What is the Media Saying About Palin Post Debate?

The New York Times’ David Brooks: “I thought she was every bit his equal. I thought she was fluid, confident, she struck her theme, just the regular old mom. But she handled the foreign policy issues. She did fine with Iraq. She did fine with Iran. She certainly hit energy often enough.

The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza: “Palin to Biden: ‘Can I call you Joe?’ GENIUS.”

NBC’s Matthew Berger: “Those who have seen Palin debate in Alaska say she is very efficient, and you’re seeing that now. She’s taking Biden on directly, speaking at him and then turning to the camera to make her points.”

The Atlantic’s Mark Ambinder: “Palin is adept at keeping Biden on the offensive.”

Commentary’s Jennifer Rubin: “Sarah Palin takes us back to the Bush-Cheney energy plan and reminds him that Obama voted for it. Then she goes back to her own record of getting tough with the oil company. Forget expectations, she might just be winning this.

The Wall Street Journal’s Peggy Noonan (She originally panned the choice of Palin in an off the cuff remark on MSNBC): “She killed. It was her evening. She was the star. She had him at, ‘Nice to meet you. Hey, can I call you Joe?’ It was very interesting to me, for Palin tonight, for an hour and a half, I think America saw her for a really long time, and she became a star probably on a new level. Gwen Ifill was not there for Sarah Palin. Joe Biden was not there for Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin was there with a camera. It was classic go over the heads of the media and everybody else, talk straight to the American people. She hit every populist chord. It is amazing to me that 15 minutes in, she had Joe Biden on the defensive on the subject of Obama and taxes. … She killed.”

1984 Democrat Vice Presidential Nominee Geraldine Ferraro: “I really wanted her to get up there and do a good job, and I think she did. … I think it was a good evening for — certainly for Governor Palin. … I think she showed she is certainly capable of going toe to toe with a man who is more than qualified to be vice president, if not president of the United States. The thing about it is she held her own, and that for me, from a historic viewpoint, I wanted my granddaughters to be able to look at this debate — I hope they’re in bed right now. I wanted them to look at this debate and see that a woman could go toe to toe with someone who has had tremendous experience in the Senate and someone who is an incredible candidate for vice president of the United States. That to me is very very important.”

The Associated Press’ Jim Kuhnhenn: “Under intense scrutiny, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin stood her ground Thursday night against a vastly more experienced Joe Biden, debating the economy, energy and global warming, then challenging him on Iraq, ‘especially with your son in the National Guard.’”

NBC’s Chuck Todd: “Governor Palin proved very adept at being a good debater. … In many ways, she was a better surrogate for her top of the ticket than Joe Biden was for his.

The Hill’s Walter Alarkon: “One theme Palin keeps hitting tonight is the idea that Biden and Obama are looking backward. After a riff by Biden on how McCain’s policies are the same as President Bush’s, Palin pounces. ‘Say it ain’t so, Joe,’ she said. ‘There you go again, pointing backwards. Now doggone it, let’s look again and tell Americans what we plan to do for Americans in the future.’”