Here's my sceptical look as I listen to the Biden-Palin debate on the internets. Thank goodness Palin does not look like a deer-in-headlights and we are listening to a debate and not squirming in our seats. Palin's confidence projects, unlike with Katie Couric, and she sure does use a lot of vernacular: heck-of, get'n down to get'n things done, you betcha and darn toot'n. I suppose Joe Six Pack, whomever he may be, understands it. It reminds me of Annie Hall who you may recall dressed, spoke and looked like a small-town kinda gal. Over the course of Woody Allen's Oscar winning film Annie grows up: she takes night-classes, enters therapy to understand herself, becomes a singer and she improves. I wouldn't want the youthful Annie Hall as VP but I would consider her reincarnation - thoughtful, intelligent and in tune with her feelings and surroundings. In short, Hillary. Or Biden. Biden did seem presidential thoughtful and poised. His answers reasoned with no famous gaffes, like asking a handicapped dude to "stand up" or when telling a gun owner "your crazy" (the fella did have a semi-automatic on display at a rally).
This idea that McC is somehow a maverick is silly: Senator McC has voted along party lines and on the inside for, like, EVER. He also championed deregulation even after being a part of the Keating Five which should have killed his political career. Oh well. Further, do we really need a marerick in the White House (Webster definition: "an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party"). Personally, I want somebody who can work with his government and accomplish a few goals, returning our country to before - let's say the Bush Sr or Clinton era - not far ago, Dear Reader. Well, fat chance to repair the broken plates for us but at least we can prepare for our children. Or grand-children.
On the school-drop, two mums sympathised with my situation being an American and all. The general feeling on the ground and in the media is that the United States is quickly becoming second or even third-tier.