When You Set the Bar so Low, It’s Easy to Say Sarah Exceeds Expectations

All Sarah Palin had to do in last night’s Vice Presidential debate was show up and not make too many flubs. That’s how low expectations for Sarah were.This is the only reason why Sarah “exceeded expectations.”

But, were her answers substantive? More often than not, Palin used campaign slogans and McCain talking points, referring to her notes continually. Joe Biden stayed on message, continually linked McCain to Bush.

BIDEN: Yes, well, you know, until two weeks ago — it was two Mondays ago John McCain said at 9 o’clock in the morning that the fundamentals of the economy were strong. Two weeks before that, he said George — we’ve made great economic progress under George Bush’s policies.

Nine o’clock, the economy was strong. Eleven o’clock that same day, two Mondays ago, John McCain said that we have an economic crisis.

That doesn’t make John McCain a bad guy, but it does point out he’s out of touch. Those folks on the sidelines knew that two months ago.

Sarah’s reply? John’s a maverick.

I think that’s why we need to send the maverick from the Senate and put him in the White House, and I’m happy to join him there.

Granted, the maverick part came at the end of a rather short answer, but that’s the part people will remember.

Nothing pertaining to substance, whatsoever, were contained in many of her answers, contrary to some. We’ve had 8 years of folksy, wanna have a beer together, and that just is not enough to run this country. That was when she wasn’t refusing to answer questions:

IFILL: Governor, please if you want to respond to what he said about Sen. McCain’s comments about health care?

PALIN: I would like to respond about the tax increases

[...]PALIN: I’m still on the tax thing because I want to correct you on that again. And I want to let you know what I did as a mayor and as a governor. And I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I’m going to talk straight to the American people and let them know my track record also.

Sarah Palin doesn’t seem to get that these questions are the questions the American people want answers to.

And what the hell was up with her wearing the Israeli flag OVER the American flag?

Most importantly, the uncommitted voters do not see her as a winner, rather these voters felt Biden won the debate by a 2-1 margin. That is a pretty big margin.

But, in the end, this debate was a non-event. Joe Biden did his job, marginalizing the McCain/Palin ticket by linking them to Bush and more of the same. In the end, that is what matters.