on Democrats watch. Biden should have noted this and given some details of how an Obama Administration will change Washington and Wall Street, he didn't. Palin also failed to capitalize on the fact that Democrats in the House have failed to address any of this in the quarter of a decade that Democrats have controlled the House and Senate. Both Candidates need to take a look at the bumper stickers their campaigns are mailing out. George Bush and Dick Chaney, John Kerry, Al Gore, are not running this time! The Sun and all it's various entertainment subsidiaries need to be a little more objective. The papers obvious bias (print as well as on-line) may explain why many consider the print media a dieing enterprise.

I wholeheartedly agree.

"In any classroom, court of law or town hall meeting, Biden wins hands down. How could he not?"

Because he's only 1/2 right on Global Warming? No more than 1/2 of the 1.2 degrees of climate change can be attributed to human causes.

Since the Ice Age, the earth’s temperature has fluctuated by only a few degrees. For example, a medieval
“warm period” (AD 900 to 1300) was
followed by a “little ice age” (1300 to
1880), when the overall temperature
dropped about 2°F (1°C).

The primary greenhouse gas, which is
responsible for the vast majority of the
greenhouse effect, is water vapor. Carbon dioxide, the second most common greenhouse gas, provides only a tiny fraction of the greenhouse effect.

CO2 may be, in part, a result of warmer temperatures. The oceans have much more CO2 than the atmosphere, and when the oceans warm up, the CO2 escapes into the atmosphere.

Whatever a person’s view of the
government’s role, it is undeniable
that laws to limit CO2 output would
have far-reaching effects on the poor.
The increased costs of producing
food, powering vehicles, and heating
and cooling homes are only a
few of the potential negative results.
Lower-income families, especially in
less-developed countries, would be
hit especially hard.

"Biden' s facts"? Are you kidding?
In front of National Television to twist and misrepresent McCain's and Obama's voting records so to fit his groundless political agenda! To misrepresent his own campaign greenhouse gas records! To all due respect to the Senator, we need somebody in Washington to break the lies and set a new tone.

Biden won hands down! She said NOTHING!

I'm not sure that either VP candidate did better than the other. As I was thinking about this later last night, why is it that when Gov. Palin would mention Sen.McCain 'reaching across the aisle' and working with Dems, that Sen. Biden's response was NOT about Sen.Obama working with Dems, it was about how HE (Sen.Biden) worked with Republicans. Strikes me as odd that Biden would tout himself rather than his own party's Pres. nominee. Is Biden running for President or is Obama???

Every liberal spin piece I've read this morning only confirms what I saw last night. The Democrats are running scared... damn scared. You know if Brian Williams is willing to call it a tie, then Sarah just slaughtered her opponent. (Way to go, there) Palin went into the debate with the deck stacked aginst her (the media was hoping for some more juicy sound bytes to take out of context and the bias moderator is publishing a book vennerating Obama ) and she STILL kicked Joe and Barak's butts comming and going. I mean, seriously... I have to question some of these TV guys who say "Joe clearly won." Where you even watching the same debate?! Did you have your cue cards printed up the night before?! The poor old guy was struggling just to keep up with the conversation. And when he did talk, he rambled on with the same old retoric that Barak has been desperatly trying to pawn off on us. "McCain is Bush. We need Change." I'm not buying it B.O. Socialism is NOT the change America needs. Competition within the private sector IS. Universal Healthcare sponsored by the government? Whould you want to go to the DMV for healthcare? ("Heart Attack A233 at window number 6.") Joe's been at this for more than three decades, so one would think that if he's any good at what he does, a newcommer like Palin would have been an easy hit. Instead, she clobbered Joe and smiled while she did it. Palin is exactly what makes our nation great... Natural ability bolstered by Honest Courage and hard work. John is brilliant to have picked her as his running mate. And if you want to be brilliant too, you should vote for McCain/ Palin. God Bless 'em both!

Your premise is wrong and misleading. Both candidates were lax in presenting the so-called 'facts' which you happily attribute solely to Biden. Unfortunately, all people will remember from your article is is 'Biden good, Palin bad', which likely suits your purposes. Next time, do some fact checking:

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/factchecking_biden-palin_debate.html

I simply can not believe how anyone can think she won the debate.

Biden cited issues, past experience and the constitution. Palin was desperately trying to thread together patchwork answers from approved talking points. In between the "folksy" talk and childish "winking" at the camera.

