My Quick Take on the Veep Debate

In general, I thought tonight's vice presidential debate between Palin and Biden was terrible and hard to watch. Moderator Gwen Ifill let each candidate get away with regurgitating and rehashing campaign talking points rather than answer the questions.  I wasn't that impressed with the questions, either.   The biggest issue facing the country is the problems on Wall Street and the proposed bail out, but that issue only got 10 to 15 minutes out of an hour and a half.

Palin did very well in the beginning when she was more clipped and direct.   In the second half of the debate she got way too wordy and cliched, spouting more and more talking points.  The snarkiness also came back.

Biden looked tentative early, but found his stride when he talked about Bush and the last eight years.  He wasn't as strong going after McCain.  However, as it was in the first presidential debate, Biden's best moment was when he criticized McCain for repeatedly being wrong on Iraq.  

The focus on Bush and the last eight years must have worked.  From the early polls, Biden was rated the 'winner' of the debate 51% to 39%.   Many of the pundits - namely Brokaw and Peggy Noonan - said Palin won it.  I thought it was a tie. 

But perhaps the snap poll giving the debate to Biden is a reminder of the two primary issues of this election: the war and the economy.  On the war, Biden strongly stated: we will end this war; for all the 'surge is working' talk, the public still opposes the war in Iraq.  And the economy clearly favors the Dems.  Those issues have moved the polls for Obama in the last two weeks, and appear to have given Biden the win tonight. 

Quick Baseball Blog

How about the Dodgers?  I warned about Lowe and Billingsley, and they have been as good as advertised the last two nights.

No surprises in Philly; ditto for today's win by the Rays.

Got to give it up for the BoSox too.  They looked methodical in stealing the Angels' lunch money last night.

Cubs, White Sox and Obama Make Chicago Center of the Universe

Interesting baseball playoffs coming up.  First you have compelling and traditional teams like the Cubs, Dodgers and Red Sox, recent World Series winners like the White Sox and Angels, and newcomers such as the Brewers and the Rays.  The Phillies are in there, too, and the Yankees are not.

Half of the first round divisional play offs look like cake walks.  Since CC Sabathia can't pitch every day, I don't expect the Brewers to put up much of a fight against the Phillies. Too much Phillies offense versus very weak Brewers pitching means Philadelphia will advance to the National League Championship Series.

Same in the American League, where I expect the Rays to beat the White Sox.  That series will be tighter than the Brewers-Phillies match up, but I'm still not sold on the ChiSox despite having Obama as a fan.  The Rays will drop a game but move on.

The other two series look like great match ups. Angels-Red Sox is a World Series-worthy series.  The Angels were a trendy pick for a while, and I still think they will win this series.  But the reason has more to do with the Sox than the Angels.  Beckett is hurt, Lowell and Drew are banged up, and the Red Sox bull pen is not that strong. The Red Sox will give them a run, but I see the Angels advancing 3 games to 2.

The Dodgers-Cubs match up is another intriguing one, the best of the four first-round series.  The Cubs look like the best team in the NL, but the Dodgers pitching staff will give them fits - and they have Manny Ramirez.  Derek Lowe has been fantastic down the stretch, as has Chad Billingsley.  Then again, Rich Harden and Ryan Dempster could equal things out.  My head says Cubs, but my gut says pick the Dodgers and their pitching in a 5 game series.  This one will be close and tense with some great baseball. 

So I think it will be Phillies vs. Dodgers (or Cubs) in the NL, and the Rays advancing to play the Angels in the AL.