Palin v. Biden: In Which an Old Man Punches a Woman With Glasses

Here's a sweetener for tonight's debate; video of both candidates unleashed and onstage.

Biden:

Palin:

Reason staff will be blogging it all tonight.

Comments

[J sub D]

? Beer
? Popcorn
? Nerf balls

I'm ready.

[Just Plain Brian]

The World's Most One Sided Fistfights Caught On Film

[jasno]

So what's the drinking game for tonight? I'm thinking a shot of Tito's every time I hear 'street'.

I just hope my dog can figure out how to dial 911 before I choke on my own vomit.

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Anybody read the article in the last issue of the New Yorker about Palin? It really painted her as this moderate with a lot of enthusiasm if not a great deal of depth. It's interesting that at her big debut at the GOP convention she served up so much red-meat if the article was correct about that. I bet she could have brought on quite a bit of moderates if they GOP hadn't decided to use her to energize the base right off the bat like that.

If she comes off as moderate tonight it could be very big for McCain because the hard core conservatives are already long sold on her. I think very non-combative should be her tone.

[Ali]

When's the debate? Where I can I watch it online?

[Mr. Nice Guy]

"Greed" would be another good word to drink on.

But I imagine she's not gonna mention anyone rearing their head tonight...

[Dello]

"In Which an Old Man Punches a Woman With Glasses"

And why not? I'd hit it! MILF!

[Ali]

Note: This is the only debate I'll be watching. I am doing so specifically to watch Pailin's gaffes and an occasional Biden gaffe (+ridiculous democrat's talk).

J sub D- If you are serious about the elections, you may want to add some stress relief pills to your list of things. If not, have fun.

[Mr. Nice Guy]

J and Ali Did you catch the H&R post about McCain abandoning Michigan? What's your take on that? Wise choice or not?

[BDB]

Once again, I'm going to plug Palin Bingo.

http://www.palinbingo.com

Remember, your "Airspace" that Palin has reared her head in is your free space.

[Just Plain Brian]

When's the debate?

9pm Eastern

Where I can I watch it online?

Found this on google:

Where to Watch the Palin-Biden Debate Online

[Mr. Nice Guy]

I'll be cutting away to watch the Sol Star vs. E.B. Farnum debate (I'm starting the third season 2night).

[joe]

There's a guy on teevee talking about arugula.

"...the arugula middle class" he says. So, the Arugula Middle Class, as opposed to just the Middle Class, is below, what? $7 million a year? Six?

[BDB]

Let me guess: it was Joe Scarborough who said that?

[Episiarch]

So what's the drinking game for tonight? I'm thinking a shot of Tito's every time I hear 'street'.

I just hope my dog can figure out how to dial 911 before I choke on my own vomit.

Why don't you do a shot every time Palin pauses awkwardly or Biden says something inappropriate? You'll be dead in 20 minutes.

I can't believe you guys are going to watch this. Fuck, I thought I was a masochist, but you guys make me look like a sadist in comparison.

[brotherben]

I think the drinking game should be every time Palin addresses either the moderator or her opponent by their first name. Oh yeah, and also every time Biden looks like he's thinkin, "that dumb cunt."

[BDB]

Oh come on. I can't imagine anything more entertaining than Governor Airspace and Talky Joe trying to out-bullshit each other on national TV.

[Just Plain Brian]

Episiarch, just think how entertaining it will be if they ask a really tricky question, like "What newspapers do you read?"

[obi juan]

Gotcha journalism has ruined politics.

[brotherben]

Epi, due to my increasing vicodin dosing, I am unwilling to drink. I am, however, putting my TENS unit electrodes on my sack and hitting it every time the drinking rules apply.

[joe]

Mister Nice Guy, above, makes a good point. Conservatives love Palin, there's no denying that, but they don't seem to love her specifically for being a movement conservative. They love her for sort of an identity politics solidarity reason.

That's not to say she's not a conservative, of course she is. Her overall political orientation is considerably right-of-center, but she's not a conservative theorist, a movement activist, or even a predictably reliable source of right-wing dogma. This means that she could have had a little political room to appeal to moderates without losing her support among conservatives.

