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I watched it. I stayed up til silly o'clock to do so *grins*
Palin wasn't the moron I'd expected given her recent tv appearances.
Out of the two, stepping entirely away from policy for a moment (obviously I hate everything that Palin stands for policy-wise) I think I preferred Biden's style. I like my politicians to have a sense of humour but I also like them to be serious and, preferably, clever people. He seemed more willing to answer the question he'd been asked, rather the one he wanted to answer. He appealed more to reason than emotion. Palin was quite strong when she stuck to facts and rational policy ideas, unfortunately those areas that she was able to do that seemed few and far between and she seemed to me to resort to wooly emotional appeals far too much.
I didn't like the constant smiling. She reminded me of Hazel Blears (one for the brits) a prominent Labour Party politician who also plays the feisty ass-kicking girlie card to the max and never stops smiling and being up-for-it: all that "you betcha" folksy bollox. I also didn't like having her family credentials shoved down my throat in the place of policy ideas.
There were a couple of times that I felt like she made a connection, like she showed something of her self. Can't recall exactly which bits they were now, but that brittle folksiness slipped and showed a strong and forceful woman who has survived and succeeded in a very male world and seemingly on her own terms. Difficult not to admire that.
I warmed to Biden. I don't like my politicians to wear their emotions on their sleeves, but nor do I want them to be inhuman and detached. It's a fine balance. They are not just themselves when they serve the people they are also their office. There needs to be a balance between passion and caring, and the professional detachment needed for the Office to be bigger than the person occupying it. I think it was to Biden's credit that he didn't bring up his own parental background sooner within the debate, because Palin was playing the Mom card pretty much from the start.
Politicians are private people and public servants. Politicians who base their primary appeal on their private identity, rather than their public record, or relevant expertise tend to worry me somewhat :P They set my teeth on edge.
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