Can I Call You Joe?

And that is how it all began gentle readers.

Listen, I have never claimed to be unbiased. I am a democrat, plain and simple. So yes, I wanted Palin to go down in flames last night. I admit it. Sadly, she did not. But then again she has been cramming for this one test for more than a month now, even a monkey could have pulled that off without looking like an idiot after that period of time. (Jon Stewart made this point excellently last night prior to even seeing the debate, god bless him, and he managed to mention Balki from Perfect Strangers in doing so, now that's a win-win in my book.)

Which made me wonder last night—who was that woman standing up there? I mean which is the real Sarah Palin? The idiot that couldn't name a magazine she regularly reads when asked by Katie Couric or the relatively smooth tap dancer that we saw last night?

I only made it half way through the debate fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you view these things. (Why the freak can't they schedule these things from 8 to 10 pm? I might stand a fighting chance of staying awake, but 11 pm? Never going to happen folks. But I digress.) The first hour was enough to give me a flavor of things I think. LOVED Palin's giant flag pin—just in case you missed the fact that the Republicans are the patriotic party, she wanted to remind you with old glory waving across her entire chest.

Biden came out swinging, saying that the last eight years have been the worst for the American economy. Way to go for the jugular Joe! Palin countered soon there after with a wink. Sweet Jesus people, she winked! This isn't the Miss Cowpoke Pageant, this is the vice presidential debate!

Another thing that annoyed me is the folksy way she was dropping her g's. I have a way of talking and a vocabulary I use among friends and even in this blog, which would not be what I would consider appropriate if I were giving a speech. Apparently, Mrs. Palin does not have those same rules. I know she thinks it makes her cute and approachable. But it just makes my ovaries twitch. I can see all the progress women have made slip away with every 'darn' and 'back to ya' she says.

Back to Biden. I liked how he explained the energy/oil drilling question. I have read in other places those same figures, we have like 3% of the world's oil and we use 25% of the world's energy. So even if we do drill and get stuff (in the next 10 years mind you) we obviously won't be able to fully supply our needs through that. We have to do other means, whether it is nuclear, coal, wind or solar. And yet, as Biden pointed out, McCain keeps voting against some of those other options. Can anyone explain that one to me?

I know this is getting long winded, so let me wrap it up. During the hour I watched I saw Palin evade at least two questions (actually three if you count the time Gwen Ifill re-asked her a question). So while she didn't have any deer in the headlights moments, she didn't really SAY anything either. She ignored the question about McCain's stance on deregulation (one of the big reasons we are in this banking mess today). And all her spouting of the healthcare tax credit is hooey. Five thousand dollars wouldn't even begin to pay for a health insurance policy for me and my family. Ten thousand might come close. Think about it folks, what are you shelling out each month for your employer-provided plan if you are lucky enough to have one? Two hundred or more a pay period for family coverage? So that's four hundred a month, minimum, times 12. Now math ain't my thing but that comes to an easy $4,800 right there and that is with you not having to disclose any medical conditions. Blue Cross isn't going to be so kind should you be purchasing a plan of your own.

In short, yes she is cute and personable, but she isn't bright enough to be second in command of our country. We have already spent eight years being "lead" by someone who isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. Have we learned nothing?

p.s. What the freak is the Talibani? She said it last night . . .