When she first was named, everybody talked about sending her after moderate and center-right, women Hillary voters. They could have packaged her for that, but they didn't. They turned her into red state red meat right away, to try to boost McCain's standing among those voters. I guess they had to.

[Episiarch]

Epi, due to my increasing vicodin dosing, I am unwilling to drink

Dude, your liver can handle the APAP. Drink up.

I understand what you guys are saying, but for some reason I can't handle watching politicians talk. I HATE them. I can watch the most vile, disgusting horror movie without flinching, but I can't stand politicians.

I will go out and then watch Always Sunny. I will leave you with the immortal words of Charlie:

"Alright, uh, later dudes, S you in your A's, don't wear a C, and J all over your B's."

[jasno]

Joe - I'd like to think everyone has realized at this point that she's not the presidential candidate, and thus any appeal to moderates will be reduced in effect accordingly.

Then again, I'm a bit of an optimist(fool?) when it comes to the reasoning abilities of the electorate.

[mediageek]

Well, the base of social conservatives and generally religious folk, to say nothing of the lonewhacko demographic really dislike McCain.

So maybe their thought was that McCain has been playing to the middle, so they re-branded Palin to play to the religious social conservatives?

[joe]

Episiarch, just think how entertaining it will be if they ask a really tricky question, like "What newspapers do you read?"

All of them, Just Plain Brian. She reads all of them.

The woman knows more about energy than anyone in America. There's, like, 305,000,000 people in America. Some of them are physicists and shit.

So, I don't see what's so ridiculous about the idea that she reads all of the newspapers.

[BDB]

I've got percocet.

[mediageek]

Joe, it's because of the glasses she wears. Smart and hot.

[Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK)]

"Episiarch, just think how entertaining it will be if they ask a really tricky question, like "What newspapers do you read?"

Well, here in the great country of America that I love so much, and like such as, airspace, I read like, you know, whatever they put in front of me. So lots of newspapers from different information sources with various...outlooks and differences, yeah.

[brotherben]

Epi, actually I take Xodol? which has 10 mg of the good stuff and only 300mg acetominephen. I'm just a big ole pussy. and I kinda like the TENS thingy ???

[joe]

Well, I just hope you all recover quickly from your dental work.

[BDB]

I did actually get this 100% legally for dental work but never got around to using it. I figure Sarah Palin is a good a reason as any. She might actually make sense now!

[Jerry]

I do hope that Biden will call out Palin for the fact that the vice-presidential race is not a beauty pageant.

[brotherben]

chronic back pain here joe.

[brotherben]

I do hope tonight is a little more exciting than last weeks "my opponent is absolutely right" snoozefest. In my mind, debates are supposed to be super confrontational, expletives deleted.

[SugarFree]

brotherben,

Acetaminophen and alcohol is bad for your liver, dude. Stick with weed.

[BDB]

"In my mind, debates are supposed to be super confrontational, expletives deleted."

SEXIST! /snark

[Franklin Harris]

I oppose almost everything Biden says in that clip, but I can't help but like the smart-ass way he says it.

[GILMORE]

Episiarch | October 2, 2008, 8:01pm | #

I understand what you guys are saying, but for some reason I can't handle watching politicians talk. I HATE them. I can watch the most vile, disgusting horror movie without flinching, but I can't stand politicians.

I'm with you bro.

I feel compelled to listen to them from time to time out of some vague sense of responsibility, but the experience is invariably revolting, and often does lasting damage to my generally optimistic feelings about mankind.

I sometimes scream invective at them and it helps a little.

[Mr. Nice]

Supposedly until she was chosen her big issue and talking point was this pipeline she was working to put in. Not exactly red meat for the conservative crowd.

[SIV]

might dip into the oxy

I used to read 2 or 3 daily papers + any interesting weeklies. Now that I mostly read newspapers online I would say I read "all of them".

[BDB]

Are you playing Palin Bingo, SIV?

