Your Abbreviated Pundit Round-up

The pundits haven't really had time to digest the debate, but Biden was great and Palin wasn't Presidential. The CNN focus group went to Biden, as did the CNN pundits.

No game changers here. McCain still trails. And Palin will have a chance to look up what Achilles' heel means.

Lynn Sweet: Palin survives and Biden thrives.

She did not prevail — Joe Biden was too good. He did Barack Obama proud. Biden was pitch perfect. This debate may have ruined Biden’s reputation for verbosity.

EJ Dionne:

The key to understanding how McCain chose Palin as his running mate was provided by the New York Times last weekend when it described an episode in which he "tossed $100 chips around a hot craps table." Americans are increasingly uneasy about the gamble they might take by putting Palin a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Adam Nagourney:

The debate was not the bad night that some had feared, but neither was it a turning point for the McCain camp.

Dana Milbank: Well, she didn't drool. I'll give her that.

Charles Krauthammer: McCain is losing and we all know it. I don't like Obama and I don't like his friends. But he has the intellect and temperament to be President. And he probably will be.

Noam N. Levey: "As Sarah Palin, Joe Biden hold their own, where does it leave John McCain?" Losing.

Eugene Robinson:

Exactly an hour into the debate, Joe Biden began an answer by saying, "Facts matter, Gwen."

To him, maybe. To Sarah Palin, maybe not.

Michael Gerson: A victory for Palin, based on my being a Republican.

People who deal with words for a living will probably find Biden's performance more professional. But the most consistent goal of the candidates tonight was clearly to be seen as the Main Street populist. And here Biden simply cannot compete.

Except for all those polls that said Biden was more in touch with "people like you" than Palin. Then again, Bush Republicans are not known for being reality based.