Rudy Giuliani did well but didn't say much, and I'm sure there were a lot of drinking game players waiting for his first "September 11th." Gov. Huckabee wasn't bad, but was obviously only up there because the RNC felt they owed him.
The problem I have with Palin is the message her mismanaged candidacy is sending to women, however inadvertently. It's not the "You can do anything" that she's supposed to represent. It's "Elect McCain-Palin and women will finally return to their rightful place in the world: Barefoot and Pregnant."
As for the politics, it seems the best laugh lines and applause lines were devised without regard to truth. The Governor didn't turn down Congress's money for the "bridge to nowhere" until after the national uproar, Obama has definitely been responsible for legislation in Illinois and the Senate, Obama's tax plan would increase -- not lower -- middle class after-tax income, and Joe Biden did, in fact, get more votes in his Presidential campaign than Palin got in her mayoral campaign.
http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_fact_check
And, thanks to a friend for the best laugh of the morning, riffing on Palin's pit bull line, which I'd really liked. (In case you missed it: "You know the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.")
http://october31st.livejournal.com/501720.html