I was thinking about voting for McCain. I was excited when he won, but after watching Sarah Palin over the last five weeks, I can not. I can not give the country to a man who honestly chose this woman to be his running mate.

She is uninformed and not prepared in the least to deal with the issues of the day. Last night she had all the candor of a high school debate-team alternate trying to piece together someone else's arguments.

Great, she didn't explode or faint under the pressure - that's wonderful. But is that what we have come to as a nation? This is the standard that we expect from the second in command?

She has had trouble with Katie Couric and Charlie Gibson. The fact that Joe Biden didn't reduce her to tears is a victory? This is the person that is supposed to be able to stand up to Iran and Russia?

Go ahead and give her a gold medal for surviving if you want, you're a fool if you do, but I thought that by this point she should be thriving not simply surviving. When the best thing you can say about her is that she didn't do any MORE harm - is that really the person you want?

When, in the ultimate decadence of the Nixon Administration, the second of Tricky Dick's nominations to the Supreme Court was about to go down in flames, a cartoonist (I think it was Bill Mauldin) penned something that brings Sarah Palin's candidacy to mind.

The Senate had already rejected Nixon's first nominee, Clement Haynsworth.

Now, Harrold Carswell nomination to the High Court was being attacked, with reason, on both political and professional grounds. Senator Roman Hruska of Nebraska, the floor manager for the nomination, did not help Carswell with his comment, cited in the Congressional Record, that even the mediocre are “entitled to a little representation.”

Mauldin depicted two bums sitting on a park bench, one holding a newspaper that said, "Haynsworth, Carswell rejected," or something along those lines, along with Hruska's comment.

If mediocrity is the key, maybe we're on the wrong bench, one bum said to the other.

Now we are being asked to consider "Six-Pack Sarah" Palin because she is good at memorizing and delivering talking points.

A trained seal could do as well.

That doesn't mean mediocrity need be nested in the vice presidency.

A lot of the so-called "facts" that Biden stated were flat-out incorrect.

I'm sure you will not be devoting any time to pointing out his errors.

Palin was all talk....she's a great speaker...but that wont pay my mortgage, or health insurance, or my college debt and tuition, and it certainly will not get me a job.

Palin's speech tactics were a charade. She wanted so hard to impress the American people because she bombed at her other public appearances,and this was a redemption for her. It was all rehearsed, and she was so robotic.

When Biden chocked up and got emotional, she did not respond to it sympathetically because she did not want to be taken off track and off guard. Everything seemed overly rehearsed.

To criticize Biden for not speaking directly to the camera, #1 he did speak to the camera, #2 this man has been doing this for so long, speaking during a debate is so natural to him as if he is sitting in his living room talking to an average person. That's what I want, I want something real.

Biden was spitting out facts, numbers, statistics, historical facts, problems, and solutions to those problems. He called Mccain out on a lot things Palin thought she could talk her way through.

I need a president and a vice president who wont be full of hot air and attitude.
We NEED change, and OBAMA/BIDEN ticket will bring change.

I place much of the blame to Palin's programmed responses that never answered the call of the question on Ifill.No follow up questions nor any insistence she should answer the question,it was pathetic.I quess she was cowed by the McCain camp of viewing her as biased because of a book she had written on african american political leaders.The press continually fails the people in holding our politicians accountable for what they say and do when it really matters.

There you go again David. Palin all attitude while Biden is facts and figures? David, we may not like vague answers (imagine that, a politician with vaue answers) but on balance I would rather have someone be vague then flying free with facts that usually end up false. Obama.."57 states and a few more to go". Over 500 services at his church and he never heard his Pastor say anything controvercial? OH..and then he supports his Pastor until his Pastor attacks him personally? As for Biden, give me a break! That guy with his racist comments against the east indians in his home state, being forced down by gunfire in Afghanistan or wherever it was that didnt happen..blah..blah..blah. I don't know about you, but once folks start to lie to me, I don't readily believe their facts and figures. Biden also lied about comments Obama made. David, did you do the fact check after the debate? Did you confirm that x amount of Americans this and X amount that? Just because someone throws out numbers doesnt mean they are accurate.

As for Palin's stance on Gay marriage, if there was a term like antisemit for people that are making comments about how the evangelicals will react, that would be what you, and others on CNN last night are. How dare you tell us that you know how they will react to Sarah Palin's comments! How do you know? Are you an Evangelical? If so, can you really speak for the entire religion? What would happen if I stereotyped other groups? I would be labled a racist, an antisemit instantly, but it's ok to stereotype Evangelicals. That's bunk!

