At the conclusion of the last night’s debate, I contemplated the blog post I would write. Do I get all high and mighty on Biden’s firm grasp on facts, issues, and policy, and thoroughly skewer Palin. I ended up writing nothing – choosing to wait until the morning polls.
The conclusion of the McCain-Obama debate was truly one where there was no clear victor. That was most definitely not the case last night. Although Palin survived, merely exceeeding the soft bigotry of low expectations, Biden trounced her, clearly demonstrating that he is worthy of office.
This morning’s CNN poll provided as much validation as the non-scientific CNN-attention meter or hand-counting at the end of the debate. Biden won by a significant margin. But there were two polling points that absolutely rubbed me the wrong way.
My first area of concern is that 54% of respondents though Palin was more likable. I suppose my outrage is that this question is even asked. The country should be valuing competence, not with whom they’d most like to have a drink.
Secondly, CNN found that 84% of Americans thought Palin exceeded expectations. The expectation was simply somewhere within the range of Tina Fey as Sarah Palin and Sarah Palin with Katie Couric. Andrew Halco says the following of the master debater:
I’ve debated Governor Palin more than two dozen times. And she’s a master, not of facts, figures, or insightful policy recommendations, but at the fine art of the nonanswer, the glittering generality. Against such charms there is little Senator Biden, or anyone, can do.”
What have we become?
This surely cannot be the America of history, of literature, and great American Rhetoric. We are to be special, blessed by God and destined to save the world from evil. Instead of aspiring to the pinnacle of our ability, we are satisfied with someone who looks like us and sounds like us. We will continue this backslide into irrelevancy so long as we play to the lowest common denominator. It’s not enough to like or identify with the candidate. I want someone of better character, supreme intellect, and razor sharp analytical skills. Not someone who looks like me, sounds like me, and mangles the English language like me.
