Sarah Barracuda is Back!

Shh...I'm sneaking in a blog post at work...don't tell anyone...but I couldn't wait to comment on last night's debate, and also it's before 7:30 a.m. and I'm the only one here in the office, so the early bird gets to blog.

Last night's Vice-Presidential debate was the highlight of my week, as for many political news junkies. I was actually quite anxious the hour or so leading up to the debate as I sat watching Fox News analyze what both sides needed to accomplish during the debate. But the stakes were clearly higher for Sarah Palin. She had a lot to prove, a lot to overcome, a lot at stake for her and John McCain. The press has been absolutely brutal to her the past few weeks. And the Katie Couric interview? Well, let's just say that was definitely not her best moments. But I think some of her best moments happened last night, and I was cheering along the way and couldn't wait to hear what she had to say next.

Sarah was solid and concise. She delivered crisp answers to tough and detailed questions. She knew her foreign policy. She knew her economic policy. And she knows where the average American is coming from because she herself is an average American. She and Todd are middle class. Her family is diverse, complicated and faces the same tough issues that we all face. That is not to say the Joe Biden doesn't know the middle class. That he doesn't know hardship. But I would argue to say that he is far removed from his roots in Scranton because he has been in Washington for over 30 years. He's inside the Beltway, and actually, one of the main reasons I believe Barack Obama picked him for VP. He is politics as usual, and that is not what this country needs.

But Sarah...man...what a charmer she is. She even charmed Mr. Biden, and I really felt like last night's exchange was a political debate at it's best. There weren't any gaffes on either side, any "gottcha" moments from the Gwen Ifill (who, consequently, I thought did a really good job despite the book controversy). The questions and topics addressed a wide range of issues, and Sarah Palin held her own against Mr. Biden. She defended John McCain, outlined her beliefs on numerous issues, and told the American public how a McCain-Palin administration was going to work for the American people. I think Sarah is the breath of fresh air that Washington needs - that we all need - and I for one couldn't be happier on how the debate went last night.

The Barracuda is back!