We all knew Biden could handle it. The uncertainty was surrounding Palin after the MSM and blogosphere heavily criticized her lame Katie Couric interview. But I think after tonight's debate, Gov. Palin passed the test.
She had presence. You couldn't tell by her appearance that she was a newbie in the Washington political scene. You could tell she was fresh, somewhat different, but she presented herself as any seasoned politician could. She became more comfortable and confident as the debate went on. And she looked happy to be on stage arguing with a career senator.
She was a good communicator, always talked to the camera, unlike Biden who seemed to only acknowledge the moderator. She was confident enough to be on the offensive, pointing out on several occasions that her opponent simply cannot move beyond the past eight years of Bush and that the Obama/Biden plan for Iraq is equivalent to raising a "white flag of surrender." She echoed Ronald Reagan's sentiment on big government and freedom, quoting the former president: "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction." Every chance she got she contrasted her partner against the opposing ticket: tax cuts vs. tax hikes, victory in Iraq vs. withdrawal, bureaucracy vs. reform.
She knew a lot of the attacks would come from association with the current administration, so she made sure those blows didn't stick. In fact, she turned them against Biden, almost insinuating that he's just an old broken record filled with BDS tirades.
What remains to be seen is how independents and undecided voters view this debate. But for those McCain/Palin supporters who were a little worried about her performance, I think they could go to sleep knowing she did well. There's always tomorrow morning to read all the analyses there is...
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