But with that being said, I didn't know that Obama/Biden were against gay marriage and it was good to hear them confirm their stance.

i didn't watch the debate, because as zurawik points out, these are more performances than sustantive debates. palin's defenders cry that she's a victim of the liberal media or other such bugaboos. but from what i've read here -- and expected anyway -- her handler on the campaign are about nothing more but selling this image of their charge to the public.

Palin did well. Lots of fluff and talk. NOT a single policy which made sense. She didn't even admit she DOESN'T believe global warming is caused by humans. BUT then she contradicted herself by saying "we need to clean up the planet." If it's not caused by humans and by the climate why do we have to clean up the environment? No common sense.

Second, what happens if we drill and it takes 10 years to get the oil? No response from Sarah Palin. Oil expert my behind!

Third, what happens when we use up our oil? We have 3% of the world oil and use 25% of the supply. I am 29 years old, what happens in 30 years when we use up our oil? If we don't move forward with alternative energies?

Great job Palin. Good long term planning and thinking. Yep drill, baby drill!

McCain will tax your health benefits people! Joe Biden did not explain it well, but he will tax the health insurance premium paid by OUR employers! So we will have a higher income by $12k! To get back a $5k tax credit! Whoopee. Great, then when our companies ditch the expensive healthcare, 20 million people will become UNINSURABLE! Joe did a terrible job explaining it, but anyone who votes for McCain/Palin deserves to run the risk of being uninsurable!

If people vote for Palin and McCain they are dumb. McCain has no timeline on Iraq, voted against alternative energy research funding, voted for the war in Iraq, wants to TAX health care benefits from employers, cut taxes for those making more than $250k, then deserve everything that goes wrong!

While I agree with you that Biden was fundamentally the much stronger participant in last night's debate, the Sun's readers seem to think otherwise: the Sun's polls indicates that more people think Palin "won" the debate than Biden. This despite the fact that Palin gleefully failed to answer any question asked of her. America seems to be voting for a reality show constestant, and not for the leader of our nation for the next four years in a time of great crisis. I'm very discouraged.

Thank you for putting in words what I was thinking - after the debate I listened to the TV talking heads and was almost convinced that I watched something entirely different from what they were talking about!

The pundits kept talking about how she had redeemed herself and oohing and aahing about her folksiness. All the while I'm wondering how can someone with such utter lack of knowledge about world affairs and the economy be considered qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. No amount of winking and "betcha"ing alters the fact that all she did the the whole time was parrot her tired talking points

I hope the current crisis at least wakes people up to the fact that having competent, intelligent and knowledgeable political leaders does matter - anyone who thinks otherwise has been in a coma the last 8 years!

David, you wrote,

"Palin’s answer was essentially a non-answer: “I don’t want to argue about the causes,” she said with an edge. “We have got to clean up this planet.”

Biden parried by saying, “If you don’t understand what causes something, it is almost impossible to come up with a solution.”

David, that is true what Biden said, but that doesn't mean HE actually understands it. I wish he would tell us in specifics how we got into this financial mess since he is voting for a bill to bail it out. Shouldn't the same reasoning hold true for the $700Billion plus Bailout. You know..the comment..you can't fix it unless you understand it.

Are you serious? Dude! Biden was spouting BS all night - and I mean, serious factual errors. McCain, for instance, never voted against funding for the war in Iraq...check it out.

you hit it right on the head - it was as if she wore jeans to the swimsuit competition of a beauty pageant - no respect for her context - living in another dimension of reality

"She also tried to attack Obama’s position on Afghanistan while consistently getting the name of the general in charge of American troops in the country wrong. Biden was restrained and savvy enough not to correct here. Let the reviewers and pundits."

She mentioned the name twice - only twice. Biden failed to mention the name, calling him "Our commanding General". The real question isn't the name mistake, it's who was right. Biden, with all his experience doesn't understand that the "surge" was a soundbite name to get people to buy off on counterinsurgency (COIN) tactics. Aside from an increase in numbers, the fact of providing security in a local setting, to enable reconstruction work, to build confidence in the government is basic COIN doctrine - and it works. Palin seemed more understanding of this than Biden, but again what did McKiernon really say? Which one of them more closely matched that reality?

