Yes, Governor Sarah Palin defied expectations in last night's debate. She was a peppy, prepared, presenter who may fool some people into thinking a vice president is supposed to be a snappy, citizen-politician. And fortunately for the McCain camp, there were no Katie Couric moments. But last night was also a success for the Democrats at a more important level, because when it came to logic and substance Senator Biden punctured both Palin's balloon and the fallacy at the heart of the McCain campaign.
If last night's debate were a popularity contest, maybe you could argue that Sarah Palin did O.K. But with our nation facing two hot wars abroad and an economic melt-down at home, I am confident voters understand that the stakes are serious and that in a dangerous time, substance matters. And when it came to substance, Senator Biden had a good night indeed.