Yes, the reports say the lady did all right in the debate. No big mistakes. fastcheck.org or something like that, reported that both candidates for VP made factual errors, but that is standard for politicians, especially to mis-represent or overstate your opponents' views. The debate experts gave more points to Biden, but Palin did well. She does 'folksy" to appeal to Joe Snowmobile and Sally Sock-it Mom.

I never thought the George Bushes did West Texas folksy talk very well, being New Englanders, but I'm really a Chicago kid myself.

[/b]..Congratulations with your 10,000th post..unbelievable. Not so many have reached that goal, yet.

LaoPo

Hey he kept that quiet. Well done mate. You should have posted a momentus one in Bedders.

Ulysses G.

..Congratulations with your 10,000th post..unbelievable. Not so many have reached that goal, yet.

LaoPo

Thank you very much. You are most kind!

I saw the Palin-Biden debate this afternoon, and was not impressed with the Governor. No federal experience. She tried to act folksy, and said she was from the heartland, but that is one remote, frozen, detached heartland. The young lady sitting in front of me commented that twice, Palin winked at Biden - how sexist! She avoided a couple of hard questions. Biden took her apart about McCain's voting record. A long 90 minutes. I still am reminded of TV episodes of Northern Exposure.

The -serious- mud throwing has begun:

Palin makes Obama terrorist claim

US Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin has accused the Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama, of associating with terrorists.

She said he had been "palling around" with an ex-member of US-based militant group Weather Underground, which opposed the Vietnam War in the 1960s.

Mr Obama once served on a charity board with a member of the group, but he has denounced its activities.

A Democratic spokesman accused the Republicans of gutter politics.

"What's clear is that John McCain and Sarah Palin would rather spend their time tearing down Barack Obama than laying out a plan to build up our economy," Hari Sevugan said.

Commentators say Mrs Palin's attack forms part of a broader Republican strategy to attack Mr Obama's character.

Denunciation

Speaking to supporters in Colorado and later in a Los Angeles suburb, Alaska Governor Palin said the time had come to take the gloves off.

She attacked Senator Obama over his link to Bill Ayers, a founder of the Weather Underground, which waged a violent campaign against the Vietnam War.

The group was blamed for a number of bombings in the US in the 1960s.

Mrs Palin described Mr Obama as someone who saw the US "as being so imperfect... he is palling around with terrorists who would target their own country".

Mr Obama served on a charity board several years ago with Mr Ayers, who is now a professor at the University of Illinois.

The White House hopeful, who was a child when Weather Underground was active, has denounced Mr Ayers' radical past.

Focus on healthcare

The Alaska governor also said she wished the McCain campaign had not this week pulled out of the battleground state of Michigan, effectively conceding it to the Democrats.

Mr Obama meanwhile attacked the healthcare plans of Republican presidential nominee John McCain.

Speaking to some 18,000 people at a rally in Virginia, Senator Obama described the Arizona senator's policy as "radical" and claimed 20 million people would be left out by it.

A spokesman for Mr McCain, who is in his home state preparing for Tuesday's second presidential debate, said that was "a bald-faced lie".

Healthcare is important to voters and the Obama campaign has unveiled new adverts attacking Mr McCain on the issue in every battleground state.

Mr Obama's Virginia rally came ahead of a Monday deadline for voters to register there and in more than a dozen other states, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Florida.

Voter turnout could be vital in deciding the outcome of the 4 November presidential election.

Meanwhile, viewing figures show a record 69.9 million people tuned in to watch Mrs Palin take part in Thursday's televised vice-presidential debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

--BBC news - Americas

LaoPo

This had to come, the Republicans are behind in the polls and have nothing to lose.

A analysis of Palin's debating technique.

This had to come, the Republicans are behind in the polls and have nothing to lose.

A analysis of Palin's interview technique.

That's funny but has a lot of truth in it.

It was shocking to see her turn away from questions by the Lady Host; she just didn't answer but returned to her own favorite subject....Alaska..over and over.

Scary to know that (if McCain would be elected) she could become President overnight if something happens to McCain....

LaoPo

I just hope the American people can see past party politics to realise that.

I think that McCain has been royally f***ing up lately and have no idea why he picked Palin, but she is not stupid. She is just new at campaining on a national scale.

Llisting all the mistakes she has made can be done to anyone on the trail. Even Obama kept insisting that there were 47 States and you can't be more wrong than that.

I like Obama, but he has been totally dishonest about McCain's character and something about him really worries me. Is he nothing but smooth talk?

Obama has not won yet. The Republicans are going to get nasty now and a lot of people are still unsure about Obama. I think that he has mostly been dignified, but at one point he was as dishonest as McCain, so I don't feel too sorry for him.