Welcome to the Land of Lowered Expectations, where a poor performance is considered a win and mediocrity is praised as success. Why not? Nowadays, we give every kid a trophy just for showing up at the soccer game. Ms. Palin is an empty suit. Her vapid, ignorant responses at the debate would be laughable if she wasn't running for such an important office. She makes Dan Quayle look like Albert Einstein. Nevertheless, no one is willing to stand up and proclaim that the emperor has no clothes. Joe Biden had to treat her with kid gloves so he wouldn't appear to be picking on the little lady from Alaska. Ridiculous. I'm sure Putin will have no reservations about tearing her a new one, should the unthinkable happen and Sarah "The Winkster" finds herself in the big chair in the Oval Office.

The McCain camp must consider everyone to be stupid. I think ANYONE could show up with their Own questions, and answer them in general terms. Especially, if you have a background as a beauty queen where generalities are given in speeches. The Republicans talked about her "Performance," and I would consider them correct-it was a PERFORMANCE. There was no substance and she did not answer the questions given. As far as G.W. being the in the past, last time I checked, he was still our President, making decisions and influencing policy, which is still affecting us as citizens. Past? As far as I'm concerned, George Bush is very much in the present and if you can't distinguish him from McCain policy, there's a problem!

Zarawik must live in a parallel universe.. in the debate I saw, Sarah Palin knocked it out of the park with her debate performance, and Biden's "facts", which the writer of this article was so enamored with were demonstrably false, although willingly swallowed by Obama's gullible followers.

Interestingly, factcheck.org did not bother to mention one of the most obvious lies which Sen. Hairplugs made last night, in which the Sen. denied that Obama ever made the statement that he would sit down with the leaders of Iran, Cuba etc, "without precondition". Obama did in fact say that, and the fact that he did demonstrate what how clueless and dangerous he is. Video of Obama saying those exact words in context is all over youtube, and it was a bald faced lie of Biden to deny it. Obama, being the empty suit he is, didn't realize how naive and stupid his comment was until his handlers told him.. at which point, Mr. Empty Suit and his defenders have backpeddled like crazy to deny Obama ever said such a thing. Like I said, it's like a parallel universe, particularly with so many of you in the media

Hi, this is Zurawik. I just re-entered this realm from the parallel universe and am now online and juiced by all the comments and energy. So, let me get a coffee and start striking back from the parallel universe. I think you are going to have a hard time selling Joe Biden and an "empty suit," however. Not the Joe Biden of last night's debate anyway. Very focused and forceful and on point. But just answering Gwen Ifill's questions would have made him 95 percent more focused than Palin who ignored any question she didn't have an answer foir, which was most of them. But that might haave been very wise TV strategy as I wrote in the original blog. Man, it was tough re-entering this universe. The escape on spaceship I borrowed from ALF (a.k.a. Gordon Shumway) was not in such good shape. Z

What a surprise that you were so impressed with the Democratic candidate's performance...

One more reason why the Sun is rapidly losing relevancy, and subscribers. No, David, it's not safe to assume that every reader of the Sun is of the left. Only seen through that foggy lens does a failure to hit a home run constitute defeat.

The above article was an opinion. The media has spent the last thirty days trashing Palin. They fell on their face last night. The Biden "bridge to nowhere" snub was rather sad considering that both Obama and Biden voted not once but twice for the bridge. I think Palin should have gone after Obama on the housing bailout issue considering his history with ACORN in which he made a healthy contributbution to the housing collapse, but if she had I think the the rest of the night would have been far more contentious and I don't think she wanted that. Palin controlled the debate which allowed her not only to express her views but to answer those questions directly that affect us all as Americans.

When questioned that if elected, what might be the Achilles Heel as VP for each candidate, Palin shot off about all of her accomplishments as gov. Does she not understand the question or does she not know what is an Achilles Heel?

The more I see Sarah Palin the more I am excited that there is a politician that is a "real person"! Biden really stayed composed with her but was nervous. She could have knocked him out if she wanted to. It's time the U.S. people understand that the Democrats want to put an undeserved, unqualified, no experience Obama into the White House minus the "heartbeat"! Sarah Palin is running for VP only and she already is more qualified than the guy with the "muslim" name! Get real America, vote for a "Real American"!

Let's face it. Sara Palin is a joke. A sick joke.

Joe Biden won this debate hands down. He answered all the questions very thoroughly and with confidence and intelligence.

Sarah Palin never really answered the questions and instead kept talking about energy continuously. She never described nor outlined any of McCain's plans for Iraq, the economy, healthcare, social security etc. but just kept spouting out cutesy comments and remarks.

