So, the McCain/Obama (alphabetical order) debate starts in a little over an hour. Despite the desperate stage-managing of these events, they still do occasionally surprise. Any Hoydenizen who is live-blogging the debates should leave a link in comments so others can check you out.
In other news, one of the National Review columnists has given up on Palin (link via a mailing list, ta):
Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.
No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I’ve been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I’ve also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.
Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage and there’s not much content there.
I wonder whether Obama will get a chance to ask where Palin is being sequestered during the debate?
Media Circus: 4chan meltdown has begun #electionday edition 
Grabbing somebody is Assault, and sexual touch makes it Sexual Assault. Stop minimising this. #rapeculture101 
Media Circus: Parliament Resumes Edition 
Hoyden About Town 
CNN is still on its intl coverage so I have been forced to watch Fox this morning for US politics. I can about take Shepherd Smith, but draw the line at Bill O’Reilly. Bring on the talking heads, CNN! Stat.
Shorter Kathleen Parker: feminists who disliked her from the beginning because of her policies and lack of qualifications were actually… kinda right.
I’m actually feeling rather sorry for Palin at the moment– she’s just so out of her depth, it’s painfully obvious that she was simply chosen as a puppet candidate, and I think she’s going to fall harder than any male politician would. Parker suggests that a male politician never would have been in her position in the first place, but there have been stupid VP candidates before (and of course stupid Presidents– hi George!)– I just think she’s being scrutinised to this degree largely because she’s a woman. Of course, McCain’s health and age also make his VP choice more pressing, but I don’t think that can account for the whole of it.
Liveblogging here.
McCain blathering about accountability – any chance of him sticking his hand up finally for his Keating 5 shenanigans?
Ha – Obama’s taking “accountability” and running with – “not just when there’s a crisis, but day in and day out”.
CNN has a worm-esque ticker of live audience reaction. Dumb, but I cannae look away.
Barry’s bringing the snippy. Lulz.
I don’t have cable, Amanda, care to share?
About the ticker? Red line for GOP voters, Blue for Dems and Green for Independents — if you discard the red and blue the green goes up with specific proposals and down with partisan attacks. Trending pro-Obama AFAICT.
OOh going down/flatlining when the Maverick talks about the success of the Surge. I thought that was his strong point.
Going up a lot when Barry answers same Iraq q.
FYI: Continued my liveblogging in a new post.
Dayum, I missed the beginning because I thought the ABC was showing it live. Now on CNN – does any other channel have a worm?
Buuger, L – Auntie is broadcasting it live here in the East.
McCain looked really rigid keeping on coming back to just a few talking points. Obama was much more free and off the cuff with responses to questions (obviously he’s been well drilled, but he was able to improvise rather than just repeat the same things ad nauseum).
Does anyone know when the first post-debate polling will start?
It’s presumably happening right now – the shonky polls will publish something within hours, I imagine. The better polls might take a day or two.
An early CBS poll of uncommitted voters suggested that 39% thought Obama won, 37% thought it was a tie, and 24% handed it to McCain. These voters still tend to favour McCain in terms of Iraq policy, but they overwhelmingly see Obama as better when it comes to the economy.
Meanwhile a CNN poll that takes in all voters strongly favours Obama.
I did hear about a poll taken among undecided voters in Ohio (a key swing state) that also strongly favoured Obama, but I haven’t been able to find a link to back that up.
Oddly, Beppie, the local conservative pundit I heard, who is reluctant to give Obama any credit ever, said that he thought Obama was ‘outstanding’ on the economy.
Clearly, I hope, the whole BS with the House Republicans has backfired.