I heard it said a few months back, and I agreed, that all Obama has to do to win is nothing.

The polls show, and I know polls have been wrong in the past, that Palin is not picking up the women's vote that Clinton had. OK, they may not vote at all, but I doubt it. They're sulking and pretending to be uncommitted.

Read an amazing newspaper article today, the banking collapse was caused by leftists, (including Obama) pressuring the banks into making high risk housing loans.

Yeah, right.

I heard it said a few months back, and I agreed, that all Obama has to do to win is nothing.

That is how it seems, but I thought that the Demos were going to win the last 2 elections and they lost in the end.

Remember that McCain was down the count back in the primaries, so he could make another comeback.

Palin has to play the Alaska card. She is dealing from a one card deck.

She's certainly a few cards short of a deck.

Lights out in the attic.

Only 95 cents in the dollar.

The boomgates are down, the lights are flashing but the train's not coming.....

Isn't this funny ?

The New York Times: MOST SEARCHED

http://www.nytimes.com/gst/mostsearched.html LAST 24 HOURS

http://www.nytimes.com/gst/mostsearched.html?period=7 LAST 7 DAYS

http://www.nytimes.com/gst/mostsearched.html?period=30 LAST 30 DAYS

It shows that the readers of the NYT are more interested in domestic politics/elections rather than the financial and economical downturn....strange, in my eyes.

My own wallet/savings/investments are more important than politics....IMHO. But, that's me.

LaoPo

After watching the 3rd debate, I think that Obama is more mature than McCain, a nicer person and far more intelligent.

However, I still question how he would do when negotiating with a culure that reveres dishonesty and lying as an art form in diplomacy. That is the probkem with nice guys, they think that sincerity is a virtue, but to many of our enemies it is considered a weakness to be exploited.

After watching the 3rd debate, I think that Obama is more mature than McCain, a nicer person and far more intelligent.

However, I still question how he would do when negotiating with a culure that reveres dishonesty and lying as an art form in diplomacy. That is the probkem with nice guys, they think that sincerity is a virtue, but to many of our enemies it is considered a weakness to be exploited.

You have a point there; but I don't think that any President would negotiate on his own. Most of the time Presidents have a whole bunch of very experienced staff members, doing the tricky negotiating.

LaoPo

Yeah, real sneaky lying guys. That makes me feel better.

Yeah, real sneaky lying guys. That makes me feel better.

Maybe he can pick up some of George's people. They had sneakiness and untruthfulness down to a fine art....

Oh, hang on, you want someone who can do it to the OTHER guys?

It seems to me that Rumsfeld and Co. didn't do all that well negociating in that part of the world.

I think all their skills were directed at fooling the American people.

A news item today...

Paddy Power pays out early on Obama victory.

The general public may still be weighing up who came off best in the concluding US presidential debate last night but Irish bookmaker Paddy Power today said it is to pay out early on Barack Obama becoming president.

The bookmaker said this morning it is to pay out in excess of €1 million to punters who have bet on the Illinois senator taking over the world's top job in three weeks time.

More than 10,000 bets have been placed on the 2008 presidential election with Paddy Power in Ireland, with the majority placed in support of Mr Obama over the past 12 months.

The Irish Times

I think all their skills were directed at fooling the American people.

I am forced to agree.

Now, let us hope that some racist nut-case does not prevent Obama from his attempt to improve things on our behalf.

Courtesy of "The Onion": http://www.theonion.com/content/index

Southern Sheriff Pulls Over Obama Campaign Bus For Broken Taillight

Sheriff Dewey Clutter makes Sen. Obama recite the Gettysburg Address backwards.

FOXWORTH, MS ­Despite obeying the posted speed limit and having all inspection, registration, and insurance documentation up to date, Sen. Barack Obama's campaign bus was stopped for nearly four hours by Marion County deputy sheriff Dewey Clutter while en route to a Jackson, MS speech, sources reported Tuesday.

According to those on board the bus­including various journalists, members of the Secret Service, and Obama campaign staffers­several minutes passed before Clutter exited his cruiser. Witness statements all mention hearing the sheriff's jackbooted footsteps along the gravel roadside as he slowly approached the vehicle's passenger side. These reports also assert that, prior to reaching the front of the campaign bus, the sheriff paused momentarily to smash the right rear taillight of the bus before dragging his still-drawn baton along the entire length of the vehicle.

"Where's the fire, son?" Clutter, 42, was overheard saying to the Illinois senator and 2008 Democratic presidential nominee. "Driving like that in these parts, what with a busted taillight and all, fella like you liable to get hisself into a whole mess a trouble."

Obama protested briefly before Clutter interrupted the graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, brusquely informing the senator that he could "detain [Obama's] uppity ass for 48 hours without charging [him] with shit."