Sarah Palin tries so hard to appear to be just an average American "Joe" but if you actually read her and McCain's agenda and position on the issues you'll see that rather than working for the average middle-class American that they're instead helping the large money making oil and gas companies and the wealthiest American citizens. That's what I find very disturbing.

I see no reason to attack either candidate Palin did much better than anyone expected. Sure she did it with some political tricks answering the question you want rather than the one you got. That's campaigning. She came across as very likable. And they prepped her enough so she sounded knowledgable. It was an impressive job. The Republicans had me scared for a while but they are back to their normal game plan. When you are selling an unpopular product: One that has destroyed citizens civil liberties, destroyed a countries standing in the world, destroyed a countries finacial stabilty, destroyed the middle class, destroyed a countries values of fairness, honesty, no torture, and caused the death of hundreds of thousands of civilians in a war the oil companies wanted. You need a top notch salesman to sell that product. Palin has a future. She may be a future Reagan.

Watching people tie themselves into knots to justify her winning makes me laugh. Please stop making yourself look stupid. You like McCain over Obama, big deal. Joe kicked her ass, get over it.

You must not have been watching when Palin quoted Joe Biden as saying, "Obama is not ready to be commander and chief". He was knocked back on his heels at that point and she scored a technical knockout. Maybe you just prefer to forget that part of the debate. Or maybe you're campaigning for Obama-Biden.

I think the liberal media has done more to help McCain/Palin get elected than they have done for themselves. Keep up the good work! McCain/Palin '08!!!

Why is is that the McCain team reminds me of the old TV show---'All in the Family'...Could it be Archie & Whats her name??

When will Sarah Palin release her tax Returns

You are quoted as saying "Joe Biden delivered one of the most solid and winning debate performances in recent presidential history." WHAT ?Did the bus just pull up and push you out the door ? If that was the most soild and winning debates in presidential history, then it must of been the first one you ever seen. You should call your column "Z on Meth".

Sarah Palin's bar was set so low last night that as long as she stood there and talked - she succeeded. When did it happen in this country that mediocre is ok? Personally - I do not want my executive branch to be described as "folksy". What Obama lacks in experience - he more than makes up for in knowledge. He has a depth and breadth about the world and the country that Palin does not. I found it offensive that she kept winking at the camera. THIS is our VP candidate? You betcha. No thanks - I am voting for brains this time. We have had folksy and it didn't work. Obama/Biden '08

Hi Anne, Yes, yes and you betcha right back at ya ( as we say in my home state of Wisconsin) on the winking thing. Citizen Z, the guy who gets one vote in November, doesn't want folksy either. Heaven help us, the king of foksy, Ronald Reagan, was the big pitchman for de-regulation of EVERYTHING. That's where the crisis we are in now started in my humble opinion. But, ZONTV, the media critic, says folksy plays really well on TV, and there is a huge audience for it. Remember The Waltons? We might be living their Depression-era reality soon enough sad to say. Z.

Attacking McCain and Bush does not make Obama-Biden stronger, it only tells you that they are desperate and don't have good plans to help America. Go McCain-Palin!

OK, honestly this is becoming embarrassing. It is so irritating to have to admit that I am, in any way, associated with the issue-ignorant Americans in this country. The "Hey, he's one of us" attitude is nearly the exact campaign that got Bush elected and re-elected because many people in this country didn't care about the important issues. Americans decided to just turn their heads and let "W" sort it out because apparently "W" knows best. And eight years later where are we? Palin's only objective last night should have been simply to distance her (and McCain's) views from the those of the Bush administration. SHE DID NOT DO IT, thus, further substantiating the democratic message. On a positive note, Palin didn't embarrass herself, which is good, but this isn't grade school, we don't award points for not "screwing up".

And could anyone please fill me in on the so called "serious factual errors" that Biden was apparently rattling off all night? I'd like specific examples, with the correct facts and where that information can be found. I'm pretty confident there won't be a response to this.

Hi B, I agree with you. The headline on my piece says Biden factual and focused versus Palin all attitude and image. Yes, on the expectations thing as well. She didn't meltdown, so that means she did great? Sad but true in terms of perception, expectations and TV -- and the kind of cartoon culture we have maybe become. Thanks. Z

I can't believe society lets idiots like "Clinton" reproduce -- let alone vote! So z is "to the left of Lennon"? Uh, would be John Lennon...or were you going for Lenin?

"Clinton" should just continue to deliver pizzas and avoid any political commentary.

