It was supposed to be rainy all day, but it didn't rain at all, though there were some threatening clouds. But really, they just made the sky pretty, so it was cool.
My writing test went very well, and I finished about twenty minutes early. I killed some time surfing around online until my speaking class, where I did well on a quiz and participated a lot. Then I had lunch and bought two more highlighters. Unfortunately, the store was out of my Choco Chippu.
Have I mentioned the highlighters yet? Our convenience store on campus sells these highlighters in all different shades. It's like Gelly Rolls from way back in grade school, really! But the super cool thing about them is that they're double-sided. One side is a thick marker, and the other is fine-tipped. So you can highlight AND write with the same highlighter. It's awesome.
I got a package in the mail today, which was exciting! It included some much-needed medicine, knee socks, and a cute card. Also, there was Erin's school picture, which is really, really good. She's so pretty. I have taped it up on my desk so I can see it. Even better, my stipend for food was deposited to my Japanese bank account today, so now I'm no longer eating into my savings for cup ramen. Yay!
Then, since it wasn't raining and I have no afternoon classes on Monday, I rode my bike to the QQ to pick up some more bread and eggs so I can make egg sandwiches. Those things are so delicious; they, along with Sachi's okonomiyaki, have been keeping me nourished. When I got home I studied a bit, ate a Snickers bar I had bought, then took a nap.
This evening I returned to campus to watch a showing of the VP debate. I walked, taking some pictures along the way. I'll post them when I have enough for another Everyday Life album. Regarding the debate, I have put my reactions at the end of this post, so you don't have to read my silly opinions if you don't want to. In any case it was fun, watching it in a room full of American college students. Of course, being American college students, practically everyone was pulling for Obama/Biden. I think everyone liked Palin, though, or was at least amused by her.
After the debate, I walked to Avail, a clothing store near the city library. They had some cute clothes there, and it's not nearly as expensive as the department stores. It seems, though, that overalls, denim, and flannel are coming back, in addition to the atrocious leggings. Yuck. Oh 1990, why have you come back to haunt us?
I went to Sachi for some okonomiyaki for supper, and took a shower. Also today, I have been on the biggest Free Cell winning streak ever. My win rate was 89% at one point this afternoon. Yay! All in all, it's been a good day.
And now for the political part of our story.
Disclaimer: I'm a raging Democrat, a bleeding-heart liberal with very little sense sometimes. I know this. I am sorry. I am young and naive. Don't hate me, conservative friends! It's just that time of my life. So please do excuse my left-wing slant. But hey, at least I know I'm not neutral, right?
I was very, very impressed with Biden, whom I knew nothing about and expected to be fairly dull. I found him surprisingly eloquent, forthright, and competent. Maybe eight years of George II has just dulled my brain cells, but it was refreshing to hear from someone who can construct and deliver more than one logical and grammatically correct statement in a single television appearance. He was consistantly able to quickly and clearly explain his positions, and his deep knowledge of the political process and current affairs was evident. I thought Biden seemed like a confident statesman, as well as a genuine guy. This will sound heartless, but when he got choked up talking about his family's car crash it was a really good humanizing touch. I like him a lot, and I'm very glad Obama picked him. It think he would make a great VP, or prez, for that matter. God forbid something should happen to Obama.
I found Palin surprisingly affable, too. Her nasally accent irked me, but for someone so new to the national political arena I thought she was relatively impressive on the whole. Her arguments didn't hold a whole lot of water with me, and she didn't have the facts or confident delivery of Biden. Still, she seemed like a normal person, which I liked. Biden's references to recent history and international relations were impressive, but I really do respect Palin's ability to stand before the nation and state that her personal experiences as a businessperson, state-level politician, and run-of-the-mill woman do, in fact, give her some qualifications to be vice-president of the United States. It's brave, and I like it.
But there were a couple of things that were just embarrassing. All the folksy sayings ("betcha," "heck," etc.) were okay at first, but after a while they really started to grate on me. You all know I love regional language variation, but I felt like she was really pulling the "I'm so down-home!" card way, way too much. There's a time and a place for a moderate amount of regionalism, but I really feel like she beat me over the head with an Alaska stick. Plus there was noo-kyoo-lur. ::shudder:: And can we please get this woman a thesaurus? By the end of the debate, everyone in the room was laughing each time she said the word "maverick." Finest cringe-inducing statement of the day? "I'm so encouraged to know that we both love Israel." ("Wow, Governor Palin, me too! Let's be BFFs, okay? I'll even make you an 'I love Israel' locker sign.") And, um, McClellan was associated with the US Civil War, not Afghanistan.
Plus, the GLBTQetc rights activist in me really took exception to her repeated use of the word "tolerance" when referring to the rights of same-sex couples and marriages. I get what she was trying to say, but I find it strange that the possible future VP of the United States would repeatedly say that she can "tolerate" a portion of the American population. The sentiment was there, I think, but I had hoped that she, as someone who could be second in command in AMERICA, would know that "tolerance" is something of a controversial word in the alphabet/ally community. Once would have been okay, but she said it like three or four times. Could we not use "acceptance" for one of those times? "Embrace"? Something that implies feelings warmer than apathy?
