Biden and Palin both did what they were sent to the debate to do: Biden clearly won it, and Palin didn’t make any colossal blunder.

Palin had answers that she could form in complete sentences, but half the time they weren’t answers to the questions asked (does she know what “Achilles’ heel” means?). She didn’t have to deal with any “gotcha” moments because she wasn’t even really required to answer the questions fielded to her, and no question was specific enough to catch her in the headlights for longer than half a second or so. When in doubt, spout energy talking points. If she had been asked about the Bork nomination - and pressed to answer - she’d have been in deep shit. The questions asked were questions that virtually everyone could put their two cents into fairly intelligently as long as they didn’t have to explain the “how.” Add that to the smiling, the winks, the shout-out to her Wasilla 3rd graders - wait, is she running for Vice President or Miss America?

Nobody seems to really care much about what Biden had to say, but that was only partially his fault. Palin had the press interest from the get-go, but it’s always been her “folksy” presentation that’s wowed her base. Palin was all winks and teeth; Biden seemed strained and monotone in comparison. He also had, you know, substance. And while Palin made every attempt to play the pit bull, Biden stopped it in its tracks and stepped away from the debate unblemished.

Palin didn’t win this one. She had the benefit of no Couric-style follow-ups, but in no objective way did she top Biden.