It's fascinating to see how so many people could watch the same event and have such polar opposite opinions of how things went...I guess people, regardless of how they identify themselves, see and hear what they WANT to see and hear...

True for some people -- hopefully, not all. Thanks. Z

Biden made many factual errors (6 definite ones)...that you seem to ignore. He commanded the facts well, when he didn't make false statements, but he talked like a lecturer, at times annoying, like he was speaking down to people. ("Let me say it again...let me say it again!") Palin did not always have great answers, but she was MUCH more likeable, which is far more important in terms of connecting with the viewers. I've heard some describe her performance as good as even Reagan or Clinton (Bill of course)

I am not trying to be harsh, but those who describe her as Reagan or Bill Clinton are dreaming -- really. And, of course, Biden said "let me say it again" when he tried to counter her false repeated statement that Obama tried to end funding for troops in Iraq. Thanks. Z

Clinton, I think you mean Lenin.

Don't get me wrong, John Lennon wasn't conservative either, but I think the analogy you're trying to make calls for a reference to Vladimir Lenin, Soviet Dictator. Not John Lennon, Beatle.

This mistake isn't anything to be ashamed of if you are less than fifteen years old, which I'm guessing you are.

Oh man, I love this give and take today. Thanks. Please check out the earlier comment and response from me on this one. And thanks for the rapier wit on the 15-years-old aspect. Brilliant. (My editors are waiting for all kinds of copy from me, but I can't pull myself away from this conversation. It's fabulous. Z

Sarah Non Sequitur skirts her ultra-right xian program.

** Palin’s crusade for The Un-Enlightenment **

Millions of fundies who want a theocratic America -- an Ameristan, complete with puritanism and fanaticism -- will forgive her handlers' subterfuges. After all, she's lying in a holy cause as a shill for dominionism.

We know exactly what Sarah Palin reads -- it's the Bible in its ultra-right ideological interpretation by the Dobson and Hagee crowd. That's the only source for law and morals, domestic and foreign policy, war strategy and negotiating tactics.

Palin is Peter Pan, a never-grow-up tomboy. How else to characterize a mental and behavioral juvenile who opines that human beings and dinosaurs walked together in a world at most 6,000 years old. Abandon rationality and honesty if you would be one with her.

Fundies hate exactly what the US has become. Christian fideists, just like Islamic fideists, cannot tolerate an open society, a pluralist culture, or a secular state. They wax nostalgic for racism, for male dominated social control, for misogyny, for unquestioned acceptance of religious tyranny (not by those labels of course).

Palin has tried to conceal her own warped desire for bringing to life Margaret Atwood’s wretched dystopia stripped bare in her novel, The Handmaid’s Tale.

Millions far saner than Sarah still do not know what's in her mind . . . unenlightened beliefs clogged by (Super-size me Jesus!) junk-food faith.

Too many errors by Biden...must be the air in DC, it's getting to him. The only thing that comes out of his mouth is BS.
Same with Hussein. I got a good friend who uses his neighbor's sun newspaper for one thing for which it is only good for anyways....a waste depository for his bird cage. After all, this is a liberal rag...and as always..it's full of BS.

"Biden made many factual errors (6 definite ones)...that you seem to ignore."
-- Anonymous

Re my post above...please describe specifically these "factual" errors which Biden made. Have courtesy for other readers by providing the "correct" information while also stating where you found the information. Many seem to be of the opinion that Biden was providing misinformation (intentionally or unintentionally), however, I haven't encountered one posting on any blog that has gone into any detail on this nor even made an effort to prove the argument true. Furthermore, none of the TV analysts from either side seem to be discussing this. If these are just false claims presented solely for the purpose of supporting a favorite candidate, Palin in this case, its a pathetic and boring approach.

Hi B, Yes, good call on asking for the facts. I have yet to see the six so-called factual errors spelled out. Thanks. Z

Biden was joke. Making a baldfaced lie that Obama didn't say he would meet with the Iranian leader without preconditions. Plus a litnay of other misstatements of fact. How do you win when you get the facts wrong.

Of course this biased liberal democrat author would never point this out. That's why he has no credibility. In fact the liberal media has zero credibility except with liberals. That is why 60% of the people believe the media is cheering for Obama.

Most memorable moment. "There you go again Joe looking backwards.."

More Biden nonsense, his claim about spending more in a month in Iraq than we’ve spent in Afghanistan. The lie about McCain voting with Obama on raising taxes; his vote in favor of the war. Hello Joe it was a war resolution. One wonders how a dunce like Joe is a VP candidate. So the question remains: How do you win on substance when you get the facts wrong?

