Issues? What issues?

I have had the luxury of reading everyone's blogs before writing my own. There is a point I would like to make that I do not think has been stated enough. It does not matter that Biden won according to all traditional metrics. AP reports that the ratings for this debate where through the roof. Does anyone think that people were turning in to watch the issues. No! I sure didn't. The American people are suckers for a juicy narrative. Two examples? Barack Obama and Sarah Palin. Obama will be the first to tell you- as will McCain, but for very different reasons- that his "narrative" has fueled his candidacy. Palin's story had reached a low point: I mean, did you see that interview with Couric?!? Even the National Review was calling for her to step down, further enhancing its reputation as the voice of the angry left wing. BTW, I cannot believe nobody has posted SNL's take on the interview, so here it is:



Back to the point: Nobody, nobody expected anything from Palin. America watched not to see her express her opinions, but rather sat on the edge of its collective seat waiting to watch her make a fool of herself. It was to be the next chapter in the Palin story. Skits like the SNL one had lowered expectations to the point were the audience- and I include myself in this category- did not expect her to even be able to put together a sentence. I mean- she litterally could not in the Couric interview. Thus, even though it is clear Biden won in the traditional sense, all Palin had to do was anything but the Couric interview. (I'll be honest: If I didn't know better, if the Couric interview did not look so real, I would readily believe Palin messed it up deliberately create such low expectations. There is no doubt in my mind that part of the McCain campaign's desicion to have Palin maintain media silence was to foster such low expectation. In fact, it is being reported that she is to have a larger role now, after the debate.) This piece in the Washington Post does an excellent job of capturing the pre-debate mood about Palin. Obama and Biden knew this, which is why, they tried particularly hard to raise expectations for Palin before the debate.
Thus, the stage was set. Biden won the debate, of that there is no doubt. His attack went unanswered, his points were stated clearly. But in the larger scheme, McCain comes out ahead. Palin did not fall on her face, (this article from CNN backs up both of these points) and that was all she needed to do. There are many pundits saying this today: I'll give you one from the offical magazine of the DNC, or Newsweek as it is popularly known. I believe a large part of the recent shift towards Obama in the polls was the belief that McCain is to eccentric to be an effective president. Exhibit A was the SNL fodder that was his VP pick. No more. This election is going to be like a the baseball playoffs: just as the Dodgers beat the Cubs because they currently are blazing hot, so to the hottest candidate- the candidate who has the current upswing on Nov 1ST- will win the presidency on Nov 2nd. I think this will help shift a bit of momentum back to McCain, or at least stop the bleeding.