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Palin’s Triumph
nationalreview.com ^ | October 3, 2008 | The Editors

Posted on 10/03/2008 12:10:38 AM PDT by nickcarraway

Gov. Sarah Palin, once again, confounded her critics with a strong performance. She did it at the Republican convention, and she did it again last night in her debate with Sen. Joe Biden. She performed with poise and charm. She effectively made the case that Senator Obama would be naïve in foreign policy and harmful to economic growth, and that Senator McCain would be a common-sense reformer. She handled questions about Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran well. She connected domestic-policy arguments to the lives of average voters. Anyone who hoped — or feared — that she would fall flat on her face was proven wrong.

Biden, it must be said, also did well, and Palin was of course not flawless. She let a few hard shots from him, on health care for example, go unanswered. At times she slipped into platitude, as when she repeatedly referred to greed as the cause and regulation as the cure of the financial crisis. On the other hand, her account of the roots of the housing bubble were more sophisticated than Biden’s (she allowed that consumer behavior had played at least a supporting role in the drama).

The response from liberals/reporters on the airwaves after the debate was instructive. They criticized Palin for dodging some questions. Dodge she did, and good for her: Instead of taking Gwen Ifill’s loopy invitation for the candidates to dilate on when we should use nuclear weapons, she talked about rogue regimes and nuclear proliferation.

Paul Begala was among those who said that Palin had helped herself but not McCain. It’s fair enough to observe that the election is, of course, not going to turn on the vice-presidential debate. We expect that a lot of Democrats will be saying that now.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008debates; elections; electionspresident; mccainpalin; palin
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1 posted on 10/03/2008 12:10:39 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Give the Democrat Media 24 hours and they’ll have the American people believing Governor Palin was drooling on stage.


2 posted on 10/03/2008 12:14:30 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Home Depot Joe!)
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To: nickcarraway

Hasn’t NRO been among her list of critics? Do they admit themselves confounded then. ;)

I have no issue with Sarah. Never have. She’s the one I want to Be President.


3 posted on 10/03/2008 12:14:40 AM PDT by Soul Seeker
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To: nickcarraway
Sarah Palin Song
4 posted on 10/03/2008 12:16:59 AM PDT by NoControllingLegalAuthority
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To: Soul Seeker
Me too. She has had some critics at NR, but I would say more defenders.
5 posted on 10/03/2008 12:17:43 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
"She connected domestic-policy arguments to the lives of average voters."

She ABSOLUTELY connected with middle America regarding how we need to stop transferring billions of petro dollars to other nations and develop our resources and keep those jobs in OUR country! BRAVISSIMO SARAH!

6 posted on 10/03/2008 12:24:48 AM PDT by Enterprise (No Oil for Democrats!)
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To: nickcarraway
It’s fair enough to observe that the election is, of course, not going to turn on the vice-presidential debate. We expect that a lot of Democrats will be saying that now.

Sums it up nicely; the Dems will turn the subject back to McCain and Obama.

Unfortunately, that's where this election will be won or lost.

7 posted on 10/03/2008 12:28:48 AM PDT by Darkwolf377 (I've got a bracelet, too. From Sergeant..... uuuuuuuhhhhhhh...)
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To: Darkwolf377

I wish she would have responded to Sen. Biden’s statement that he changed his mind regarding considering ideology as a criteria of a Supreme Court judicial nominee.

She should have said that Biden who is claiming to be for bi-partisanship as he is running this time, has instead turned judicial nomination into the most partisan practice imaginable. That he singlehandedly gave a new word to the dictionary by “Borking” a potentially great justice. That he then presided over the most disgusting thrashing of a black Catholic nominee, Clarance Thomas. Thomas has proven to be a great jurist. All, because they would not say whether they agreed with or disagreed with Sen. Biden’s political views on potential cases before the Court.

He is a jerk, to boot.

Oldplayer


8 posted on 10/03/2008 12:50:37 AM PDT by oldplayer
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To: oldplayer
Check out Jonah Goldberg's final comment on The Corner at National Review. Just a taste:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/

What struck me the most about the debate – and it probably helped having quintessential Obamaphiles in the room – was how Biden’s “gravitas” is derived almost entirely from the fact that he can lie with absolute passion and conviction. He just plain made stuff up tonight.

