Live-blogging the Vice Presidential debate

• 5:55pm - I am giddy with anticipation. It's just like watching a NASCAR race and waiting for the crashes. Or watching figure skating and waiting for someone to break a limb.
  
• 6:02pm - Palin: "Hey, can I call you Joe?" That was weird.
  
• 6:06pm - Palin is being coherent, which is a definite plus. But she looks and sounds a little choked and a lot nervous.
  
• 6:07pm - Biden attacks McCain on the whole "fundamentals of the economy" gaffe. Palin restates the ridiculous position that by "fundamentals," McCain meant the American worker.
• 6:09pm - Palin: "...send the Maverick from the Senate to the White House." Total Maverick count: 1.
• 6:10pm - Palin hits her cute and perky stride with the "Joe Sixpack and hockey moms across America" comment.
• 6:12pm - The cute smile to the camera while Biden is talking about a guy who can't afford to fill up his gas tank seems a little odd. I wonder if McCain's scowls and smirks during Obama's debate responses so worried the McCain camp that they suggested Palin smile no matter what.
• 6:14pm - Despite being called by Biden on the fact that she failed to address his point about McCain's support of deregulation, she pointedly fails to address the issue again, then gets cut off by Ifill mid rant.
• 6:17pm - Is it just my TV or does Biden look seriously splotchy?
• 6:18pm - Whoa, Nellie! Palin, in reference to Obama's universal health care plan, says that the average American isn't excited about the federal government running health care "unless you're pleased with the way the federal government has been running anything lately..." Does that include Iraq?
• 6:29pm - Regarding the housing meltdown, given an opening to rebut Biden's characterization of the campaign, Palin once again declines to discuss the topic.
  
• 6:34pm - Palin corrects Biden. "It's not 'Drill, drill, drill', Joe. It's 'Drill, baby, Drill.'"
• 6:37pm - While stopping short of supporting gay marriage, Biden stands firmly behind rights for same-sex couples. Surprisingly, Palin seems to do the same. I think. It was a little fuzzy.
  
• 6:40pm - Palin insists that Obama's votes against military funding are votes to deny troops funds. Trust me on this. My husband always gets a paycheck no matter the outcome of those votes. And I'm pretty sure both Obama and McCain know that.
• 6:47pm - I'm not sure that Palin's quoting of Ahmadinejad's "Israel is a stinking corpse" comment was a great idea.
  
• 6:51pm - How does Palin manage to look so adorable while talking about protecting Israel from an Iranian-led holocaust? Seriously - how does she do that?
• 6:55pm - Palin: "He has been the Maverick. He has ruffled feathers." Total Maverick count: 3.
• 6:59pm - Biden states that we spend more money in three weeks in Iraq than we've spent during the entire 6 years in Afghanistan. If it's a correct number, it's stunning.
• 7:00pm - Gotta quit sighing, Joe.
  
• 7:03pm - I'm impressed that Biden is willing to stand up for intervention in Darfur.
• 7:03pm - I'm equally impressed that Palin has the chutzpah to call Biden someone who, as far as Iraq was concerned, was "for it before he was against it." Bridge to Nowhere, anyone?
  
• 7:09pm - Palin: "What do you expect? A team of Mavericks!" Total Maverick count: 4.
• 7:10pm - Palin lost her adorable there for a while. But look out - it's back.
• 7:11pm - With her shout out to third graders who get extra credit for watching the debate, Palin manages to sound like an incredibly qualified elementary school teacher.
  
• 7:14pm - McCain would put Palin in charge of energy independence. I think that's a bit like putting the wolf in charge of the hen house.
• 7:16pm - Palin puts herself on record as believing in Cheney's position that the vice presidency exists outside the executive branch.
• 7:18pm - Ifill pulls out that question that everyone interview question - what would you see as your greatest weakness. Palin completely ignores the question. And I mean completely. Disappointingly, Ifill doesn't call her on it.
  
• 7:20pm - Biden turns his negative into a positive, suggesting his excessive passion is his greatest weakness. Nice.
• 7:21pm - Biden chokes up discussing being a single father after the death of his wife. iIn her response, Palin's chipper grin seems crass after that real display of emotion.
• 7:23pm - In a rapid rebuttal, Biden more than triples the Maverick count. Total Maverick count: 13. Too bad this isn't a drinking game!
• 7:30pm - Palin quotes the Gipper.
  

Final thoughts: Palin didn't look like an idiot, but her perky demeanor seemed out of step with the seriousness of the position for which she is in effect applying, and the dire circumstances surrounding the current financial and political situation in this country. Biden seemed serious, thoughtful, and angry about the last eight years. That anger is exactly the tone Obama should have struck in the debate against McCain. More importantly, though, Biden managed to avoid focusing that anger against Palin. He was respectful towards her; he didn't condescend. And he got the great final line. He had a lot more to lose her than she did, and he nailed it.