You don't, except in the liberal spin rooms were lies become truth or conviently overlooked.

Facts and Focus? Either you need to clean your ears out or you're idea of "facts" are as bad as Biden's

Hello Dianne, If you have any evidence on Biden's errors, please share. Thanks. Z

Given Biden's confusion over the topic of Article I of the Constitution, over the history of U.S. action in Lebanon, and over the capabilities of Pakistan's missile program (isn't he supposed to be the expert in Constitutional law and foreign policy), I do not think this word "facts" means what you think it means . . .

Ah yes, an interesting point about Obama's (2007) statements regarding "preconditions" or "preparations" or whatever. We all remember. But this issue has largely been attributed to semantics and played its course. A "baldfaced lie" it was not. I think Biden was just on track with Obama's current policies (which have seemed to change here) and didn't think before he spoke. Dismissing the senator's credibility on such an insignificant issue is unwarranted. Foreign policy is a HUGH issue; establishing "preconditions" is only a small part of that. Provide something more substantial before you rip apart the man's integrity. This is just quibbling. Not to mention that McCain has been known to change is stance on issues as well (the economy).

David,

I was proud of Joe Biden last night, a triumph of substance over style. But, then again, I liked his style, his passion and directness, and his not allowing her to control the debate. While I thought she had her good moments, I felt she had memorized answers to possible questions, and spit them out wherever she could fit them in. Hers was an odd performance, with a bit too many winks and nods. Her relief at the end of the debate was palpable. Her appeal is superficial, and I don't understand why people would deem her worthy of the position of VP.

Go back to writing about stupid tv shows. Leave the politics alone unless you really have something semi-intelligent to say.

And miss the chance to converse with enlightened aand iuntelligent folks like you? No way. I think we'll be sticking with just what we are doing. It's going pretty well as you might have noticed from the comments. Thanks. Z

I think this article is somewhat biased, since it fails to point out the factual errors committed by Biden. That being said, there is no question about who won the debate. Biden made some factual errors because at least he answered the questions. On the other hand, Palin never even remotely tried to answer the question. If this was an exam instead of a debate, Biden would get a B/B+, whereas Palin would get a stinking F.

Palin clearly won the debate.
A lot of topics were covered except abortion.
The finest health and education systems, the fairest immigration laws, and the soundest economy do nothing for the child who never sees the light of day!
It is a tragic irony that ‘pro-choice’ candidates have come to support homicide – the gravest injustice a society can tolerate – in the name of ‘social justice’.

Abortion is the civil rights issue of out generation.

Palin and McCain have the life issues right.
Obama/Biden will expand abortions and taxpayers will pay.
1.3 million murdered children every yr in the US alone

You're right to ask whether facts, reason, and logic count anymore. Judging by some of the posters here, it's obvious they haven't bothered to look at the actual fact check scorecard. All the major news organizations--including Fox News--did post-debate fact checks. I would encourage everyone here who truly wants to be as informed as possible to take a look at them.

I hate this whole argument that we should not drill because it takes 10 years to get anything. Well if we drill today then its 10 years from today. If we wait and drill 5years from now then it is 15 years from today when we will get anything. We need to start drilling today so we can get it in 10 years and not wait any longer.

The vast left wing conspiracy has done a bang up job of scaring us into a socialist economic plan with a liberal congress and possibly one of the most liberal...ah socialist... candidates ever. Pucker up folks and get ready to kiss your American dream goodbye. A vote for Obama is essentially serving socialists your dearly fought freedoms on a silver platter.
Don't believe in a vast left wing conspiracy? Case in point- after watching last night's debate every single news show, save FOX, had every analyst agreeing that Biden had won. When have you EVER seen every analyst on the news agree? They have an agenda... you haven't been given the full story... you've been fooled. The socialist/liberals will now control the White House, Congress, your pocket book, and the media... and we're just giving it to them willingly. Now that's scary!

Would that be the vast left-wing conspiracy led by George W. Bush and his secretary of the treasury? Thanks. Z

in reference to the pathetic man writing all the z's commenting on how boring this blog consistently is, stop reading it. thanks.

Hi Liz, You are offcially my heroine of the day for saying exactly what I would have liked to say....Thanks. Z

Come on ole Dave, are you ever gonna get a life? The kind of political doublespeak and manipulation of facts that is the currency of Biden is not worthy of a candidate for canine catcher. The simple fact is that Palin connected and Biden has no clue as to how to connect.

