Debateable

Being the concerned, civic minded individual that I am, like many of my fellow Americans I watched the Vice Presidential Debate last night. Like many of my fellow Americans, I was hoping for fireworks; a display of Sarah Palin choking in a self created miasma of grassroots, folksy drivel. Unfortunately she didn't completely embarrass herself and the Republican ticket, but she was guilty of many a gaffe.

I particularly like the thought of it actually being Obama/"Obiden" running on the Democratic side. I think General McClellan could get things going in Afghanistan, although he was quite the foot dragger in the Peninsula Campaign, and he died in 1885. This one I just cooked up, but it is the only thing that makes sense. 'Nu-cu-lar' is to the Republican Party as Castilian is to Spanish . . . why is it that no Republican seems to be able to pronounce the word correctly? Feel free to chime in on the foreign policy/diplomacy comments Palin made (regarding Israel in particular), I don't even want to get started.

Although I don't sugar coat things often, baked goods excepted, I want to defer to the professionals for the Sarah Palin report card. Hilary Rosen of CNN said, "She wasn't horrible. But she wasn't good. And she isn't ready to be president." Andrew Romano of Newsweek had a good perspective saying, "In one ring was Sarah Palin battling comedian Tina Fey's TV impression of Sarah Palin. In the other was Joe Biden battling John McCain. They both delivered somewhat uneven performances - but both "won" their individual bouts."

I agree with Ms. Rosen. John McCain could die at anytime in office if elected. I'd rather not have a Presidential stand in who might wink at the general public regularly and/or give "shout outs" to third graders. Mr. Romano's perspective is sad but true. Sarah Palin was not there primarily to debate the issues. She was there to prove that she is not a complete embarrassment to the Republican party, nor an affront to professional women everywhere. I'd say she was only partially successful. Her ham-handed, countrified, cutesy-poo persona was so practiced and annoying that it was hard to take seriously.

Although Biden had to mind his P's and Q's and not attack Palin or act patronizing in any way, I was glad to see him take his jabs at the overused maverick comments.

It reminded me of the Princess Bride when Inigo suggests to Vizzini because of his frequent use of the word "inconceivable" that it might not mean what he thinks it means.

In summary, a friend of mine stated he had never given money to a political campaign in his life . . . that is until McCain announced Palin as his running mate. A contribution was made immediately to the Obama campaign . . .