Blackink post-debate punditry

Since this seems to be the format in the blogosphere tonight, some post-debate thoughts from yours truly:

1. I'd tell you who I thought won but who really cares? Nothing happened tonight that will move the polls decisively, one way or another. At least, that's what I think. Biden went out and did his business. Palin gave a passable impression of a coherent politician - barely. Both sides should leave satisfied.

2. Pat Buchanan is having trouble with the facts on MSNBC tonight, and I'm disappointed that neither Chris Matthews nor Eugene Robinson have called him on it. Over and over again, Buchanan talked about how Palin connected with "ordinary Americans." This, despite a CBS poll showing that undecided voters watching the debate thought Biden won by 46 percent, compared to 21 percent for Palin. Also, a CNN poll titled “Who Did the Best Job In the Debate?” showed Biden with 51 percent of the vote and Palin with 36%. I can only assume these voters are not Buchanan's sort of ordinary Americans.

3. Were I a Democratic operative (and I'm most certainly not), I'd definitely want to bring up Palin's suggestion - repeatedly - that the Vice President be given more control over the Senate. How Cheneyesque of her. You would think she'd be humble enough to be awed by the power already bestowed upon the No. 2 office in the country. I guess it's not enough for her.

4. Once again, cable networks should refrain from inviting on clearly partisan "political analysts" to offer up their thoughts on the debate. Let them save it for their press releases the next morning. This sort of partisan hackery does nothing to educate the voter.

5. Palin believes in civil unions? Really? She and McCain may revisit that one tomorrow.

6. I agree with most of the other pundits: moderator Gwen Ifill was either limited by the debate's format or as publius said, "they got in her head."

7. As I watch the replay of the debate, I realize that I forgot to mention that Joe and Sarah both love Israel. Aw, isn't that cute?

Ok. I'm done with this. After tomorrow, I might not blog anything political for a couple of days (I realize this is a promise I likely can't keep). But I've been missing too much football over the past week. Also, I want to cover of hip hop-related items, think through the reason why BET is a necessary evil and consider if Palin is referring to people like me when she talks about "Joe(l) Six-pack." At the least, I hate beer.

Holla.

UPDATE: Here's a transcript of the debate from CNN.

UPDATE 2: Forgot to mention that Palin never answered the question about her Achilles heel. In fact, she never addressed it. At all. I suppose it's possible that she doesn't know what an Achilles heel is.

UPDATE 3: Palin: "People aren't looking for more of the same. They are looking for change." Can you plagiarize a campaign slogan?

UPDATE 4: I should mention that Biden's reflection on his family was the most powerful moment of the night. As Nate Silver said, "What kind of prop odds could you have gotten on Biden being the one to cry?"

UPDATE 5: Palin pretty much lets us know in advance that there's not going to be many - if any - interviews with the "mainstream media": "I like being able to answer these tough questions without the filter, even, of the mainstream media kind of telling viewers what they've just heard. I'd rather be able to just speak to the American people like we just did." What a joke.

UPDATE 6: I didn't realize that our freedom in this nation was ever in doubt. But, according to Palin, it is. I guess we should be afraid.