Mr. Nice Guy Meets Pitbull

The debate is in the books. Biden was crisp and clean, Palin exceeded all expectations, but then all she had to do was have a heart beat for 90 minutes to do that.

Let's tackle John's questions as a post debate guide.

1. What kind of question are being asked and do you think they are good and or relevant to the issues facing the U.S.

The questions were very generic, boiler plate stuff. Very disappointed in Ifill's inability to draw more from the responses rather than sticking to some pre-formatted time frame. Lehrer did a GREAT job keeping the candidates on topic, and expanded responses and rebuttal as the debate flowed. Ifill, not so much!

2. What kind of answers are being given by both candidates.

Sen Biden excelled and staying on topic and addressing the questions specifically. Gov. Palin clearly had a pre set scripted and she stuck to it. She was not answering questions, she was deciding what pre rehearsed answer she could use for a particular moment. She performed admirably only because she was able to stay on script. We sill don't know how she would perform in a free form environment.

3. Who is best answering the questions?

Again, Biden actually answered questions, Palin only did when the pre rehearsed/memorized script just happened to line up with the questions. This didn't happen very often.

4. Who won the debate?

Who won?!? What is winning, OK, I'll call it a draw. Biden didn't shove his foot in his mouth, Palin stayed on message and was able to shake the cobwebs from her dismal interview performances. If wining is performing below expectations neither did. If winning is who had a knock out punch, neither did.

5. Any other thoughts you may have.

The big phrase by all the talking heads is last night was no game changer, and John McCain needs a game changer. He is fading so rapidly he may make Dukakis' performance in 1988 look like a close one.

Flash