9:10 Palin says that Obama votes with his party most of the time, and that doesn’t represent change. Haven’t the Republicans been in power until very recently? And don’t they still hold the presidency?
9:12 So far, Biden attacks McCain and hasn’t had much of anything to say about Palin. He gets in a good hit on McCain on his “let’s do for health care what we did for banking” remark.
9:13: Palin “Darn right”. Take one drink every time she says this during the debate, and you’ll never make it to the end. She also brings up Obama “increasing taxes on people making $42000 per year”, which is false.
9:14 Biden fires back at Palin about deregulation, says that McCain voted to raise taxes more than Obama by Palin’s standard.
9:16 Biden says 95% of taxpayers get a tax break under Obama, while McCain’s tax plan benefits the rich.
9:17 Palin: She’s always been in the “middle class”. $500K custom-built lakehouse? Private plane? Riiight. Palin misfires, I think, on health care. It’s the private sector that’s in the doghouse right now. I’m guessing lots of folks out there wouldn’t mind universal healthcare right about now.
9:20 Biden: 95% of small businesses wouldn’t see a tax increase. Also points out that McCain will tax health benefits. Good. He also points out that people will lose insurance and the tax credit won’t be enough to replace it. He calls McCain’s health plan a “bridge to nowhere”. Zing!
9:22 Palin: McCain doesn’t tell one thing to one group and another thing to another group. Riight. She also says she “took on” the oil companies. Doesn’t explicitly say she taxes the oil companies, though. Palin says that the doesn’t have to cut back on any promises due to the bailout because she hasn’t been on the national scene long enough to make any promises. What the heck?
9:25 Biden points out that Alaska does have a windfall profits tax – like the one Obama supports and McCain doesn’t. Biden says Palin should convince McCain to do likewise.
9:27 Does Palin know about any financial institutions other than Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?
9:28 Bankruptcy bill. Good of Biden to stay away from that topic, since he’s on the wrong side of it.
9:29 Palin seems to think she’s an expert on energy independence. By saying that it’s something we should do. Hmm. Oddly, she seems to never mention alternative energies to oil.
9:31 Palin on climate change. Admits it’s real, still waffles on it being man-made. Biden states that it’s man-made. Points out how much energy we use, and accuses McCain of voting against alternative energy (20 times). Finally, someone mentions alternative energy.
9:34 Palin: “Drill, baby, drill” for “hungry markets”. Says offshore drilling is clean and safe.
9:36 Biden: Supports “rights for same-sex couples”. Palin blathers about not wanting to “redefine marriage” but is “tolerant”. Biden doesn’t support “gay marriage”, but no civil distinction between the two. So what the heck is Biden talking about?
9:40 Palin: Petraeus, surge, etc. You’ve heard it before. Accuses Obama of withholding money from troops.
9:41 Biden: McCain also voted to withhold money from the troops – because the bill had a timeline. Wants to “end this war”.
9:43 Palin says that withdrawal is “a white flag of surrender”. Brings up “cutting off finding for the troops” again. If at first you don’t succeed …
9:46 Biden talks about Pakistan. An unstable Pakistan, he says, more a worry than Iran because they already have nukes.
9:48 Palin: Channeling one of McCain’s more asinine comments from the last debate – that it’s silly to meet with enemy leaders.
9:50 Biden: Brings up the McCain Spain gaffe again. I suppose that Palin can’t hit back because McCain doesn’t want to admit he got confused?
9:55 Palin says that you can’t criticize the past if you want to change? Huh?
9:56 Take one drink every time Biden says “George Bush” – as in, McCain is just like. It’s true, of course, that you shouldn’t elect another conservative Republican if you want to move away from conservative Republican policies.
9:58 Biden: “Facts matter”. Surge won’t work in Afghanistan (according to the military), since we need to build infrastructure, etc. And we don’t spend money there. 3 weeks of Iraq = 7 years of Afghanistan in terms of money.
10:00 Palin’s response: SURGE!
10:04 Palin really likes that “Obama voted against funding the troops” point. Wonder if Biden will point out McCain doing the same thing … again? It’s probably dangerous to attack Biden on his AUMF vote. McCain voted the same way, and Obama spoke out against it. Don’t folks vote for the TOP of the ticket?
10:07 Palin says “McCain knows how to win a war”. He does?
10:09 I think Palin has called herself a “maverick” more than McCain has. I still say that “maverick” is a title that no one can self-apply.
10:11 Palin says that Obama/Biden ticket will destroy your jobs and raise your taxes.
10:12 Palin: I still don’t get Palin’s whole “you can’t criticize the administration” thing. If you’re running for change or reform, you kinda have to point out the flaws of the current administration. Perhaps she doesn’t want to hear McCain being hammered with his recent agreement with everything Bush stands for.
10:18 I’m not sure what Palin was saying about the vice presidency. Biden at least answered the question.
10:19 Palin has “a connection to the heartland”? I somehow doubt that someone with a half-million dollar home really has to worry about how they can pay college tuition.
10:21 Palin admits folks are looking for change. Says McCain’s a “maverick” (twice) and will bring change. Good opening for Biden to bring up “voted with Bush 90% of the time”.
10:23 Biden takes the opening. Slams McCain on his rather conservative voting record and his agreement with Bush – he’s not really a “maverick”.
10:28 Palin says exactly the same thing she said before about Obama/McCain “will kill jobs and raise taxes on workers”. She likes to “answer tough questions” (by not answering them? Most of what Palin’s said has had little to do with the moderator’s questions.) Claims to be an “average, middle class” person. Someone should point out to her what the median annual household income actually is. It’s okay to be rich, but it’s not okay to lie about it and pretend you’re not. She gets in a “POW” reference, of sorts, for McCain
10:31 Nice ending by Biden.
PBS pundits say that Palin “held her own”. This seems to be what the TV folks are saying. They seem to like the “soccer mom”, “joe sixpack” stuff. Do most folks really want a “soccer mom” or “joe sixpack” a heartbeat away from the Presidency?
My initial take: Palin didn’t burst into flames on the stage, so on that scale she did well. Biden certainly showed that he was much more fit for the office.
Here’s the transcript.
