Interesting Conversations in Another Room

7:58: Waiting for the debate to start. I can't watch any of the predebate coverage because I'm streaming it, and none of the major networks have their regular TV online.

8:01: It's starting. yay!

8:02: Palin's strategy, right off the bat, is to appear friendly and likeable. Predictable, but effective.

8:05: Sounds like Palin is trying to make the case for more regulation, very interesting. Looks like they've given up on the libertarians.

8:07: Palin learned from McCain's debate mistakes. Looking at Biden. Talking to the camera

8:11: Biden's trying to paint McCain as a flip-flopper. I think that won't stick.

8:12: Yes, raising taxes on people making $42,000 a year will kill jobs. Really.

8:17: Palin just said tax credits don't cost the government any money. The mind boggles.

8:20: Biden is getting really specific on the Health care thing. His numbers sound good, but not having ever paid for health care, wouldn't know if they are anywhere near right

8:21: Biden gaffed. Can't seem to pronouce words. Who will latch onto that?

8:23: Palin doesn't make sense. She would give big companies tax breaks, but she had to undo tax breaks for the big oil companies.

8:25: Biden is trying to win on issues, not narrative. I predict a slim Palin victory.

8:27: Both candidates are trying to claim seeing the subprime crisis coming. So I wonder why it was such a big problem.

8:29: Palin wants to drill in ANWR, which has ~10 billion barrels in reserves. We use 150 billion barrels per year.

8:32: Palin was talking pro-environment, sounded like some Kyoto style carbon caps (She did!). Biden was talking pro-nuclear. Crazy talk.

8:35: Biden just affirmed same-sex marriage (or equivalent). As a bisexual, I approve.

8:36: Palin just said sexual orientation is a choice. I don't like that.

8:38: I think the moderator just messed up. Should have pressed Palin to affirm or deny the need for same sex unions.

8:41: Palin: "Obama didn't fund/support the troops." Biden: "McCain did that same thing." That narrative doesn't work well.

8:42: Biden screwed up. Acting angry toward your female debate partner will not score you any points with the electorate. Especially because she just acted a bit sheepish when she responded.

8:45: Biden said we should withdraw our attention from Iraq and focus more on Afghanistan. Brings up the spectre of Al Qaeda and Bin Laden. Good narrative.

8:47: Palin says, "Nucular". Vote Obama/Biden to protect the English language!

8:51: Palin: If we don't support Israel, there will be another Holocaust. I call Godwin's Law. Biden Wins.

8:53: Palin only respects positions she agrees with. That's some scary shit.

8:54: Biden tried to stick McCain with the "Like Bush" sign. Palin repeated the 'Mavrik' schtick. Biden wins the facts. Palin wins the narrative.

8:56: Palin: We shouldn't let rogue states have "nucular" weapons. I say Christians that believe in the end times should have them either.

8:58: Biden makes a good point about ignoring Afghanistan. I think this is a winning narrative. Support the troops in Afghanistan.

9:02: Biden is trying to get people to feel for the genocide in Darfur. I think he is underestimating the ability of Americans to restrict their empathy.

9:04: Joe Biden, it is also a bad idea to try to make an intellectual argument laying out the ethical necessity for a strategy for engagement, even with genocide.

9:06: Palin: Did you know? John McCain was in the military! (and a pow)

9:07: Biden: Obama dying in office would be worse than the JFK assassination.

9:08: Palin: We are maveriks!!!

9:10: Biden is still trying to equate McCain with Bush. Palin chastises him for looking backwards. I think Palin's response fell flat.

9:13: Palin: The VP should have more power to make the Senate do the President's will.

9:15: Palin gets less eloquent the more she is trying to dodge the question.

9:17: Biden has great energy, but it often seems like anger. Seems like a bad impression to me.

9:21: Did you know... McCain's a maverick!

9:22: Palin makes a Freudian slip: "He's that man we need to leave" (meant to say "lead")

9:24: Good final question: Have you ever changed your view on an important matter of policy?

9:25: Palin is really good at avoiding the questions she doesn't want to answer. Totally ignored the last question.

9:26: Just noticed that Palin is wearing a flag pin.

9:29: Just learned a new term from Palin: National Security Freedoms. I suppose we are free to bomb third world countries.

9:30: Biden is wearing a flag pin, too. No terrorists here.

9:33: The candidates made their kids sit through that?

9:34: Palin and Biden were talking about something while standing with their families after the debate, but the sound was turned off. It seemed friendly, but I'm curious as to what it was.

General impression: Biden answered the questions more and was better with facts, but Palin totally won on delivery, narrative, and general connection with voters. Slim victory to Palin.