UPDATED (x4) - Keith did bring it up, with Rachel Maddow and Pat Buchanan. Rachel pointed out that Palin's response was tone-deaf. Buchanan didn't comment on Palin's response but thought it was a good moment for Biden.
UPDATED (x3) - Now Keith Obermann is about to discuss this as well. Better than viral, I think.
UPDATED (x2) - My first rec'd diary - and I am truly touched. You'll understand when you read it. I note, too, that Palin only started talking about special needs children after Senator Biden had his moment remembering his own pain. I might be wrong, though, so somebody correct me if I am.
UPDATED with correct number of Palin children.
I absolutely promised myself I was not going to mention this in a blog post, ever. But, there was that moment in the debate that had me so livid..so incredibly livid, that I have to put in my two cents.
Usually I analyze. This is not an analysis because my response was too visceral. I'll explain.
This evening, Joe Biden had a moment that I can really, personally relate two. He was talking about understanding how it is to have a child in jeopardy when he choked up. Of course, he was referring to his own personal tragedy - his loss of a child and his wife in a car accident, along with the critical injury of two more children.
I lost 3 children with my first wife many years ago. They were triplets born at 22 and 1/2 weeks. Old enough to try to breathe, but with no lungs to breathe with. None of them survived more than minutes. Each had a name, and each still stays with me - even as I am years past this with a wonderful family now. It was more than devestating, it made my first wife crazy, and destroyed that marriage.
Now, I'm not telling all of you this to engender sympathy. As I mentioned, I now have a wonderful, full life with an incredible wife and beautiful children. I'm bringing this up, because of what that experience was - and how horrendous it was that Sarah You-Betcha ignored it.
It is the worst thing that any adult could ever go through, and every parent - thankfully most never experience it - but they all know that's the case. I'm assuming that includes Sarah Palin, since she has five children.
But her response - well, her response was to not even acknowledge that this very authentic, very real man - a candidate with no veneer - had suffered through this and that it still hurt. No, "I'm so sorry for your loss" or any compassion of any kind. Rather, she talked about how she and McCain were mavericks.
It was so blatant and stupid. And I wouldn't have blamed Joe Biden if he had walked across the stage and slapped her. And she surely deserved it.
More importantly, it was at that moment - the very moment when it was time to be a "compassionate conservative," she acted just like the valley girl teenager she speaks like. And it is that immature stupidity is how she lost the debate.
UPDATED (x5) - I'm actually traveling home now, so sitting in the airport waiting for my flight across the country. I know this diary is going to go back to just being part of my retinue of others - as it should. So, I just wanted to say, "thank you." To all of you who experienced what I have for sharing, and to all of you for understanding even if you haven't. You have asked many personal questions, so I will just respond to them by telling you that my life is full and wonderful - with a beautiful wife who is an amazing human being, four incredible, amazing children who clearly have three incredible guardian angels.
I was extremely reticent about posting this - I almost didn't. But now that I have had a night to sleep on it, I think this is an overdue memorial in some ways. All I want for my family now - as do all of you - is to give them a better life than I have had. And, this is preaching to the choir, but the way to that better future in this crucial election year is clear: Barack Obama. John McCain would be an unmitigated disaster, IMHO, that goes far beyond the disagreement I'm sure most of us share with him politically.
Thanks again, Kossacks - this a warm, wonderful community that I'm proud to be a part of!