The US VP Debate: Cleanup on Aisle 4!

Well, if I ever wanted to know what it feels like to have someone wearing a permanently-plastered smile stab me in the back while pouring a bucket of sickly- sweet syrup on me, I certainly experienced that while watching the US vice presidential candidates' debate.

Is it too much to ask that a potential vice president not use phrases like "you betcha!", "darn right!" and words like "gettin'"? And exactly how does "doggone it" translate into Hebrew, for example? "Oy vey"? I can just see Sarah Palin on the Middle East peace mission circuit now. She'd drive the translators insane. You betcha!

There's no doubt that Palin appealed to that segment of the US population known fondly as Airhead-Americans and that you could hear one gigantic sigh of relief across the country from Republicans once the debate was over. You could tell she's been well-schooled this past week. Her repetition of right-wing talking points showed us that - and her stubborn refusal to answer some questions while so obviously steering her answers back to topics she was most comfortable with reminded me of a tractor pull at a country fair.

Oh, she has "folksy" down. But haven't Americans had just about all of the folksy they can put up with after 8 years of George "the guy you want to have a beer with" Bush? And considering the fact that she has no problem with the overwhelming power grab made by Bush's VP, can we call her Cheney in a Dress now? Let's just hope she doesn't end up shooting somebody in the face (and making him apologize for it later).

Joe Biden won the debate just by keeping his cool (repressing his infamous Inner Angry Joe), not jumping out from behind his podium in response to her inanity and managing to hold back any comment resembling "Jane, you ignorant slut".

I need a shower.

Related:

What? You wanted substance?

Check out the WaPo's Fact Checker and FactCheck.org for that stuff. I have a Canadian leaders' debate to watch now.

And here's the transcript and video. (Don't stare into her eyes for too long. You were warned.)