"Huh. Illinois," Clutter said while scrutinizing Obama's driver's license from behind a pair of mirrored aviator sunglasses. "You a long way from home, ain't ya?"

"Now Barry, someone 'bout your height, 'bout your skin color knocked over a Piggly Wiggly up in New Hebron just a coupla hours ago," Clutter continued. "But you wouldn't know nothin' 'bout that, now would you?"

Clutter then turned to Obama's wife, Michelle, looked her up and down, and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.

After questioning the New York Times best-selling author and presidential frontrunner for several minutes about his business in Mississippi and politely asking the Caucasian women on the bus if they were all right, Clutter claimed that he smelled marijuana smoke and initiated a search.

According to Clutter's police report, the sheriff then ordered everyone to exit the bus and to place their hands on the side of the vehicle. Clutter then reentered the campaign bus, emerging a few moments later with a stack of documents.

"Well, well, would you looky here. If it ain't Barry's comprehensive plan for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq," said Clutter, setting the proposal on fire with a lit cigarette while blowing smoke in Obama's face. "Smart, well-dressed boy like you, I'd a-thought you'd take better care of your things."

"Now ain't that a shame," Clutter added.

Following the search, witnesses said that Clutter allowed everyone back onto the vehicle with the exception of the senator. Twenty minutes later, a visibly agitated Obama climbed aboard the bus. He reportedly refused to discuss what had happened, and instructed the driver to continue on to Jackson.

According to Obama insiders, this is not the first time on the campaign trail that the former president of the Harvard Law Review has had to deal with this type of treatment. While attending a rally in Savannah, GA, Obama was closely followed around the town hall by several armed guards to ensure that he didn't steal anything, and the senator reportedly had trouble canvassing voters in Baton Rouge, LA after everyone he approached crossed to the opposite side of the street.

"Sen. Obama has been incredibly patient and courageous during this election," campaign chief of staff Jim Messina said while looking nervously over his shoulder. "Despite some setbacks, we feel that we've made incredible progress."

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ummmmmmm right ok - well put I guess

CB

Apt I suppose.

I was trying to post a vid of Palins appearance on Saturday Night Live where they did the Palin Rap.

I stuffed it up.

Very funny little clip.

Intersting comments from Joe Biden:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/10/jo...und_raiser.html

Biden's played his hand perfectly, a very experienced politician he realises that all the Dems have to do to win this election is not mess up.

Strangely, with all the talk of Palin as a possible president if McCain wins there has been no mention of Biden inheriting the Oval Office if some neo Nazi takes a shot at Obama. To me, this is equally as likely a possibility as McCain dropping dead in the next four years.

Sarah Palin's Flameout: $150,000, the Vice Presidency, Sinking Poll Numbers, and More

October 22, 2008 01:49 PM ET | Robert Schlesinger

Years from now, Sarah Palin may be the perfect case study for a political shooting star.

First she was a rock star, someone happily capable of bringing life to a moribund McCain campaign—someone who could rev up the base and maybe pick off a few Hillary Clinton voters.

Then came the dark times—the Gibson interview, the Couric interview, Troopergate, the debate in which she breezily refused to actually answer the questions. The "Hockey Mom" charm wore off quickly as she grasped the vice presidential pit-bull role, bringing it to new levels of divisiveness with comments about "real America" that even she acknowledged were, ahem, unhelpful.

But the dark times are over. That brilliant flash you see? Sarah Palin flaming out. Or exploding. Or crashing and burning. It's been that kind of week for the Alaska governor.

Let's count the hits she's taken in the past 24 hours:

There's her $150,000 wardrobe. It's hard to run as Joan of Six Pack when your wardrobe alone almost qualifies for an Obama tax increase. (Even when you're a millionaire, anyway.)

Sarah Palin, constitutional scholar, resurfaced this week when she was asked about what her job would be as vice president. The veep, she said, is "in charge of" the U.S. Senate and "can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes." Umm. Shouldn't someone have explained to her by now what the vice president does? The vice breaks ties in the Senate. That's it. Being a Washington outsider is fine, but being a constitutional ignoramus is another matter entirely.

The AP reports today that Palin charged Alaska for her kids to travel with her, even when they weren't conducting official state business. Palin might have bilked the state? I'm shocked. (Hey—speaking of state rules, her new wardrobe qualifies as a gift, right? She'll have to declare it in her next ethics report per Alaska law, right?)

Then there's yesterday's Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, which showed that Palin's lack of qualifications to be president is voters' No. 1 concern regarding John McCain. She's an even bigger drag than is George W. Bush. Wow.

What will be Sarah Palin's next act? Does she have a future beyond darling of the base, assuming she and McCain lose? She can still salvage a level of plausibility, but the window is closing fast.

Interesting post OC.