First Principles

Bottom Line:

Thanks, first of all, to all the new traffic for visiting.  Come back often, and I urge you to comment and challenge me vehemently on this blog.  The key to philosophical strength is tempering that philosophy in the forge of debate.  If I’m wrong and can’t defend myself, I want to know.

I feel a lot better now than I did the last few days.  The affair is back on.  Palin did great, showed a much, much better command of the issues than she had in her interviews.  She should insist that every other interview be live, or at least, as Glenn Reynolds has suggested, tape them herself. 

If not for the economic mess, this would be talked about for days and days.  She did exactly what she needed to do (and then a little, I think), but this election will still be very dependent on the facts on the ground, which can and will change radically every day.

Now it’s McCain’s turn to step it up and to bring it, and bring it hard.  Here’s hoping.  But now I can knock on doors this coming week with some new confidence and hope!

7:33:  Annoying their mics stayed on, but Palin dominated that, too.  SO much more energy.

7:32:  Good closing line about God protecting our troops from Biden.  He has his moments.

7:31:  I DON’T WANT FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN OUR ECONOMIC SYSTEM!!!!!  Change to major government intervention and Euro-socialism isn’t a change that I want!!!!!

7:30:  Palin wishes there were more debates.  After this performance, so do I.  And a great dig on the “filter” of the mainstream media, even if, in all fairness, she can’t blame it all on Katie.  No congrats on Gwen’s book, though…  Oh, well.

7:29: Takes it back to increasing taxes.  Good hit when people are fearful abotu the economy.

7:28:  “How have you been bi-partisan?”  Interesting question.  “I don’t question people’s motives.”  We’ll see if there’s video on that…  Palin’s answer is better.  “You do what I did in Alaska.  My whole family is bipartisan.”  No Alaska Independent Party jokes, please.

7:27: Palin doesn’t take any jabs on judges.  Not even a partisanship one?  Oh well.  I like, “I didn’t cut taxes enough.”

7:26:  Finally judges come up.  Biden talking about leading the fight against Bork.

7:23: McCain’s not a maverick because he voted against funding health care for 25 year old “kids”?  Please.  And on Iraq, McCain’s clashes with the Bush admin were legendary.  I’m irritaed Palin didn’t get a chance to respond to that, since Biden talked out of turn on it.  She should have taken it, like Biden did.

7:22:  “Taking on our own party.”  Shout out to L’Engle in Hawaii.  Too bad it’s not in play.  Swinging it back to Wall Street and reform.

7:21:  Biden looks like he’s looking at notes when talking about his wife who died.  It’s weird.  But I assume he’s uncomfortable talking about what is obviously a painful topic.

7:20:  Biden is ALMOST self deprecating about his long windedness, and then turns it lame with his “excessive passion.”

7:19:  “Times when Todd and I didn’t have helath insurance.”  I doubt Biden can say that.  She’s talking about the shining city on the hill, and is unapologetic about American exceptionalism.  Excellent.

7:18: Cheney is the most dangerous vice president we’ve ever had?  Oh, please.  That kind of hyperbole is red meat to the base, but isn’t impressing undecideds.  And now Biden the law prof comes out.  Snore.

7:16: Ties Palin into Cheney.  I take back what I said about the moderator.  Palin talks about the “flexibility” of the office, which I think is a good answer, considering how silent the Constitution is on that position.

7:15: Yes, Joe, because all our education system needs is more bureaucracy and more money to pay for it.  I bet Wasilla spends less per student that Chicago, but I know where I’d rather send my kids to school.

7:13: And back to energy for Palin.  Again, very nice.  And she makes the audience laugh.

7:12: Compliments teachers, including Biden’s wife.  Mentions the kids back in Wassilla.  “My kids go to public school.”  Excellent, excellent, excellent.  I see Drudge showing Palin wins 3-1.

7:11: Computer hiccuped.  “There you go again, Joe!”  Yay!!!!

7:09: How would you be different from your running mate?  Wasted question, and Biden spends the answers on talking points.  Sarah needs to say, “ANWR”.

7:06: Biden “never” supported the Iraq strategy back when it began?  Then what was the “yes” vote for the war?  Take the low hanging fruit, Sarah!!!!  And she does.  And she jokes about the punditocrocy the next day, which is a nice substitute for not having to memorize when and what every speech Biden has ever given.

