I watched the debate yesterday and I wasn't surprised by so many post-debate reactions focusing on how "Palin was better than expected" . I saw it coming and I suspected that would be the MSM meme after the debate.
Actually for someone who wants to be vice president, she was horrible.It doesn't take a good working brain to figure that she was just spouting what she had memorized during her very intensive preparations.No coherence or substance whatsoever in her answers.
But funnily enough,the repubs ticket will benefit from her performance because of that "she beat the expectations" meme.
The polls might be showing that Biden won the debate ( anything else would be a joke), but in the long run the McCain-Palin ticket will benefit more from it.Here's why: everybody who watched her interviews lately or the reactions to those interviews got the impression that she didn't have a clue about anything and what she did on that debate was to reassure this people.Those people who first supported her, but were disappointed by her recent performances will probably be energized again and her approval ratings will go up .No idea if that can change the dynamic of the race, but it might at least stop the bleeding for the repubs and keep it close.
So,why did Palin do better than expected ? because we have helped lower the expectations to a ridiculous degree.With all due respect, I disagree with Kos and others on this site about how helpful it is to focus heavily on Palin.Palin numbers weren't sinking because of"troopergate","babygate" or stuff like that, but because of her appearances on CBS .Focusing on Palin is a waste of time and is just helping her play the victim card . She is a liability and it shows everytime she has to really deal the media.The next challenge for her will be the sunday talk shows. Keep concentrating on how bad she will do and she might just put all eggs in one basket again, rehearse intensely, go on MTP or FTN and potentially change the race with a "brilliant" spelling bee performance.
Leave Palin alone, let this race be about Obama and McCain. We can't lose that one.If you want to help Obama that's the best strategy.Joe Biden did a great job of that yesterday.