Whew.

I'm glad that debate's over. Just two more to agonize through, and then I'm done for a few, precious years.

Honestly, I thought she didn't do too badly...IF all you were looking for was her ability to formulate complete sentences. I know, many of you were doubting that, but hell, she was a sportscaster, after all. She knows how to speak to a camera. And, she was clearly well prepped, and delivered her answers with proper enunciation.

And, it was just a little cute, how she beamed every time she knew that she was going to get to deliver a good line. Snaps to Sarah; she had clearly rehearsed how to say "Ahmadinejad," so much so that she just had to repeat it, like, five times in rapid succession. We were thinking we should have made a drinking game.

But, sadly, I was listening to what she said, and, well, she didn't say much. Hey, though, she, herself, admitted that she wasn't going to answer the questions in the way the moderator wanted...and, she was true to her word. Talking points only, no deviation, and not a lot of concern about exactly what question was being asked.

She didn't commit a lot of obvious flubs, which is probably all the McCain camp could hope for...except for not apparently knowing what an "Achilles Heel" is. She also looked a bit robotic when she continued with this incessant drumming of the points even right after Joe Biden almost choked up when talking about his critically injured son. And, the part about his joke being lame didn't go over like I think she wanted (or, to be fair, like I think she meant it). That just sounded sorta bitchy, or nervous.

But, I did have a strong negative reaction to a few things, particularly the "folksiness." Golsh darn dang golly Uncle Clem, I cannot bear to hear this for the next four years. Seriously. It's affected, and it shows, and it's INSULTING. And when she said "There you go again," - trying DESPERATELY to blow the sweet dead breath of Ronald Reagan on this campaign - I damn near hurled my teacup through the television.

Oh, and when she said that it didn't matter what caused global warming, they were just by gosh for fixin' it. And that it didn't matter what got us into Iraq in the first place. Because, you know, that "science" or "history" crap just don't matter.

Most of all though...she WINKED. TO THE TELEVISION CAMERA. SEVERAL TIMES.

Now, I ask you, how many vice presidential candidates, in the past, have WINKED AT THE CAMERA? Does she think that's charming, or is it a nervous tic?

My read on it is that it's not intentional, it's just how she's used to getting her way. Flirting and grinning and giving coy little winks, while tossing out generality after generality until you really have no idea what she has said. But it was, to me, a horrifying gender throwback.

At worst, though, she fought to a draw...and that's only if you are looking at the pageantry along with the substance. On the meat, there is no question that Joe had her smackjawed.

For tonight, though, Sarah...you live to fight another day. I think your base will be pleased. We shall see if any of the rest of us go along.