Today's Links (10/3) -- Vice Presidential Debate Edition

[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]

Palin meets expectations but still falls short
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14235.html

I think that about covers it. It was tough for her to kill the campaign, mostly because it's already dying, but she really didn't help it a lot, either.

Palin and Biden Are Cordial but Pointed
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/us/politics/03debate.html

Palin wasn't as bad as some Republicans feared or as all Democrats hoped ... but she also wasn't very good.

Palin and Biden spar in VP debate but neither deals a knockout
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-debate3-2008oct03,0,3046631.story

Biden didn't have to knock her out. He just had to display understanding of the issues and deal in more than generalities, and he did that.

Analysis: Palin gets back on track, but Biden wins debate
http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/03/biden.palin.analysis/index.html

It says a lot about the state of your campaign when you can do better than anybody expected in a debate but still lose.

The Running Mates' Moment
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/02/AR2008100203259.html

Biden looked and acted like a vice president. Palin didn't. It's that simple.

The Vice Presidential Debate: CQ Politics’ Bests and Mosts
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002969572

Palin just doesn't act or speak like someone who should be running this country.

In Debate, G.O.P. Ticket Survives a Test
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/us/politics/03assess.html

Hey, GOPers -- Palin didn't fall off of the stage, so I suppose congratulations are in order.

The Vice-Presidential Debate
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/opinion/03fri1.html

Palin isn't qualified to be the leader of a Junior League chapter, let alone the greatest country in the world.

The politics of spunk
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-assess3-2008oct03,0,4924215.story

I don't recall a candidate for national office ever winking at the camera during a debate.

In debate, Palin and Biden stretched the truth
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-factcheck3-2008oct03,0,4818810.story

Nothing particularly newsworthy about that. Debate posturing tends to lead to this sort of thing, and then afterwards the campaigns put out statements telling us what the candidates really meant.

Palin Delivers, But Doubts Linger
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/03/AR2008100300074.html

When it comes to Palin, I've got nothing but doubts. Well, doubts and disbelief that she was selected by McCain in the first place.

Palin Sides With Cheney on Vice Presidential Powers
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/beyond/2008/10/palin-sides-with-cheney-on-vic.html

Surely we can all agree that we don't need another veep like Cheney!

Commentary: The pitbull is back
http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/02/rosen.debate/index.html

Palin can be as much of a pitbull as he wants to be, but it doesn't change the undeniable fact that a McCain/Palin administration would be a disaster for this country.

Courting Middle-Class Voters
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/02/AR2008100202252.html

If you're middle class and would like to remain middle class instead of falling below that status, you better vote for a truckload of Democrats. Republicans have proven that they can't manage an economy.

Hockey Mom on Thin Ice
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/02/AR2008100203046.html

The McCain/Palin ticket has almost no margin for error.

Hail Mary vs. Cool Barry
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/02/AR2008100203043.html

McCain just doesn't have the temperament to be president ... and he's running an erratic and increasingly desperate campaign.