[SugarFree]

Debate Night Chili

1.5 pounds of ground chuck
1.5 pounds of ground sirloin
15 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup beef stock
1 cup dark beer
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 oz. pickled jalapenos, chopped
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 chipotle in adobo, chopped (plus 1 tbsp of sauce)
1 tbsp salt

Sweat onions for 20 minutes on low, until soft, adding garlic for the last three minutes. Remove an set aside. Brown meat thoroughly, and deglaze the pan with beer. Add all ingredients to a pressure cooker. Set timer for 35 minutes after cooker comes to pressure. (Alternate methods: Slow cooker on low for 8 hours, or simmer cover on stove for 3 hours)

I grind my own meat (coarse) and make my own chili powder and beef stock, but I'm obsessive that way.

[brotherben]

This blog is the only news I get.

siv, the doc gave me oxy a couple times after discograms. That is a very very effective med for my pain, but he won't prescribe it long term, so he gives me 120 vicodin every month instead.

[SIV]

sounds damn good SugarFree
better than the arroz con pollo I ate tonight

120 Vicodin a month! Almost worth having chronic pain for brotherben.

Acetaminophen is fucking toxic. I avoid it in all cases where it isn't mixed with narcotics.
I won't take darvon under any circumstances(see Lester Bangs, John Matusek and many others).

[SIV]

BDB
what's Palin bingo?

[J sub D]

J sub D- If you are serious about the elections, you may want to add some stress relief pills to your list of things. If not, have fun.

The day the Obama campaign sent out threatening letters to broadcasters that aired critical NRA ads ended any chance that I'd vote for either of the two major parties. Now I will watch, mock, nay I will ridicule, the flailing, pandering, lying and speciual interest fellating by candidates of both major parties.

I am becoming more and more convinced that the two major parties are as distinct from each other as the American and National leagues* are distinct from each other.

* That's baseball for you furrner types.

[brotherben]

+ 60 zanaflex and 30 ambien. and I still don't sleep good. I tried to talk him into some of the new pot based drugs but he is not hopeful about the efficacy due to the several differnt physiological causes for my pain. The newest pot based stuff is made from the plant, not chemically synthesized, and shows good results for nerve related pain.

[J sub D]

Then again, I'm a bit of an optimist(fool?) when it comes to the reasoning abilities of the electorate.

90% of those responsible for that mutant frankenstein of a bailout abortion bill will get re-elected. Go with fool.

[brotherben]

J sub, surely you aren't suggesting that we replace anyone in D.C. in these troubled and dangerous times?

[BDB]

SIV--

http://www.palinbingo.com

Your "airspace" is your freebie.

[Just Plain Brian]

BDB, I'm in - I'll go with card 1

[BDB]

Card 3 here.

[J sub D]

Debate Night Chili

Fuck that. I'm deep fat frying some pork lumpia to go with the beer and popcorn.

Here's the recipe, but I'm a single guy and get it pre-maid. Drop it in the fry baby for a couple minutes and it's ready to eat.

Friggin' great beer mubnchies, I shit you not.

[J sub D]

J sub, surely you aren't suggesting that we replace anyone in D.C. in these troubled and dangerous times?

Jeff Flake, Ron Paul and a token democrat can remain. Fire the rest of the bastards. If it takes the new guys a couple of years to get oriented, well that's a feature, not a bug.

[Kolohe]

get it pre-maid.

And then the maid is dessert? Yum.

[SIV]

They are both talking too fast, this isn't a HS debate.

[BDB]

Palin is a moose in the headlights.

[bigbigslacker]

Mavericks!

[SIV]

Jsub,

I kind of liked that Congressman from Livonia MI who went off on Bolsheviks re the bailout bill.

[JP]

Maverick!

[hotsauce]

Palin has already mentioned "soccer moms" and "joe sixpacks."

[prolefeed]

One question into the VP debate and I turned it off. Biden gave Palin a slow pitch right across the center of the plate, defending the fucking bailout, and Palin didn't rip into it, and instead kept repeating McCain's name.

Bloody hell. Four statists running between the two major parties.

[SugarFree]

They both look good, even under the merciless gaze of 1080i. Thank goodness that did something with Biden's hair.