Ole Dave? I think you must have me confused with a recurring character from Hee Haw or Green Acres. Sorry. Z

Clearly, this woman thinks she is above accountability and if that doesn't sound the warning bell I don't know what will!

Biden & Ifill should have called her on the very first thing that came out of her mouth when she explained why she didnt' have to be held to the same standard as Biden by not answering Ifill's question.

That was absolutely full of racism directed against Ifill.

It is even more a tragedy that nobody picked up on it.

Hi Donna, I did make a big point about Palin saying she was only going to answer what she wanted to answer. And while you might be right about her thinking, I do not feel comfortable reading someone's mind that way and making such a serious charge without evidence. But I get your point. Thanks. Z

I watched the entire debate but as soon as it was over I developed a horrible migraine. Listening to Palin's voice (by golly jee whiz...you betcha!) and watching that fake smile and silly winks is almost too much to handle.

Please make her go back to Alaska.

Get ready for a Palin/McCain landslide, that is if the Dems don't steal it with help from ACORN, you know, "O"'s buddies.

This article is embarrassing. It embarrasses the author, the BaltimoreSun and the intelligence of anyone who read this tripe. Biden made childish faces at people in the audience when he wasn't answering questions, he changed the subject when he didn't like what he heard and then cried on TV like a whimp. I'm sure he was hurt deeply at the loss of his daughter and wife and injured boys and I don't marginalize it; But he exploited it. On 10/7/08, McCain will lead OBlama in most polls because Americans like Sarah Palin. If you wish to complain about that, you'd be right on.

God, so many of the negative responses to your blog trying to denounced you for everything from being an idiot to a ,God forbid, a liberal. You spoke the truth without any judgement, just the truth. Unfortunatly, there will always be people who are lead by an ideology no matter what the messenger says and the duffess (I'm being PC) will follow into whatever war or retaking of civil rights given to us by the Constitution. Some of your responders scare me and just make me realize why after eight years of a quasi-nazi administration we have become a lepar world-wide
Keep speaking/writing the truth without bias and screw the people who have become so limpotent mentally that they are willing to jepeordize the country they supposedly stand-up for!!.

jb

JB

Biden provided very few "facts" and did what he and his running mate do best; deceive! I believe Palin is sincere about her responsibilities; Biden is more of the same.

We have a House and Senate with single digit approval ratings and we nominate three candidates from this dreary swamp? Wake up!! Too many kool-aid drinking idiots got us here by following their party lines. Sarah Palin is a breath of fresh air and has an 80% approval rating in Alaska. That should mean something.

What State did Obama govern? Oh yea, ACORN. The community activist that actually sued Citibank in 1995 because they would not provide enough/any sub-prime loans.

Helloooo!! Can't anyone use their frickin brain anymore?

How could Sarah Palin have won the debate when she never actually answered any of the questions????

All her cutesy little words, folksy lingo and eye winks did nothing to help the debate either.

She never explained what her and McCain's plans were for Iraq, the economy, health insurance, social security etc.

Joe Biden won this debate hands down! He was knowledgable, informative and fully explained his view on the issues and the plans that he and Obama would implement after winning the election.

Sarah Palin doesn't like to "blink" when making important decisions, but she sure does wink a lot! I guess blinking with just one eye is acceptable. ;)

First of all, I don't know why everybody is treating this as it's on the front page. I was under the impression that the term blog implied opinion.

I know I'm a upper-middle class girl at a liberal arts school, but I can't help but watch Sarah Palin and W and think that Americans are lowering their standards for how officials present themselves. She makes me feel quite bright - I don't want a VP who makes me feel that way.

And for anyone who thinks voting McCain/Palin is feminist also has low expectations for women. Palin is setting feminism back about 50 years. Hey, I'm named Sarah and I might one day be a hockey mom and have a disabled kid. Can I be VP? Stop exploiting your child's mental retardation...although, if Biden's kid were also retared, he might act the same way...

Thank you for calling this debate as I hope most of America did. If winking, blinking, and nodding are qualifications then she won. But even in the third grade if you do not respond to the questions or can't articulate your response, well you do not pass. Though I am not sure I would say it was Biden's best I certainly know he passed. He reassured me that he and Obama are the best choices for their respsective offices, while she left me speechless and embarrassed.
By the way...the "winking"...I cringed the entire debate. STOP IT SARAH!!!