7:05: Palin talks about divestment in anything related to Sudan.  Smart.  I wish she would have brought up the Russia/China/Energy stickiness that’s at the root fo that problem, though.

7:02:  Good question from the moderator on Sudan.  Biden’s talking about Bosnia, but dodges the question.  I have to admit, the moderator is doing a good job.  I’m glad the book thing was made public – I doubt she’d be as fair otherwise without the stoplight.  Relying on NATO again for Sudan.  “We should rally the world to act!”  Like China and Russia who buy all their oil from the genocidal regime?!?!?!  Like Bush, who unlike the UN, dared call genocide by its name?!?!?!?!?!

7:01:  Biden sighing again.  Does he not remember how well that worked for Al Gore?

7:00: Ooooohhh…  Obama bravely bucked his party to reach across the party on nuclear proliferation!!!  Oh, wait, that wasn’t controversial.  And Palin DOES know the General’s name.  (I confess I don’t.)

6:59: Biden citing the commanding general in Afghanistan, but doesn’t name him.  I wonder if he knows.  And the principles of the surge goes far beyond simply having more troops.  This guy is clueless.

6:58: Palin’s talking about the “surge principles” being extended to Afghanistan, and then hit Obama for complaining about our troops “air raiding villagers”.  Very nice.

6:57: McCain’s policies the same as Bush’s?  Like clashing with Rummy?  Lame.

6:55: Biden is audibly sighing.  Dumb.  Palin admits “big blunders” in Iraq.  Misses the Hezbollah gaffe.

6:53: Commitment to Israel.  Good.  But Biden wants to rely on NATO, and thinks Hezbollah is a legitimate part of a happy, democratic government!!!!!   That could be a HUGE gaffe.

6:51: I still haven’t seen the “I wouldn’t sit down with Spain” comment McCain supposedly said.  Something tells me it’s badly taken out of context.  I wish there was a chance to respond to more of this.  I know they have a lot to cover, but still.

6:49: Why the hell can’t these journalists understand the difference between a Presidential summit and diplomatic negotiations?  Diplomacy isn’t just one thing, there are a lot of ways to do it right and a lot of ways to do it wrong.  Now Biden flatly lies about Obama saying he never said he wouldhave sat down with Mahmoud.

6:48:  I’m glad she’s hitting the anti-Israel rants of Iran.  “It goes beyond nievete – it’s dangerous.”  Good.   I wish there was more time for back and forth.

6:46: The central front IS in Iraq, because that’s where we drew them – it was a better battleground for US. You hit ’em where they ain’t, and make them fight on your terms.  A military strategist you ain’t, Joe.  And I’m glad Palin pointed out Patraeus and Osama think otherwise.

6:45: No chance to respond to Biden’s charges that McCain votes against the troops because of the timeline?  Gah.  Sarah should have insisted.

6:44: We WERE greeted as liberators.  Just not by everyone.

6:43: NICE!  You said you’d be willing to be on John McCain’s ticket, and said your running mate wasn’t ready.  Shows some real anger at Obama’s voting to cut off funding for the troops.  Excellent.

6:43:  They are taking responsibility, Joe!!!!  Jesus!  “We will end this war.”  NOT that we will “win” this war.  And Palin calls it a “white flag of surrender.”  GOOD!  Way to call it what it is.

6:42: Obama has a plan Malaki likes…. Now.  What about before the surge?  It’s like you think this all started in 2007, Senator!

6:41:  To the surge.  And Gwen noted both have kids going to Iraq.  Palin noted Biden chastising Obama for his vote against troop funding.  Palin ties it in to Afghanistan.  Awesome.

6:39: Biden and Obama don’t support gay marriage?  Maybe not, but they surely support judges who will find it in the Constitution.

6:38:  The Constitution talks about marriage benefits?  Who knew?  Palin has a ton of center-right cred on this, since she vetoed cutting benefits to same sex unions.  Great answer.  She wins if the culture war comes front and center.

6:37: Sam sex benefits?  From drilling?  C- in segue craft.

6:35:  YES!!! Great hit back on Biden.  And now he’s supported it for 25 years.  Has clean coal even been around that long?

6:33: Biden talking about the cause of global warming being known.  What crap.  If you really think that’s the case, move into a 1,000 feet apartment.  Oh, and now Biden is FOR clean coal!  What a surprise!  Palin smiled when he said that.  She’s ready to pounce…..

