THE VEEPS VAMP

Why am I so unmotivated to blog about the vice presidential debate when I've probably invested more time and energy in covering this year's presidential race than at any other time in my life? Because we don't vote for the number two position on the ticket, we vote for number one...because when John Nance Garner, FDR's second VP famously said that his position wasn't worth "a warm cup of spit", he had a good point...because, frankly, nothing all that interesting happened at the debate, nor were there any great surprises.

I would call tonight's debate a draw with maybe a slight lean towards Biden. (In sex and debates, it's always good to finish strong. Biden finished strong after a shaky start. Please don't quote me about the sex.)

Given time to prepare, a checklist of money lines to recite and a living, breathing person with whom she can interact (anchorpeople don't count--they're more like question machines), Gov. Sarah Palin could play to all her strengths and minimize her weaknesses. She adroitly avoided questions she couldn't really answer and she hewed very closely to the topics and themes that she could speak most authoritatively and personably about--energy, being a hockey mom, her experience as a governor. She didn't embarrass herself (at least, not more than she already has) nor did she hit any home runs.

Sen. Joe Biden didn't embarrass himself either, which he's been known to do in the past, although I wish he'd keep talking about what a good friend and a good person John McCain is. You don't think they'll use that on Saturday Night Live this week, do you Joe? It's obvious to me that Biden personally likes McCain the person more than Obama the person (which does give me pause, believe it or not), but he can't abide McCain's policies and he did a great job pointing out the differences between a potential McCain administration and an Obama one. And unlike Palin, Biden clearly has a command of names and details and is much more willing to parcel out a few details about the Obama plan than she is.

But what else is there to say? Not much really. Now we can get back to the big boys as we head into the final 34 days of the election. It can't come soon enough.

Peace...