"I found it curious that she persistently invoked Reagan."

You do, Jeri? Why? Hell, he's virtually a secular saint to most conservative Americans.

That's not the way I see him, I might add. I think his policies were a fiscal and international disaster in a number of ways...but he had the style to remain quite popular despite all of that. Why, it was almost like having "Pa Cartwright" in the White House...maybe even better! ;-) He was the perfect front man to represent the $ySStem and play "frontier daddy" to America....a Madison Avenue dream of a chief executive.

Clinton was not bad at that too, but he was too sleazy. It doesn't help the "frontier daddy" image any when you fool around with the gals down at the saloon and then lie about it under oath. No siree.

God-fearin' frontier daddys NEVER cheat on their wives! Leastways, not so's you'd git to hear about it, anyways.

Yes, Biden handled himself very well. So did Palen, I think. No one really screwed up. Neither of them stand to lose any people who were already in favor of them anyway (note Riginslinger's delighted reaction to Palin's respectable performance and Biden's respectable performance. He thinks she destroyed Biden....heh! It's amazing how the made-up-already mind filters whatever it sees and hears to suit its preconditions, wishes, and established beliefs.).