Say it isn't so, Sarah

Sarah Palin exceeded everyone's expectations in her debate performance. She was, for the most part, reasonably articulate, capable of matching the right talking points to the right questions, poised and, by the end of the debate, confident. Moreover, in her winky, folksy, ya'll drawl, I'm convinced that she reassured those who want to believe in her that she is capable of not humiliating herself (and the rest of Americans!), given adequate time, powerful resources and strenuous preparation.

But has the bar for vice presidential candidates really been set so low that success is defined as "he/she didn't embarass us"? Moreover, is Sarah Palin's greatest feminist aspiration in life to prove that women -- working class mothers -- can be sufficiently mediocre as to pass the litmus test of "See, I can sound smart if I practice"? Has she drank so much of her own moose-flavored Kool Aid that she honestly believes 72 hours of cramming to avoid past confusion and misstatements can alleviate the need for thoughtful understanding and analysis of domestic and foreign policy issues? And does she have so little to offer that the best she can do for McCain is to portray an exaggerated caricature of a working class American, complete with scripted winks, ya'lls and "say-it-ain't-so-joe's"? Say it isn't so, Sarah.

Joe Biden, in contrast, was on his game. He was a skilled, effective debater. He was on point, on message, just "on". He was respectful, but in no way deferential to Gov Palin. He challenged her appropriately when she attempted to misstate his running mate's tax policy. He reiterated and reinforced Senator Obama's message on sitting down with Iran with or without preconditions -- backed by, in Senator Biden's words, "5 Secretary's of State, 3 of whom were Republicans as well as Henry Kissinger". And he assailed Senator McCain, repeatedly, using specific examples of McCain's voting record on the budget, the war in Iraq, health care reform, as well as McCains's reference to the "success" in Afghanistan.

Sebator Biden held his ground as a working class, single parent, with roots in middle class America, as a man who overcame immeasurable obstacles when, after being elected to the Senate, he lost his wife and daughter in a car accident and commuted between DC and Delaware to care for his 2 sons, both in critical condition. He asserted himself as an actionable leader on the forefront of foreign policy issues. He never used the word "world view" (Gov Palin managed to slip in the buzzword), but he clearly articulated his world view citing his record on intervention in Bosnia and (proposed) in Darfur, his condemnation of ill-conceived "preemptive" military action in Iraq and incomplete action in Lebanon, the latter which has served to dangerously strengthen Hamas and Hezbollah in the Middle East. More importantly, he was a real person, a bit slick perhaps, but certainly authentic and believable.

Did Sarah Palin redeem herself from an inarticulate and underinformed week of "what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the—it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy...."? Yes, she absolutely did. Did she reenergize her Republican base? I'm sure, after a week of waiting to exhale, Republicans are relieved. Did she successfully dispel the idea that she lacks the experience to be Vice President - much less President, should fate require it -- of a world super power? Woefully, no, she did not.

Did Joe Biden bond with working class Americans, including Independent voters? Quite frankly, I'm not sure; only time will tell. Did he effectively use his record, his 35 years of leadership in the Senate -- 26 of those served alongside John McCain -- to discredit John McCain and his attempt to reinvent himself as a "maverick"? Yes, he did. Did he give Independent and undecided voters fact-based cause to conisder McCain the candidate most likely to continue down the "road going nowhere" on economic policy, on the war in Iraq, and on the threats of nuclear proliferation? I believe -- and polling and focus groups held immediately after the debate suggest that -- he absolutely did.

Way to go, Joe.

With "Pit Bull" Palin, the Stakes are Raised

I am a woman. I am a middle-class, working mother with three young children. I am Catholic. And I am not a part of the "Washington elite". Governor Sarah Palin in no way connected with me.

Gov Palin is a social conservative. With regard to abortion, Gov Palin believes in "NO Choice" in any situation, including rape or incest; her position stems from her religious beliefs. Gov. Palin's policy on contraception, and more importantly, on sex education is "Abstinence only", in spite of the rising teenage pregnancy and teenage AIDS rates. Again, her position is based on her religious beliefs. Although she lives "near Russia", Gov Palin has no foreign policy experience. Moreover, Gov Palin is, in her own words, a "Pit Bull with lipstick". And I haven't seen many Pit Bulls that are able to achieve results using the compromise, diplomacy or inclusion necessary to resolve our economic and other domestic and foreign policy challenges.

I won't harp on Gov Palin's NRA membership, the alleged firing of a cabinet member because he wouldn't fire her ex brother-in-law -- and the pending "shotgun" nuptials of her teenage daughter (although the latter does speak to the ineffectiveness of "abstinence only" policies). But I will say that you cannot flaunt your family in the public eye as an asset to your candidacy, and then cry "no fair" when questions arise as to whether that asset may likewise be a liability. It's hypocritical.

Senator McCain and Gov Palin speak of "change" and "family values", and I believe they honestly intend to focus on reform. Unfortunately, it's the most socially conservative approach to reform. Moreover, "Pit Bull Palin" does not strike me as open-minded or tolerant, two attributes which I believe are essential to effective leadership.

Though not surprising, it's also interesting to me that the McCain campaign has effectively ceded the black vote. Thursday's Washington Post, In a More Diverse America, A Mostly White Convention, reads:

"The good news, Republicans said, is that they think Sen. John McCain can still win this election with the kind of demographics on display in St. Paul. In an interview with Washington Post reporters and editors Tuesday morning, McCain campaign manager Rick Davis outlined a strategy in which his candidate targets women and white working-class voters and essentially cedes the black vote."

Strategically smart, perhaps, but symbolically dismissive. John McCain and the Republican Party have written African Americans off.

I have tremendous respect for John McCain, but I believe he has proven that he is out of touch with average Americans. As for the "maverick" illusion, does a maverick cave to the pressure of his party's conservative base and select a running mate who is unknown and the least experienced contender but who is...yes, ultra-conservative? Doubtful at best.

Senator McCain's acceptance speech was the best of who he is; it was open and pragmatic and felt authentic. Unfortunately, it was not consistent with the way he has run his campaign. He has yielded to his Party's pressure and run a campaign that is negative, distracting, and non-substantive. And I have to wonder if he would run the country in the same way, again yielding to the pressure of the Party he claims he does not serve.

Gov Palin, the "maverick's" running mate, cannot effectively lead with the diplomacy required to tackle complex domestic and foreign policy challenges, critical challenges with which she has no experience. And it is not in her self-described Pit Bull-like genetics to develop those skills over time. Gov Palin strikes me as a "my-will-be-done" candidate, not an inclusive change agent as she would have us believe. Like George W, she stands behind her righteousness as the reason for her divisive policies and "Pit Bull" tactics.

There is much at stake in this election, and the selection of Gov Palin has significantly raised those stakes. I can only hope those of us who believe that it is wrong to legislate religious and moral beliefs, such as those on abortion, who understand that an "abstinence only" policy is ineffective and dangerous to the lives of our children, and who have seen how the NRA's lobbying has resulted in watered-down gun control policies to the detriment of urban communities, as well as small towns, will mobilize. What's at stake is our future -- our ability to fix the issues of economic downturn and disparity, to reestablish America's integrity internationally, to engage in activities that truly bolster our national security, and to protect the rights of, as well as to ensure prosperity and justice for, all Americans.

After all, eight is enough, isn't it?