Post-Debate Polls Show Biden Debate Win

Palin supports civil unions! (?)

If "exceeding expectations" means ignoring the questions being asked and plugging in rote recitations of off-topic talking points, then Palin exceeded expectations. She was like a robot tearing through the programmed language at warp speed, while peppering her recitations with phony "folksy" flourishes and spiteful little attacks at Biden, meant to bait him into attacking her. He didn't bite. In fact, I thought Biden was incredibly disciplined and controlled, staying on message and focusing his attacks on McCain and his Bushian record. Mission accomplished.

The snap polls post-debate, as well as those focus group dial-polls conducted during the debate had Biden winning, although some of the pundits said it was a virtual tie because Palin didn't crash and burn. I guess they don't believe it's important to answer the questions being asked in terms of scoring a debate performance.

A total of 22 new "fact checks" were added to Count the Lies at the McCainPedia.org, documenting Palin's disinformation answers she no doubt was coached to regurgitate. Here's the complete transcript of the debate.

One of my favorite exchanges was on gay marriage-equal rights for GLBT folks. The video at top shows it. I love how Palin got so flummoxed she agreed that she shared the Obama-Biden position that civil unions should be allowed, and should duplicate all the rights afforded straight couples in their marriages. Right on, Sarah! Who knew? I also enjoyed her assertion that she's "tolerant" and that some of her best friends ....

Bottom line: This debate won't change anything very much. The nation's attention is riveted on economic issues. The McCain-Palin "maverick team" (as Sarah calls it) has exactly zero ideas on how to deal with it -- other than keeping the Bush tax cuts for the rich intact and ridding Washington of corruption somehow, some way, some time. They are going to continue to get smashed on this issue. Obama's numbers are going to keep rising on this issue.

The key battleground states of Michigan (where McCain has tossed in the towel), Ohio and Pennsylvania are all about economic horror stories, while McCain-Palin don't have a leg to stand on in terms of proposals to help real people suffering real setbacks. After all, conservatives, whether "mavericks" or not, believe that the government is the problem, not the solution -- at least when it comes to helping the poor and middle class. What kind of proactive steps can they possibly prescribe to provide support for working people and get things back on track?

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