Plus, Governor, please do try to stay on topic, ne? How many times can we talk about Alaska drilling and energy independence when the question was originally about string cheese and marmosets? Really, Palin, Gwen Ifill is asking you things; she's kind of a big deal, and I wouldn't want to upset her by NOT ANSWERING THE DAMN QUESTION. It really bothered me how much she dodged. Biden's concise responses might not have been all that great in reality, but compared to Palin's off topic rants they were downright beautiful.
Okay, now I know this is going to sound super shallow, but bear with me--I really like her look. She's someone whose appearance makes her seem qualified for the job she's seeking. I know I probably noticed this because she's a woman and we tend to judge women on looks rather than accomplishments or whatever, so I'm sorry. But really, she looks like a veep, I think. She's not someone I'd want to mess around with, but she comes off as very pleasant in general. Biden? Meh, he looks like a senator or an ambassador, I think. Kinda generic. And I didn't like how thin his tie knot was.
According to the BBC's fact checker, Biden was much more accurate overall in his claims, although not perfect. Not surprising for me; he spoke with authority, though Palin's performance was direct. It was interesting: she just seemed so rehearsed at times, but then she'd veer off on the folksy thing. It was like watching a child sounding out words slowly and then coming across a word she recognized and shouting it really loud. ("Blah blah blah ENERGY blah OIL blah blah MAVERICK blah DANG IT.") Her closing, especially, was awkward. How fast can we go from obviously mechanically memorized to obviously dangerously off the cuff?
Overall, I think Palin did well. She could have been a disaster and she wasn't. She was quite good for a newcomer, but she is obviously a newcomer. She comes off as a mayor or a state senator in her delivery, though her looks are more VPish than Biden's. And I know that one of you out there is thinking, "Well, let's see you do better." To that I say, "Not my job. I'm not running for VP; she is. Criticize me all you want if I ever run for public office."
I'm going to give the win to Biden by quite a margin.
Biden's strengths:
- Ability to clearly explain platform
- Staying on topic
- Appropriate use of anecdotal evidence
- Sincerity, genuineness
- Confidence, enthusiasm of delivery
- Use of facts and figures for evidence
- Solidarity with Obama, yet distinction from him when needed
- Eloquent yet easy style
He didn't do so well on:
- Exciting
- Going after Palin (he focused more on McCain)
Palin's strenghts:
- Personality
- Fierce loyalty to McCain
- Guts
- Knowledge of energy problems and policies
She didn't do so well on:
- Eloquence, confidence
- Timing
- Situationally appropriate use of the English language
- Staying on topic
- Consistency of delivery styles and content
- Knowledge of general data and paradigms
- McCain this, McCain that--support for him was good, but I thought she overdid it
- Anything dealing with foreign policy
3 comments:
Well, our opinions on the debate are much the same. And I'm really glad I'm not the only one who thought that Biden getting choked up was a good touch. I did read about it later, though, and it was a sad story. Very sad. But I, cynically, thought that it made a good story for a politician. If it hadn't happened after he was elected, I'd say that it would have been an influencing factor.
And Palin's use of the word tolerance really bugged me too. I imagine that everyone that was watching here on campus felt the same, but no one made any comment. And then they both said that they supported equal rights but not marriage. I feel that, at the very least, civil unions need to available to same-sex couples everywhere. And I'm not just saying it because it's the right thing to do, but because it would make insurance policies much easier to deal with. As it is, some companies offer family packages if you say someone is your life partner, but there's no way to know if the couple is actually a couple, or just wants insurance benefits. Civil unions could still be faked, just as marriage can, but at least it's less likely. As it is, if I got a job with a company that offered insurance, I could tell them that Corinne was my girlfriend and needed insurance too, and if Corinne didn't contradict me, we'd both get coverage.
But about "noo-kyoo-lur". I really think it's a regional thing. I hate to say it, what with everyone thinking that if you can't pronounce nuclear you're an idiot, but my dad says nuculear. I said it that way for a long time as well, until I got to high school and realized that people would assume I was an idiot if I mispronounced it repeatedly. Anyhow, it just goes to show that not everyone who says noo-kyoo-lur is an idiot.
Palin may look more like a VP, but in the event of McCain dying, I wouldn't really want her in charge. Biden would be a much better president than she would. In fact, I'm mildly surprised that Biden didn't win the Democratic nomination. But against a woman and a ridiculously charismatic black man, I suppose he didn't stand a chance. I mean, the entire primary was about those two. No one else really figured into it.
I'm looking forward to seeing the next presidential debate.
I have -no- way to watch TV here, and I'm pretty much a sure fire vote for Steven Colbert (and I'd feel guilty voting for either candidate) but anyhow.. I thought you'd enjoy this flow chart about Sarah Palin's Debate Choices.
http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/10/03/palin-debate-flowchart/
Hahaha, Karen, that flowchart made my day! It's kinda scary how true it is...
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