SIV's right. Seriously, slow down. It' like Biden did a fistful of coke. Palin seems to be trying real hard to control here accent. It's not working.

[BDB]

Don't forget Bobby Scott from VA, SIV.

Actually, 90% of the Black Congressional Caucus went against it.

[stephen the goldberger]

Man she is so nervous. This is stressful to watch.

[SugarFree]

I really should be drunker to have that many typos.

[BDB]

They're talking fast because they only have two minutes each instead of the normal five.

[hotsauce]

"darn right"

[JP]

Doin'

Gettin'

Goin'

Buy this woman some gs!

[Joe Biden]

Barack Obama hates Free Minds and Free Markets.

[BDB]

Hi there, TallDave. Which card are you playing on?

[SugarFree]

JP,

Get with the program. Main Street can't afford fancy city Gs.

[Just Plain Brian]

Buy this woman some gs

She's already talking like she did an 8-ball, I don't think she needs any more gs

[SIV]

BDB, you are from VA? Do you "know" Caesar?
My Congressman hank Johnson voted against it. he is Cynthia McKinney's replacement.First time he has "represented" my interests in Congress.
I actually have a little respect for him now as he added that stock markets are supposed to go up and down and he doesn't particularly care which way it is going.That makes him better than a lot of politicians.

[hotsauce]

She's clearly nervous.

[BDB]

"My Congressman hank Johnson voted against it. he is Cynthia McKinney's replacement.First time he has "represented" my interests in Congress."

Yeah. Usually I write in the name of my cat when I vote (my Congresscritter is always unopposed). Now I might give him that vote.

Cynthia McKinney represented you? I'm sorry.

[JP]

As usual when listening to Biden, I find myself wishing he could use his powers for good instead of evil.

[hotsauce]

Well, Joe, just because you call it "fair" doesn't make it not a (re)distribution.

[BDB]

Joe Biden=cocaine (DC, elitist)

Sarah Palin=methampetamines(small town, down-home)

[prolefeed]

Drinking rules for the debate:

Drink whenever Palin says "McCain", "reform", or "mothers" (or any other word for the female gender.

Drink whenever Biden opens his mouth. He's sure to say something that we can all agree is a drinking violation.

Oh, and catch a cab home, cause you're gonna get ripped.

[SIV]

15 mg oxy + PBR

I can't make it through this sober and straight.

[BDB]

Dude, I had a Golden Monkey Ale (10% ABV) and a percocet.

[Coarsetad]

Palin is having her own debate.

[BDB]

And even that can't make me feel good about either of them.

[BDB]

She just said "rear their head". Fail.

[SIV]

BDB,

Cynthia was pretty tame compared to our Sheriff. He hired some Jamaicans to kill his political opponent and successor. They shot him dead in his driveway. And DeKalb county is probably the best of the three that actually contain the city of ATL.

[SIV]

She obviously hates towing the McCain Party line on AGW.

[BDB]

Atlanta is still a great fucking city, even if your pols suck.

[BDB]

I have no idea why you have that "MARTA" joke, though.

[SIV]

God I wish Wayne Allen Root was in this!

[Just Plain Brian]

Good point - why didn't they get Root for this debate like Reason did last week with Barr?

[BDB]

Root WOULD do a fistful of cocaine, for real.

[SIV]

When I was little we had a great private bus line in ATL. MARTA is useless for anything but going to the Airport.

[BDB]

Most mass transit outside of NYC sucks. And the NYC subway lines were originally built by private companies. Go figure.

[SIV]

I'll say she is exceeding expectations. The format doesn't really encourage gaffes though.

[BDB]

There was a bi-partisan agreement to limit gaffes, since both candidates are prone.

[Coarsetad]

This is boring. Its just a talking-points marathon.

[Coarsetad]

What's with all the Israel ass-kissing.

[Isaac Bartram]

Palin seems to be trying real hard to control here accent.

You mean where she sounds "Like Minnesota and Canada had a kid and let Wisconsin raise it."

[bigbigslacker]

Its over. I think we all made it. Head count..Yep, all here.

[jasno]

I just want to say how much I love you guys... really..

I'm gonna go pass out in my backyard now...