If you're watching the approval meter, note how it drops every time anyone makes a partisan statement and rises when they express bypartisanship.

Live on CNN and Fox.

LOL...."Neither one of you answer that question about what you would do as Vice President.".

Wow.

This is kind of interesting:

FT.com / Home UK / UK - Bloomberg plans third term as New York mayor

I'd like to be Average Joe Sixpack. ;)

10 minutes in and I already want to punch both of them in the face.

No arguments here.

Biden off to a good start, showing a strong respect for McCain the MAN, while ripping his POLICIES apart.

God, This is so awesome. This is so fucking awesome.

Palin was killing it for the first 15 minutes but she didn't look good on that last exchange, with the phony "I'm gonna talk to the American people" routine and then getting cut off.

Eek, Risky Joe.. (Palin brings up that Obama "failed to vote" to cut taxes 94 times, and Biden fires back.. counting by Palin's terms, McCain's voted to raise taxes 400 times)

I don't know. They both seem pretty aggressive towards each other. I don't see a message of "change" here so far. Both are spewing the he did this, but not showing what they did. Lot of style, lot of political crap, but no substance.

Biden almost made the CNN popularity chart thingee go off the screen there for a second.

I've got you beat. I could have done with ease 10 minutes before the debate started.

Biden with a nice bridge to nowhere line.

I just want to hear Palin once say,

I'm not sure I agree with you a hundred percent on your political work, there, Jon.

This woman may make me move from voting 3rd party to voting for Obama. I can't stand so much about Palin.

I'd love to hear the moderator say "Nice two-minute rant against your opponent, but we're not going anywhere until you answer the question I asked you."

Hm, actually, she basically just did. And Palin won't answer.

Palin is trying to rope-a-dope here. five weeks of debate prep installed talking points into her, with a link to few facts, they're hoping that the homestyle delivery will hide that.

That was genius. McCain's health care plan is pure scary. $5000 wouldn't even begin to replace my works insurance plan, and I know my health coverage would be dropped if taxes were put on it. That's about as dumb as I've ever heard.

His promise to "deregulate insurance like he deregulated the banks" doesn't sound great either. Insurers are scam artist as is, can you imagine what they'd be like with less regulations? Would they ever pay for anything while taking even more of your money?

Note how the approval went up when Biden said "I agree with the governor"? While partisan people will applaud criticism the independents hate it.

Love this comment from the liveblog I'm reading:

Jonathan Kay: "The corruption and the greed on Wall Street" -- words from Palin's lips. What the hell has happened to the *Republican* party? Isn't this supposed to be the party of fatcats?

Palin's really being evasive at first blush, no?

Palin can't be doing this the whole debate. She totally dodges the questions and spews out talking points. The moderator, or Biden, need to start jumping on her, even moreso then they are.

Anyone else suspect that Biden's "I'm not sure whether McCain supports this obscure proposal" was a trap, to force the moderator into quizzing Palin on whether she knew what his stance was?

(She didn't seem to, but she skipped over it smoothly.)

This is hilarious.

She's playing to her strength here. I think most average joes are very much for increasing our energy independence.

Not just you, but others as well, but what liveblogs are others following throughout this.

Yeah. Palin's completely avoiding the questions now, and just spewing out talking points. Ugh-lee.

Was that her I saw hiding behind the podium?

Palin just mangled her first soundbite. Got "man" and "climate change" on the wrong side of that "attribute to".

She's still trailing Biden in that department though.

Here's the two I'm following

Debates | Election 2008 | Canada | News | National Post (may be full)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/oliv...08.sarahpalin2

"I don't want to talk about the causes of climate change...." I bet you don't.

Joe is seeming restrained and is doing a pretty even handed job.

She looks so woefully unprepared, that no amount of debate prep in the world would've helped her. Seriously. A mile wide and an inch deep.

First robotic response...the one on climate change.

Those pair of lines just scared me. I hadn't heard about the taxing of health coverage. That's just not what I want at all.

SI

I think she was told to be charming. Did you see the little winks as she makes points? The little head nod? Don't you want the person in line to the presidency to be a cutesy cheerleader?

Biden is killing it here on climate change and energy according to CNN's snaking line.

Clean coal is...bad news. You know how much water that requires? I know why the Dems support it, but meh.

Women on the CNN line were really not happy with Palin during the energy talk.

Now its talk about teh gays. Seems the uncommitted Ohio folks are okay with it.

I thought both have come off decent so far. I'm a Joe fan so I'm liking his performance. Tho he isn't staring directly at the camera all the time. He also is looking a bit squinty today.

Also, I'm liking the moderator. She had me at the line where she said "neither of you answered the question"

SI

"Tolerant."

I think that Ifill is doing a very evenhanded job, agreed.

"as long as you wear this special mark..."

Geez, Palin forgot to mention praying away the gay!

Palin's church hopes to 'pray away the gay' :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Barack Obama

Palin's debate prep, as told by Looney Tunes...



"Ho! Haha! Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Ha - THRUST!" (quarter staff bounces off log, smacking him in the face and bending his bill.)

woo hoo! both are against gay marriage! now i'm on board with this shit.

So far, when the lines split the women seem to be loving Biden and the men are siding with Palin. Interesting.