9 posted on 10/03/2008 12:54:34 AM PDT by Darkwolf377 (I've got a bracelet, too. From Sergeant..... uuuuuuuhhhhhhh...)
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To: nickcarraway
Contrary to tonight's received opinion among middle-of-the-road to conservative pundits, I believe this debate will make a significant difference, and that there will be a shift among undecided "Regan Democrats".

She hammered away at concern for "working class" and "middle class" Americans, without pandering. It won't show up in an analysis of the transcript and will likely be dismissed as the "Bradley effect" if it's even conceded. And we may not know until after the election.
10 posted on 10/03/2008 1:10:24 AM PDT by caveat emptor
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To: nickcarraway
Wow, the Romneybots at NRO saying something nice about Palin?


11 posted on 10/03/2008 3:36:17 AM PDT by Perdogg (Vice President Sarah H Palin - Make it happen !!!!)
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To: nickcarraway

If anyone (libs) thinks you can come from where Palin was before her nomination (not involved in federal politics) and step into a debate like this after five weeks does not have high intelligence, think again. Her performance should destroy the assumptions of all the smug libs who questioned her intelligence. Hey Joy Behar, Peggy Noonan, Katherine Parker and all the other assorted Palin-naysayers, what do you have to say now? I’d like to see you types step into what she did and perform as well. I doubt you could.


12 posted on 10/03/2008 4:43:21 AM PDT by driftless2
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To: nickcarraway

Now that Mrs. Palin has gotten the VP debate behind her, I hope that McCain will unleash her and allow her to be his pit bull and start laying into Obama on a heavy basis from now until November 4th.
She has the ability to do it and make the Dems cringe, she just needs to be allowed to.


13 posted on 10/03/2008 4:47:23 AM PDT by BuffaloJack
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To: Jeff Chandler

Brian Kilmeade was already on F & F this AM, interviewing to useless loafers (you know, journalists) who said that Bidan had really done a better job of making his case, blah,blah,blah. Of course, Kilmeade, being the tool he is didn’t even challenge their comments.

We watched two different debates I guess.


14 posted on 10/03/2008 4:55:45 AM PDT by GWMcClintock (Right after Lib Democrats, the most dangerous politicians are country club Republicans. T. Sowell)
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To: nickcarraway
The MSM had already written the template that Biden won but “Palin did better than expected”.
I guarantee the MSM and their skewed pollsters are going to get a November surprise when McCain/Palin wipes Obama up.
15 posted on 10/03/2008 5:10:49 AM PDT by tobyhill (Hey Politicians, you're at the mercy of the taxpayers this time!)
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To: Jeff Chandler

They are too busy going through her garbage cans to spin a victory for “Plugs”


16 posted on 10/03/2008 5:31:22 AM PDT by Wilder Effect
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To: GWMcClintock

Why watch Fox News? They have become worthless.

They all live in Manhattan. Murdoch made a deal with the DNC to help Obama.


17 posted on 10/03/2008 5:36:24 AM PDT by Wilder Effect
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To: tobyhill

Yes Toby, we know the media is bias, but the hardest thing to stomach is Right Wingers out there who are already predicting a Hussein Landslide with a month to go. Pathetic.

We saw that all through 2000 and 2004 also.


18 posted on 10/03/2008 5:38:30 AM PDT by Wilder Effect
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To: Jeff Chandler

She nailed the Establishment media at the end. She no longer can be touched by the press since she called them a filter. That was a masterpiece.
Hey Joe, ever gut a Moose??

Pray for W, Palin/McCain and Our Troops


19 posted on 10/03/2008 5:40:27 AM PDT by bray (It's the Corruption Stupid)
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To: Wilder Effect
Those Right-Wingers are the same gloom and doomers that really want a Hussein landslide because it keeps them in their critics job for the next 4 years.
20 posted on 10/03/2008 5:43:45 AM PDT by tobyhill (Hey Politicians, you're at the mercy of the taxpayers this time!)
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