Thanks to new media technologies and CNN, the world was watching this debate between vice presidential candidates.

Gwen Ifill was a national embarrassment on worldwide television. Pre-debate, there was concern that she was pro-Obama and could not possibly be a neutral moderator. As if to counter this contention, Ifill opened the debate by introducing the two vice-presidential candidates as "Governor Sarah Palin" and "Joe Biden", without his correct title of "Senator".

I'm hoping that Ifill was just on drugs for her broken ankle and that was why she seemed to favor Sarah Palin at every opportunity. It was especially upsetting and disgusting that Ifill did not insist that Palin answer the question(s) as asked. Further, there was something completely unfair about going to Sen. Biden first on nearly every question. All Palin had to do was find some kind of response -- vaguely related or not -- in the talking points from which she was reading. The rules, as explained at the beginning of the debate, were never followed as far as I could tell.

Sarah Palin was both a national embarrassment and an embarrassment to Alaska on worldwide television. From her first sentence, a flirty "May I call you Joe?" ... to her refusing -- outright refusing! -- to answer questions as asked and then reading her answers from the talking points on her podium ... to winking at the TV camera when she referred to "nudging" McCain on drilling in ANWAR ... to her callous disregard when Sen. Biden choked up upon recalling the terrible car accident that claimed the lives of his wife and daughter and seriously injured his two sons. Right then it was clear: Sarah Palin is one of the "mean girls".

Sen. Biden, on the other hand, was passionate, disciplined and well-informed -- very vice-presidential. He was a gracious, yet compelling debater.

Can you even imagine the outcry had Sen. Biden asked, at the beginning of the debate, "May I call you Sarah?" He would have been accused of being patronizing to women in general and to Palin in particular. He unfailingly referred to her as "Governor". Not once did Palin respond to him with the same level of respect and courtesy. What if Sen. Biden had shown an unsympathetic, callous disregard when Palin mentioned her special needs baby?

It is time for this "long national nightmare" to be over!

There is something very, very wrong when the media publish a clear lie from a candidate without immediately and definitively refuting it. There are enough "incurious" voters out there who will take the quoted lie as the truth without bothering to check further -- especially if the lie is repeated and quoted again and again. This kind of clearly irresponsible reporting is dangerous.

Senator Obama is "palling around with terrorists"??? I live on a small cul-de-sac and across the street from a jerk. We even served at the same time on the board for our homeowners association. Then I really saw what a jerk he was and is. Does that make us BFFs? No. Does that make me a jerk? No. Senator Obama lives in a neighborhood with a former terrorist and they have been involved in some of the same community activities. Does that mean he is "palling around" with this person? No.

The media play a critical role in our democracy and our freedoms. They must quit squandering the responsibility that comes with that role.

Thanks to new media technologies and CNN, the world was watching this debate between vice presidential candidates.

Gwen Ifill was a national embarrassment on worldwide television. Pre-debate, there was concern that she was pro-Obama and could not possibly be a neutral moderator. As if to counter this contention, Ifill opened the debate by introducing the two vice-presidential candidates as "Governor Sarah Palin" and "Joe Biden", without his correct title of "Senator".

I'm hoping that Ifill was just on drugs for her broken ankle and that was why she seemed to favor Sarah Palin at every opportunity. It was especially upsetting and disgusting that Ifill did not insist that Palin answer the question(s) as asked. Further, there was something completely unfair about going to Sen. Biden first on nearly every question. All Palin had to do was find some kind of response -- vaguely related or not -- in the talking points from which she was reading. The rules, as explained at the beginning of the debate, were never followed as far as I could tell.

Sarah Palin was both a national embarrassment and an embarrassment to Alaska on worldwide television. From her first sentence, a flirty "May I call you Joe?" ... to her refusing -- outright refusing! -- to answer questions as asked and then reading her answers from the talking points on her podium ... to winking at the TV camera when she referred to "nudging" McCain on drilling in ANWAR ... to her callous disregard when Sen. Biden choked up upon recalling the terrible car accident that claimed the lives of his wife and daughter and seriously injured his two sons. Right then it was clear: Sarah Palin is one of the "mean girls".

Sen. Biden, on the other hand, was passionate, disciplined and well-informed -- very vice-presidential. He was a gracious, yet compelling debater.

Can you even imagine the outcry had Sen. Biden asked, at the beginning of the debate, "May I call you Sarah?" He would have been accused of being patronizing to women in general and to Palin in particular. He unfailingly referred to her as "Governor". Not once did Palin respond to him with the same level of respect and courtesy. What if Sen. Biden had shown an unsympathetic, callous disregard when Palin mentioned her special needs baby?

It is time for this "long national nightmare" to be over!