6:31: “All of the above approach.”  I like it.

6:31:  Ugh.  Climate Change.  I know she basically has to cop to this, but it’s horribly disappointing.  At least she notes that other factors than people are involved.

6:30:  Back to energy, and tying it in to the economy.  Good.  And an attack on “east coast politicians.”  If Kennedy wasn’t about to die, she could have gigged him for the windmills that ruined his views.

6:29:  Ah!!!  Obama’s letter again to the Secretary of the Treasury!  HE WROTE A (**&&%@@! LETTER?!?!?!   ARE YOU #@$^*ING KIDDING ME???!?!?!  Lord.  Kim Jong Il is quaking in his boots.

6:26: I’m glad she frankly admitted she would have voted for the bankruptcy bill.  There are more voters mad they have to bailout the bankrupt than bankrupt people mad that they have to pay their bills.

6:25: McCain voted for tax cuts for Exxon because he voted for tax cuts for everyone.  IN the same vein, Obama has voted for health car for pedophiles.

6:24:  “I haven’t been doing this long enough to make promises I can’t keep.”  Good way to try to spin the greeness.

6:22:  Palin’s sticking with energy.  Good.  “Your running mate voted for those tax breaks for oil companies.  You know what I had to do in Alaska?”  Very nice.  There is no deer in the headlights here.  The splitscreen with Biden grinning and then trying to look somber is just funny.

6:21:  I love that Biden complains about disincentivizing new jobs, but then insists he’ll tax the job makers and creators.

6:20: Biden doesn’t understand the difference between business taxes and personal income taxes.

6:19: “Are you interested in defending Sen. McCain’s healthcare plan?”  Nope, no bias there.  And GREAT answer on reminding people that the same jerks who brought us financial messes will be in charge of Obama’s healthcare plan.

6:18: YES!!!!   “Redistribution of wealth” and reminding about the small businesses who will suffer, and then she hit him on the “taxes are patriotic” garbage.  And a great dig on Obama’s spending.

6:17: “Not one person making less than $250,000 will see their taxes increased.”  Wrong, Biden!!!!   Everyone with a 401(k) is hit by capital gains taxes!  And who do you think those business taxes get passed on to?

6:15: “I may not answer these the way you want to hear them.”  Nice.  And way to hit back on the txes.  But don’t just capitulate when the moderator complains about time.

6:13: Good hit on Obama’s tax increase.  So far, I’m very happy with Palin’s performance.  But please hit on the gas prices thing, and the Dem’s refusal to drill up until now.

6:11: Again, Joe – what regulation was deregulated that would have solved this problem?  And what does this have to do with gas prices?  Another opportunity…

6:11: Obama warned about the sub prime mortgage problem 2 years ago?  And he did……   What, exactly?  Hit this, Sarah!!!

6:10: Enough about the greed already!!  At least she noted that people bought houses they couldn’t afford.  Stop, Sarah!  Who is “exploiting” us?  Who exactly had their arms twisted?  Should government FORCE people to live within their means?

6:08: Good dismissive explanation of the “fundamentals” gaffe.  And way to call Obama out on his 97% partisanship.  And NICE!  A dismissive hit on Biden’s “experience” and how it’s not exactly change.

6:07: Biden has been bipartisan his entire career?  Really?  What a list of uncontroversial topics…  When did you talk about the economy two months ago Biden?

6:06: Good!  Talking about McCain’s past “sounding the alarm” on the FMs years ago.

6:05: Talking about soccer moms and their fear.  “Our investments.”  Sending “our” kids to college.  Nice.

6:04: Biden looks drunk.  His eyes actually look crooked.  “Excess of deregulation”?!?!?!?!?  NAME ONE MISSING REGULATION, SENATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6:04: “Can I call you Joe?”  Funny.

6:01: The moderator looks nervous.  “The questions have been chosen by me.”  Well, that makes me feel better.

5:59: And it begins.

5:54: Well, here goes.  My previously gushing love affair with Sarah Palin is on a break until she comes out of the Couric Cloud.  She’d better knock it out of the park tonight.  I want her to open the thing by congratulating the moderator (with a smile) on her upcoming Barack Obama book, noting she hopes it’s not as profitable as it would be if the Illinois Senator wins…