The Bottom Line - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan
Biden didn't put the boot in; he didn't come off as sexist; he didn't make any obvious gaffes. He did very well, I think. He was convincing & substantive as well as likeable, real-seeming. Palin didn't collapse and pushed through the debate with enough speed not to wobble. But it felt as if she needed the speed in order not to wobble. Her inexperience showed; her tone worked best at first and then began to grate. I wonder if this will be the general impression. I don't think this debate changed the direction of this election campaign no. that does seem to be the consensus, and seems likely to me, Obama will keep his lead and I think Palin's performance will buck up base Republicans yes those disposed to liking her will like her here but actually unnerve some independents I don't know. this is what I wonder about. if someone had an open mind, no impression of her so far, what did they come away thinking?

Live-Blogging The Veeps - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan
10.30 pm. Biden's sobriety and authority and call for fundamental change is both reasonable and solid. It will resonate, I think. hope so.
She survived tonight as I suspected by a blizzard of soundbites and folksy populism. But people have to see through this, no? hope so.
10.22 pm. Biden's answer about his kids, the moment when he clearly choked up, was emotionally very powerful. I expect it will resonate more with women.
10.23 pm. Biden is now cleaning up. He's particularly powerful in bringing the conversation back to the anxieties of middle class Americans.
10.18 pm. Biden's response on Cheney and the constitution was devastating. His authority against her chatter really told. And that is what is slowly happening in this debate. She started by dazzling people with sheer velocity and energy and gimmicks. But as the debate goes on, her cutesy soundbites actually begin to unnerve. And his authority comes through.
10.17 pm. The unraveling on the veep constitutional role continues.
10.12 pm. "Doggone it." "Say it ain't so, Joe." "God bless her." A shout out to her home town school. A total ramble of nothing on education. Total ramble. She has begun to unravel once substance is actually required.
10.08 pm. Biden's summary of how he would continue Obama's agenda was superb. yes. throughout he was superbly substantive. also w iteration of 'John McCain was not a maverick on _', wh was satisfying as I was wanting someone to demand instances of his being a maverick, don't just keep saying he is one. say what that names.
9.58 pm. Biden uses Petraeus against Palin on the silly notion of a "surge" in Afghanistan. Devastating. His comparison between Iraq and Afghanistan is also very telling. Palin's soundbites on this sound alarmingly like George W. Bush.
9.57 pm. Palin's answer on nuclear proliferation is weird, strange and very disconcerting.
9.56 pm. Biden nails McCain's foreign policy as identical to George W. Bush's. His finest moment. He's coming back hard. Because he actually knows his stuff and her schtick is wearing thinner as the debate goes forward.
9.53 pm. Biden is very commanding on Israel. He's regaining control of this debate - making it about issues rather than rapidly delivered soundbites. My worry is not that she is winning the argument. It's that she is just chattering along.
9.30 pm. She just barrels past the questions to provide pure talking points at a clip it's very hard to grapple with.
9.14 pm. "I'm not going to answer the questions the way you and the moderator may want."
9.09 pm. I'm a little speechless so far. The weirdness of Palin keeps flooding my frontal cortex. But so far, she's doing what one expects. She's chipper; she's full of folksy anecdotes; she's attacking Wall Street.