Later this morning, we'll be flooded with faux claims that Sarah Palin won this debate by showing a competency across a spectrum of the issues, and that she demonstrated as much by relating to the American people.
Hogwash.
And to prove to them that Palin did nothing but recite and retreat to a few simplistic talking points, I'd like to encourage you to direct everyone to this telling moment from the debate.
Senator Biden was answering a question about the economic crisis--more specifically, bankruptcy.
His remarks went like this:
Number two, with regard to bankruptcy now, Gwen, what we should be doing now -- and Barack Obama and I support it -- we should be allowing bankruptcy courts to be able to re-adjust not just the interest rate you're paying on your mortgage to be able to stay in your home, but be able to adjust the principal that you owe, the principal that you owe.
That would keep people in their homes, actually help banks by keeping it from going under. But John McCain, as I understand it -- I'm not sure of this, but I believe John McCain and the governor don't support that.
There are ways to help people now. And there -- ways that we're offering are not being supported by -- by the Bush administration nor do I believe by John McCain and Gov. Palin.
Gwen Ifil immediately turned to Palin, and asked: "Is that so, Governor Palin?"
To which she responded:
That is not so, but because that's just a quick answer, I want to talk about, again, my record on energy versus your ticket's energy ticket, also.
In other words, Palin had no answer beyond, "No," and was forced to talk about something completely unrelated, completely irrelevant.
Devastating to Palin.
Here's hoping the media highlights this rather than the hogwash that Palin's plethora of eye-winks and "gosh-darn-its" helped her "reach out" to Americans.
Commentators will continue to say that Palin "beat the spread."
But that's the soft bigotry of low expectations.
Palin did not meet the standard of being the Vice President.
That's all that should matter.
Don't let the media gauge Palin on a scale fitted for the junior varsity.